If you’ve recently had an abortion and something doesn’t feel right, it’s important to pay attention to your symptoms.
Whether you’ve had a medical abortion or a surgical abortion, a potentially life-threatening complication you might experience is an incomplete abortion. Left untreated, it can increase the risk of heavy bleeding, infection, and sepsis.
Knowing the warning signs can help you recognize when it’s time to seek medical care. Read on to learn more.
What Is an Incomplete Abortion?
An incomplete abortion occurs when parts of the pregnancy remain in the uterus after an abortion.
This can happen after either:
- A medical abortion, when the abortion drugs do not completely expel the pregnancy.
- A surgical abortion, if even a small amount of pregnancy tissue remains after the procedure.
During an incomplete abortion, your body may continue trying to expel the pregnancy tissue. But in some cases, medical treatment is needed to remove the remaining tissue and prevent complications.
An incomplete abortion is not something you can diagnose on your own. If you have concerning symptoms, it’s important to be evaluated by a healthcare provider.
Know the Warning Signs
Vaginal bleeding and abdominal cramping are expected after an abortion, especially during the first few days. However, certain symptoms may indicate that something more serious is happening.
Contact a healthcare provider or seek emergency medical care immediately if you experience:
- Heavy bleeding, especially if you’re soaking through two or more full-size sanitary pads per hour for two consecutive hours.
- Severe abdominal or pelvic pain that doesn’t improve or gets worse.
- A fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher that lasts more than 24 hours.
- Chills or flu-like symptoms after the expected medication side effects have passed.
- Foul-smelling vaginal discharge.
- Feeling weak, dizzy, or faint.
- Persistent pregnancy symptoms that don’t seem to be improving.
These symptoms may be signs of an incomplete abortion, an infection, or another complication that requires prompt medical attention.
Don’t Wait to Get Medical Care
If you think you may be experiencing an incomplete abortion, don’t wait to see if your symptoms improve on their own.
A healthcare provider can evaluate your symptoms and may use an ultrasound to determine whether pregnancy tissue remains in the uterus.
Depending on your situation, treatment may include medication or a procedure to remove the remaining parts of the pregnancy. Prompt treatment can help reduce the risk of infection, excessive bleeding, and more serious complications.
If you’re experiencing severe pain, heavy bleeding, difficulty breathing, confusion, loss of consciousness, or other emergency symptoms, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room immediately. And be sure to tell them that you recently had an abortion so that they can know how best to treat you.
Aid for Women Is Here to Support You
If you’ve recently had an abortion and have questions about your recovery, or if you’re still pregnant and looking into your options, Aid for Women is here for you.
If you’re experiencing signs of a medical emergency, seek immediate medical care. After your needs have been addressed, our compassionate team is available to provide a safe, confidential place to talk, answer your questions, and connect you with additional medical and emotional support resources.
Whether you’re concerned about your physical recovery or you’re looking for someone to walk with you through post-abortion healing, you don’t have to face it alone.
Contact Aid for Women to learn more about the support and resources available. We’re here for you.
Aid for Women does not provide or refer for abortions.
All abortion information sourced in this blog is based on accurate information at the time of writing.