Essential Things to Keep in Mind Before and After a Medical Abortion

Preparing for a medical abortion before and after the procedure takes some planning and conscious choices. The abortion pills like Mifepristone and Misoprostol found in the MTP Kit helps in ending an early pregnancy safely at home. The process is like a natural miscarriage. However, this is a controlled effect where you know what will happen, and how you can manage the consequences, ensuring peace of mind.

In this blog, we will take you through the things to keep in mind during and following a successful medical abortion at home.

Before the Medical Abortion – Preparation is Vital

Starting the medical abortion is the next step but arranging the necessary supplies at hand is necessary:

A clinical exam and ultrasound are a normal health check-up before an abortion. It identifies if you are ready for the procedure, and if the pregnancy is intrauterine and within the gestational limit of up to 11 weeks. These details are required for a safe termination.

Knowing how Mifepristone and Misoprostol abortion pills will work before starting to take this medicine is important. For instance, you can take both medicines at home in a step-by-step way. Take Mifepristone orally with water on day 1. This medicine blocks progesterone to shed the endometrial lining and end the pregnancy.

Misoprostol pills are used buccally or vaginally 24 to 48 hours later. These contract the uterus constantly to expel the pregnancy tissues via the dilated cervix. Expect heavy vaginal bleeding and few other gastrointestinal side effects.

As noted, the dosage of abortion pills takes place over 1 to 3 days. So, keep some time off at hand. While you do not have to make any major arrangements for taking a Mifepristone pill, after a Misoprostol dose, an interval of two days at least is good to keep when you should be free of any responsibilities and chores.

Since vaginal bleeding happens, keep a stock of large absorbent sanitary pads. Do not use menstrual cups and tampons. Keep a few Ibuprofen pills for pain management. Do not take Aspirin as it may increase bleeding. A hot water bottle or heating pad can ease cramps from uterine contractions. Stock up on electrolyte beverages, water, and light snacks in your room.

During the Process – What to Expect

Once you take a Mifepristone pill, there are usually no significant side effects. However, on taking Misoprostol prostaglandin medication, in the first 1 to 4 hours, the abdominal cramps and pain are felt. These are because of uterine contractions that help empty the uterus.

· You can expect heavy vaginal bleeding with large blood clots.

· Some of the side effects are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, temporary fever and chills, tiredness, dizziness, etc.

· These symptoms usually indicate that the abortion is proceeding well.

· However, keep an eye on any usual side effects or worsening of these consequences to seek medical help if necessary.

After the Medical Abortion – Recovery and Aftercare

Once the medical abortion is done, the intense experiences are usually over. Now, it is the time for healing and further comfort.

It is expected for the bleeding to last for several weeks after a medical abortion. However, the amount of bleeding keeps reducing to light spotting and then stopping in 4 to 6 weeks. If you soak through two maxi pads in an hour or two, it may be a sign of excessive bleeding. In this case, seek medical attention.

To restrict the chances of infection, paying attention to physical hygiene takes priority. As the cervix is slightly open for a brief period after abortion, you need to avoid hot tubs, swimming, and baths for at least a week or two. Avoid vaginal intercourse, douching, or using tampons or menstrual cups during and after the procedure.

While medical abortion complications are rare, it is best to stay careful and look for medical help if there is severe abdominal pain that does not reduce after pain meds or pain management steps. Similarly, if you have a fever more than 38°C (100.4°F) after the first 24 hours, then contact a doctor. Do the same if you notice continued symptoms of pregnancy after a couple of weeks, or foul-smelling vaginal discharge.

If you experience uncontrolled emotions, especially if the feelings are troublesome like grief, anguish, sadness, or guilt, then talk to a trusted individual, or look for a conversation with a professional therapist. Reaching out to support groups and counsellors are also wise choices.

To understand if the abortion pill worked or not, an ultrasound during the follow-up (after 14 days of completing the Misoprostol dose), is essential. This can detect if the uterus emptied and if everything is alright with your health. You can also discuss about nutrition and diet tips for recovery, future pregnancy, and birth control options (hormonal as well as non-hormonal), at this time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some common queries about things to keep in mind before and after a medical abortion:

Most women can go back to regular chores and activities after a day or two of using all the abortion pills. However, this depends on how the bleeding is, and how you feel physically.

It takes a few days to weeks for the pregnancy hormones to exit the body. Symptoms like nausea, breast tenderness, and cramps may linger for a while. However, these are temporary. So, if there are pregnancy symptoms even after 2 to 3 weeks after abortion, consult a doctor.

It is recommended to take rest and stay at home or a comfortable place that does not require traveling till the time heavy bleeding lasts during the abortion, or after that.

It may take 4 to 6 weeks or up to 8 weeks before the menstrual cycle returns to normalcy. The first period after a successful pregnancy termination could be heavier than usual.

Do not take antibiotics just like that. Use these only if a doctor recommends, especially for any infection or health complication. Otherwise, you may not need any other such medicine apart from pain meds to pain management and antiemetic medication for nausea.