Medical abortion is the use of medications to terminate the pregnancy. It is different from a surgically performed procedure in the sense that it is more like a miscarriage that takes place at home for one to two days and does not require the presence of a doctor or the surgeon or a health care professional at the time of the procedure. You may see the doctor after a few weeks of bleeding for a follow-up examination.
Precautionary measures before medical abortion:
Before recommending a medical abortion, your doctor will be:
Evaluating your medical history which will include any medicines you might be taking
A physical exam such as pelvic examination may be done for the evaluation of your health including the term of your pregnancy and the location of the fetus
Your doctor might choose to perform an ultrasound for the confirmation of how far along you are
He will discuss your decision to terminate the pregnancy and your feelings regarding the decision
The doctor will also be explaining how the medications will work and their possible side effects some of which are nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea
In addition to the medicines that will cause the termination of pregnancy, the doctor will also provide you with medicines to reduce the side effects significantly. These medicines can be used to reduce pain caused by uterine contractions, for the prevention of vomiting or nausea, and to prevent infection in the body. For women who have Rh-negative blood type, Rh immunoglobulin will be administered to prevent Rh sensitisation after a medical abortion.
Precautionary measures after medical abortion:
It is very important to follow up on the doctor’s instructions carefully. Some of the instructions that need to be followed are:
While most women can return to normal daily activities in one to two days after the uterus gets cleared, it is still advised to avoid straining exercise for at least one to two weeks
Sexual Intercourse should be avoided for at least 1 to 2 weeks
Make sure you use birth control and condoms during intercourse to prevent infection
It is highly advised against rinsing your vagina with fluids as it may increase your risk of infections and may eventually lead to pelvic inflammatory disease.
Common symptoms of a medical abortion
Some of the most common symptoms experienced by women post a medical abortion include:
Bleeding or spotting for almost 14 days after the abortion. Bleeding can be prolonged in case the pregnancy was over 7 weeks
Intense cramping for the first 2 weeks after the abortion. It can happen till 6 weeks in some women.
When to reach out to the doctor?
If you experience the following symptoms, you should call your doctor immediately:
Severe bleeding after the abortion: any type of abortion is likely to cause heavy bleeding that is different from the monthly menstrual periods. Severe bleeding here means the passing of clots that seem bigger than a golf ball lasting for two or more hours. Bleeding heavily for over 12 hours
Possible signs of infections in the body include headache, dizziness, muscle aches, or a general feeling of sickness
A severe ache in the belly that does not go away with medicine, heat, or rest
High temperatures last for over four hours
Sudden swelling of the belly or a rapid heart rate
Having an abortion is an extremely emotionally and physically challenging experience and to return to normalcy, one should be taking significant time off from work and spend time with close friends and family members.
No comments:
Post a Comment