Is Abortion Recovery Difficult?

The recovery time or difficulty of most medical procedures varies greatly from person to person.

This includes women who have abortions. Your recovery time will depend on whether or not you experience a complication, either physical or mental.

If you’re currently recovering from an abortion or considering an abortion, make an appointment to talk with a caring team member. We’re here to support you.

What Types of Abortion Are Available?

There are two main types of abortion: medical and surgical.

A medical abortion is done by taking two drugs hours or days apart, and a surgical abortion is performed in a doctor’s office, hospital, or clinic using surgical instruments and suction.

Are There Risks with Both Types of Abortion?

Yes, both have their own risks and side effects. However, the effects vary with each individual.

Medical Abortion

The physical side effects of a medical abortion include vaginal bleeding, abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, diarrhea, and headache.

Sometimes, these symptoms will stop once the contents of the uterus have passed. However, women should seek medical assistance if they continue to worsen.

In some cases, you may have an incomplete abortion, causing infection. When this occurs, a surgical procedure may need to be performed. You may need to take antibiotics.

After a medical abortion, you may have light to moderate bleeding for several weeks. You would need to monitor your bleeding to ensure it’s not heavy and doesn’t require medical treatment.

Surgical Abortion

The side effects of a surgical abortion include mild cramping and spotting or light bleeding.

If you don’t experience any complications, you will be able to resume normal activities within days. However, experiencing a complication can lead to a longer recovery time.

As with a medical abortion, fetal contents can remain in the uterus. This could lead to infection.

There is also a risk of the wall of the uterus being perforated (when a surgical instrument pokes a hole). Scar tissue can also develop in the uterus (Asherman’s syndrome), or there can be damage to the cervix.

In these cases, a follow-up procedure might be necessary. An infection would also require treatment.

Are There Emotional Side Effects With Abortion?

According to a compilation of different studies of women who have aborted, certain circumstances can make negative mental health impacts more likely. They are:

• If the woman feels pressured to abort
• If the woman has maternal desires that she’s not paying attention to or ignoring
• If the woman has existing mental health problems
• If the woman has conflicting moral beliefs

What Can We Do For You?

At First Care, our experienced medical team can provide a free lab-quality pregnancy test and ultrasound. We will also give information on all your options.

If you have had an abortion and you suffer physical or emotional consequences, please contact us. We would love to meet with you.

If you think you might be pregnant, please call or text us today!