Menstruation after medical abortion: duration, nature of discharge, timing of cycle recovery. When menstruation comes after medical abortion, the norm and pathology When menstruation comes after abortion pills

Termination of an unwanted pregnancy can be performed by various methods, depending on the duration of pregnancy, the condition of the fetus and the health of the mother, and the qualifications of the specialist. Scanty periods after an abortion may be normal or indicate a complication.

You can get rid of pregnancy at the request of a woman only up to the twelfth week. At a later date, this procedure is possible only for medical or social reasons: if the patient has diseases that are life-threatening or if a severe pathology is diagnosed in the fetus. Especially carefully you need to approach the choice of the method of this manipulation for a woman who has not yet given birth. After evaluating all the indications and risks, the doctor recommends the best possible method for terminating the pregnancy.

There are the following ways to perform an abortion:

mini-abortion - a way to remove the fetus from the uterus using a vacuum;
surgical - removal of the fetal egg by scraping;
pharmabort - the use of drugs.

In late abortion, the drug is administered directly through the puncture of the fetal bladder, after which the fetus is removed from the uterine cavity.

Characteristics of types of abortions

The classic method (curettage) is carried out before the twelfth week of pregnancy. It is performed with medical surgical instruments in a clinic setting. The fertilized egg is separated mechanically from the wall of the reproductive organ. Before the start of the procedure, the cervix is artificially expanded, through the canal of which instruments for manipulation will be inserted and the fetal egg will be removed. The procedure is painful, therefore it is carried out with the use of analgesic drugs. For some time after the manipulation, the woman is under the supervision of a medical worker.

In a vacuum abortion, an apparatus is inserted into the uterine cavity, which creates negative pressure in it. This helps to tear the fetal egg from its place of attachment. This procedure is performed until the fifth week from the moment of conception (no later than 20 days from the delay). After it, it is imperative to undergo an examination with the attending physician, since it is not always possible to aspirate all the contents and it is possible that the pregnancy has survived. This manipulation is carried out only in the clinic.

Medical interruption is performed in the early stages (up to the fifth week). The effectiveness of this procedure is ninety-five cases out of a hundred: the shorter the period, the more successful the procedure. With this method, a drug is used that increases the tone of the muscles of the mother's reproductive organ - it has an effect opposite to the effect of progesterone.

After taking the drug, the process of expulsion of the fetus becomes irreversible, the woman can no longer change her mind about terminating the pregnancy.

Bleeding can begin within a few hours from the use of the remedy, more often - after one to two days. The fetus leaves the uterine cavity with menstrual flow. At this time, the patient should be re-examined by the attending physician to ensure a positive result of the abortion. A woman can stay at home all the time.

Causes of scanty periods during surgical abortion

After the termination of pregnancy for some time. They look like normal menstruation. This is due to the fact that the inner layer of cells, which grows every month and separates if pregnancy does not occur, has exfoliated and comes out of the uterus naturally. The vessels are damaged as a result of the abortion and continue to bleed.

With a low qualification of a medical worker, mechanical damage to the uterus can occur. In this case, blood can flow into the abdominal cavity or soak the walls of the reproductive organ itself.
The cervix, mechanically dilated, can close, and the blood will not be able to go out, accumulating in the cavity. The danger of such a complication is that the blood is an excellent breeding ground for various microorganisms, and against this background, the development of purulent inflammation is possible.
Causes of poor discharge after pharmacist
Termination of pregnancy with myrolute is carried out in the early stages, when the endometrium has not yet had time to grow strongly, and the embryo is securely attached to the uterine wall. Scanty spotting after myrolute may be the norm. However, it happens that the reason for such periods after medical abortion is hidden in the following:
significant hormonal changes, in which the menstrual cycle is restored only after a few months;
mechanical obstruction to the outflow of blood through the vagina (tightly closed neck, blood clot over the exit to the vagina).

The latter reason poses a serious threat to the life of a woman and the ability to bear a child in the future. Surgery may be needed to correct this complication. In addition, there is a possibility that the pregnancy persisted.
Reasons for poor discharge after a mini-abortion
With a mini-abortion, the main reasons are as follows:
the pregnancy was not terminated;
too early;
obstruction to blood flow.

Each of the above reasons can be established when examining a woman.
Symptoms of scanty periods after an abortion
With mechanical damage to the uterine wall during surgery, the patient develops acute pain in the abdomen, aggravated by touching it. The abdomen is swollen, constipation occurs. The body temperature rises, thirst appears. The general condition of the patient worsens over time. In severe cases, a woman's consciousness becomes confused. If you do not consult a doctor in a timely manner, the death of the patient is possible.
Minor bleeding may be accompanied by disturbances in the general well-being of a woman: mood worsens, irritability appears, bloating or pulling pain in the lower abdomen occurs. Painful aching sensations in the mammary glands are not excluded.
Diagnostic methods
After a thorough questioning and examination, the attending physician prescribes the following examinations:
examination of the patient on the chair;
determination of the content of sex hormones in the blood and urine;
examination of the contents of the vagina under a microscope;
sowing secretions on a nutrient medium to identify pathological microorganisms in the vagina;
Ultrasound of the female genital organs to determine possible damage to the uterus;
to determine the moment of ovulation, monitor the basal temperature.

The temperature is measured in the rectum. Use a mercury thermometer. The measurement is taken every morning before getting out of bed. The woman records the indicators in a graph. An upward temperature jump indicates the onset of ovulation.
Conclusion
Any termination of pregnancy entails a danger to the woman's body by the development of complications. Bleeding is minor. In each case, a consultation with the attending physician is needed after a few days. Hormonal restructuring of the patient's body, which occurs after the extraction of the embryo artificially, can further lead to disruption of the ovaries, the development of infertility, so it is important to carefully consider your decision.

Pregnancy is not always desirable, sometimes in life circumstances develop in such a way that a woman faces a difficult choice.

If for some reason she does not have the opportunity to bear a child, take care of him, then she has to decide on an abortion.

Pharmacological abortion

There are several types of abortion, one of them is medical abortion.

Medication or pharmabort is an artificial termination of pregnancy with the help of medications.

It is most preferable to use it during pregnancy no more than 6-7 weeks, which corresponds to 42-49 days of delay with a menstrual cycle of 28 days. In some countries, this type of abortion is allowed up to 24 weeks of pregnancy. But one should take into account the fact that the longer the period of delay, and hence the pregnancy, the less likely the successful outcome of the procedure.

Data-annotation="9">pregnant for some reason, but conception did occur. In this case, when determining the fact of pregnancy in the early stages, a pharmaceutical abortion will be preferable to a surgical one, if there are no contraindications to it.

Like any medical manipulation, medical abortion has its indications and contraindications.

The first and main contraindication is an ectopic pregnancy, in this case, no pills will give a positive effect, the embryo from the tube can only be removed surgically. Therefore, before you start taking abortive drugs, you must definitely undergo an ultrasound scan and make sure that the woman does not have an ectopic pregnancy.

Allergy to the active ingredient of the drugs used;
Long-term treatment with glucocorticosteroids;
Treatment with anticoagulants;
Reduced blood clotting;
Myoma, malignant tumors of the uterus;
Inflammatory diseases of the genital organs
Severe extragenital pathologies;
Serious lung diseases (asthma, tuberculosis);
Renal or liver failure;

Smoking women over 35 years of age should definitely report their habit to the doctor, since in this case the risk of complications and consequences is very high.

What is dangerous pharmabort?

Data-annotation="24">however, the effect of such powerful drugs is quite traumatic for a woman's body. The basis of the action of these pills is a complete blockage of progesterone, which can lead to hormonal imbalance.

Minor side effects include indigestion, nausea, skin reactions, general weakness and fatigue, and dizziness.

More serious consequences are:

incomplete abortion;
ongoing pregnancy (drug did not work);
Cramping pains in the abdomen;
Uterine bleeding;
Fever;

The effectiveness of the pharmabort is assessed using ultrasound. The doctor must confirm the complete absence of the fetal egg or its particles in the uterine cavity.

How to treat the consequences of pharmaceutical abortion?

In case of incomplete termination of pregnancy, a woman is recommended curettage of the uterine cavity, which is carried out under general anesthesia. This is necessary, since the retention of a part of the fetal egg in the uterus can provoke both severe bleeding and an infectious process.

If the pharmacological method turned out to be ineffective, and the pregnancy was not interrupted, the doctor must definitely warn the patient that the unborn child has a very high risk of malformations. In such cases, surgical termination of pregnancy is strongly recommended.

Cramping pain after a medical abortion is normal, because under the influence of medications, the uterus begins to contract. Their intensity depends on the height of the woman's pain threshold, but, as a rule, the sensations resemble pain during menstruation. If the pain is unbearable, you can take an antispasmodic or pain medication with the permission of the doctor.

It should be borne in mind that uterine bleeding after an abortion is inevitable, but in different women it will be of an individual degree of intensity. Discharge from the genital tract can continue for up to 12-14 days. If two pads of the maximum size are soaked with blood within an hour, and this continues for at least two hours, then such bleeding requires emergency treatment in a hospital.

In case of indigestion, if vomiting occurs less than 1 hour after the administration of the drugs into the body, they must be taken again. If after 1.5 hours or more, there is no need to take these pills anymore. With severe and frequent vomiting, it makes sense to take antiemetic drugs.

If allergic reactions occur, in most cases it is enough to take an antihistamine tablet.

An increase in temperature can be triggered by pharmaceutical preparations. But in such cases, it should not be more than 38 degrees and last no longer than 24 hours. If the temperature rises above 38 degrees, or the first rise in temperature occurred the next day after taking the drugs, you should urgently contact your doctor. This may be a sign of an infection.

When do periods start after a medical abortion?

Bloody discharge after this type of intervention usually goes like heavy periods in the first week, with a transition to spotting in the second week. Bloody clear discharge can persist until the next menstruation.

The beginning of the menstrual cycle, or its first day, is the day the bleeding starts, usually one day after taking the pills. Menstruation should be expected after a period that is a normal menstrual cycle for a woman, with the possibility of a delay of up to 10 days. That is, if your cycle was earlier than 28–30 days, then the first menstruation after an abortion should begin in the range from 28 to 40 days.

According to statistics, every tenth woman who has made a pharmaceutical abortion has no menstruation for 2 months (or 2 cycles).

Usually, after several cycles, menstruation begins to come on time, and go for 3-7 days. Such a quick recovery is due to the fact that at the very beginning of pregnancy there are no serious hormonal changes in the body yet, which means that it is easier for him to return to his usual state after an abortion.

However, before the cycle is restored, monthly may come with a delay. If more than two expected cycles have passed, and menstruation still does not begin, you should contact a gynecologist. The doctor will conduct an examination, give a referral for an ultrasound scan and, if necessary, prescribe drugs that stimulate the restoration of the cycle.

Contraception

Reproductive function can resume approximately 1.5 weeks after the abortion. Therefore, already a few days after the procedure, it is necessary to begin to protect yourself. Hormonal contraceptives can be started the same day the bleeding starts, or as directed by your gynecologist.

Abortive measures do not always pass without complications and consequences. Often, women do not have periods after this for a month or two. As a rule, after this time the cycle is restored. Fears are caused by situations when there is no menstruation for a longer period after an abortion. In this case, you can not do without medical help.

There are many reasons why there is no menstruation after an abortion. First of all, it is a hormonal failure. As a result of abortive measures, the activity of the endocrine system is disrupted, the processes of functioning of the ovaries, pituitary gland and hypothalamus are suppressed. With insufficient concentration of hormones and the absence of changes in their level, a change is observed. It takes time to restore the hormonal background. The patient is advised to seek help from a gynecologist who will prescribe the proper treatment.

After a honeybort or spontaneous miscarriage, a woman experiences severe stress for up to two months. In this regard, there is an increase in the concentration of prolactin in the blood. As a result - the absence of ovulation and menstruation.

Another consequence of abortion is damage to the basal layer of the uterus. The more endometrium is injured, the more difficult it will be to restore the cycle. In connection with the complications that have arisen, a total removal of this layer is sometimes observed. This in turn can lead to infertility.

Complication of abortion - amenorrhea

Amenorrhea (absence of menstrual flow for six months or more) can be observed after medical termination of pregnancy. Often, its appearance is due to neurohormonal disorders. At the same time, there are violations of the cerebral cortex and hypothalamus, and sometimes the complete destruction of this system. The delay in menstruation after an abortion in this case is called central or hypothalamic amenorrhea.

Violation of the menstrual cycle is due to stress caused by hormonal failure. From how long there is no menstruation after the abortion, it directly depends on what are the chances of restoring reproductive function. Malfunctions of the neurohormonal system can lead to suppression of ovarian function and infertility.

The absence of menstruation may be associated with partial or complete infection of the cervical canal, and as a result of this, the appearance of false amenorrhea. Such changes are caused by the destruction of mucous membranes and the appearance of adhesions.

The reason for the prolonged absence of menstruation may also lie in intrauterine adhesions.

When should my period come after an abortion?

The first day of the new cycle is considered the date of the onset of bleeding after abortive measures. At the time of the procedure, the fetal egg is destroyed - and immediately after that the countdown begins. The discharge that occurs during this period is not menstruation. Critical days come at natural times. Bleeding after an abortion only allows you to count the date of the start of the cycle.

Normal periods should appear after 21-35 days. In many ways, the timing depends on the individual. If it was 28 days, then after abortive measures it should remain so.

Situations when there is no menstruation after an abortion are far from uncommon, but such changes cannot be considered the norm. If the termination of pregnancy was carried out for a period of not more than 12 weeks, then the reproductive function is quickly restored, menstruation soon comes.

The shorter the period for which the procedure is carried out, the less often there is a delay in menstruation. In the later stages, such violations are quite common. The body needs at least three months to recover.

Abortive measures carried out at a later date are dangerous for women's health. For this reason, in medical institutions, this procedure is carried out at the request of the patient for up to 12 weeks.

Menstruation begins after an abortion, usually within 21–40 days. They differ from ordinary secretions in duration, profusion and soreness. Such changes are a reason to consult a doctor. You can not ignore the delay in menstruation.

The time of the onset of menstruation also depends on the type of procedure performed. For example, after they acquire a slightly different character. You can read more detailed information on this topic in a separate article on our website.

Diagnosing the cause of the delay

Abortion is the strongest stress for the body, after which it needs time to recover. This is the main cause of menstrual irregularities, so do not underestimate. If it is short, then there is no cause for concern. Speaking about what to do if there is no menstruation for two months, the answer is unequivocal: you need medical help.

After carrying out abortive measures, there is a risk of developing such pathologies of the reproductive system as polycystic and fibroids, serious hormonal disruptions and a number of other complications are not excluded.

The doctor will first of all make an examination on the gynecological chair, and after that he will prescribe additional examinations, including:

a blood test to determine the level of hormones;
smear to detect infections.

Only with a timely appeal to a specialist will it be possible to avoid a number of undesirable consequences and restore reproductive function.

Prevention of complications

After an abortion, the hormonal system and the body as a whole need time to recover. In order for this process to be completed as soon as possible, a number of medical recommendations must be followed. In order to prevent serious complications, the gynecologist resorts to prescribing hormonal drugs. The duration of such therapy varies from two to three months. In addition, the following rules must be observed:

avoid a new pregnancy within the next six months;
avoid visiting baths and saunas for a month. During this period, you should not take hot baths;
not to engage in intimacy for four weeks after the abortion;
do not lift weights and do not play sports until full recovery;
Rest as much as possible and avoid stressful situations.

Abortion negatively affects the state of the female reproductive system. After this procedure, cycle disorders, delays in menstruation and changes in the nature of the discharge are often noted. This is not always considered the norm. Quite often, changes indicate serious problems in the body. Therefore, when such symptoms appear, you should definitely seek help from a doctor.

Modern methods of abortion at the very beginning of its occurrence do not involve surgical intervention, but the use of special medications. The procedure must be carried out under the supervision of a specialist who will prescribe a suitable drug, and also control when the menstruation came after a medical termination of pregnancy, how the female body reacted to the intervention.

Despite the fact that taking pills does not affect the body as much as it does, the consequences of the procedure can be quite noticeable. That is why it is necessary to entrust the choice of the abortion method, as well as the selection of the drug, to a specialist.

He will talk about the possible disadvantages of the method, about how long the menstruation lasts after medical termination of pregnancy, and in which case you should seek medical help.

The active substance that has an abortion effect is mefipristone or misoprostol. The most widely used drugs: Mifepristone, Pencrofton, Misoprostol, Mirolut, Mifolian, Cytotec,.

Abortion using pharmaceutical means is carried out exclusively in the early stages of pregnancy. If conception has occurred more than six weeks ago, then the doctor usually prescribes another method of interruption, since the pills will no longer be effective.

The consequences can be different up to the fact that after medical termination of pregnancy there will be no menstruation or, on the contrary, bleeding will open. So you should take into account all the advantages and disadvantages of the procedure.

Advantages:

High efficiency of the method. Medical abortion is successful in most cases, with a success rate of 92 to 99.
Preliminary preparation is not required at all or is required at a minimum.
Rapid abortion - the whole procedure is a simple pill.
No anesthesia required.
The uterus is preserved intact, since surgical intervention is not performed.
The cervix and endometrium are not injured, as with conventional curettage.
The procedure is psychologically much better tolerated than the standard one.
due to medical abortion is practically excluded, that is, the reproductive function remains normal.

Despite all these advantages, the procedure also has many disadvantages that should be considered before it is carried out:

Rarely, but still there are situations when the rejection of the fetus does not occur. The drug does not work as expected, the ovum remains in the uterus or part of it, which has to be removed surgically.
In 55% of cases, a woman has uterine bleeding. These are not early periods after medical termination of pregnancy, but such discharges that are dangerous for profuse blood loss. Sometimes a blood transfusion or surgery is needed.
After taking the medication, a woman has strong symptoms, usually they appear in a day or two. There may also be discomfort in the abdomen, nausea.
An increase in body temperature occurs as a consequence after a pharmaceutical abortion. Also, a painful condition can be manifested by severe headaches, dizziness, increased blood pressure and a general deterioration in well-being, severe weakness. So you should not plan important events for the days following the abortion, it is better to observe bed rest for two days.
Allergic reactions to drugs are possible. To eliminate it, it is enough to take antihistamines.
Pharmaceutical abortion products are hormonal. And any hormonal intervention in a woman's body can lead to unpredictable consequences. The hormonal balance is changing, and how the body will react to this is unknown.
After using the drug, an infection of the female genital organs may occur.
You can not use the drug for a period of more than six weeks of pregnancy. If an exact deadline cannot be established, traditional methods of interruption are preferred.
Despite the fact that the procedure for taking pills is carried out under the supervision of a specialist, the abortion itself happens at home. The exact time when the medicine will take effect is not known.

In addition, after medical termination of pregnancy, it is difficult to predict when menstruation will begin.

The process of onset of menstruation after medical abortion

Any action that involves interfering with the female body can lead to unpleasant consequences. After a pharmaceutical abortion, a delay in menstruation often occurs, which indicates violations in the work of the appendages.

Although pharmaceutical abortion is a milder method than surgical abortion, it takes time for the body to recover its functions.

Until the onset of the first menstruation, a woman needs to carefully monitor her condition. If you experience pain, fever or other symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor.

After a medical abortion, the cycle begins anew. Usually 1-2 days after taking the drug, blood begins to flow. This day will be the first day of menstruation.

It all starts with meager spotting, which gradually becomes more and more abundant. During the most severe bleeding, a fertilized egg is released. Your next period may be delayed.

The onset of menstruation may be associated with the following features:

Delay up to ten days after medical abortion. This is considered normal and should not disturb the patient.
An increase in the cycle, which is mistaken for a delay by a woman. In the vast majority of women, the cycle after a pharmaceutical abortion increases. This is not a delay.
Within six months, the cycle is restored.

Scanty periods after medical termination of pregnancy should disturb a woman, as well as abundant ones. The nature of the bleeding should be looked at carefully to inform the doctor.

Possible complications after medical abortion

Despite the advantages of medical abortion, which are obvious before the removal of the fetus in the usual surgical way, complications are also possible after it:

Bleeding from the uterus. After taking the prescribed drug, you need to pay attention to the nature of the discharge. If severe bleeding does not stop within two days, this is an occasion to consult a doctor, since severe blood loss is possible. Such a complication occurs infrequently and depends on the woman's body, physical activity, lifestyle, previous births, scrapings, abortions, if any. It is very important to track how menstruation goes after medical termination of pregnancy, since too little discharge is also a bad sign. This suggests that the cervix is closed and the fetal egg cannot come out.
Painful menses. This is another unpleasant consequence that occurs in many women after this procedure. Even if before that a woman did not complain about pain during menstruation, now they can occur. In some cases, each time you need to take strong analgesics to relieve pain.
Cycle failure. It occurs in about 40% of women. There is nothing wrong with it, because after a few months the cycle will be restored.
High fever, contractions, vomiting. These signs indicate an unsuccessful abortion. A fertilized egg or part of it remains in the uterine cavity. Even if the pills did not affect the integrity of the fetus in any way, a traditional abortion by curettage is necessary in this case. This is due to the fact that taking drugs affects the intrauterine development of the fetus, the child will be born with pathologies. From medical intervention in the embryo, anomalies appear, often incompatible with life.

It is very important even before the onset of the period when menstruation begins after medical termination of pregnancy, to be protected. A woman can conceive a child within a week after a medical abortion, but during this period of time she is highly undesirable, since the body has experienced a strong hormonal shock.

Medical abortion is a gentle procedure that is performed in the early stages of pregnancy. Ideally, no more than six weeks should pass from the moment of the last menstruation, then the effectiveness of taking the drugs is quite high.

After the procedure, unpleasant consequences may remain, which is why it is so important to monitor the duration of menstruation after medical abortion, their number and timing. If you follow the doctor's recommendations and take drugs under his strict control, the procedure is safe and successful in more than 95% of cases.

Useful video about medical abortion

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One of the most gentle methods of terminating an unwanted pregnancy is medical abortion. In this method, it attracts, first of all, the absence of the need for surgical intervention, and hence the possibility of avoiding the complications associated with it. However, you need to know that medical abortion has not only advantages, but also disadvantages. There are a number of contraindications. After such an abortion, it is especially important to pay attention to the time of the next menstruation. Deviations can indicate serious complications.

Content:

How medical abortion is performed

After conception, a woman’s body undergoes hormonal changes in the body, the production of progesterone increases sharply (it is called the “pregnancy hormone”). Due to this, changes occur in the uterus that contribute to the retention of the fetal egg in it and the maintenance of its vital activity.

The essence of medical abortion is that a woman at the first stage in a hospital takes a drug that reduces the body's sensitivity to progesterone. As a result, the nutrition of the embryo stops, the fetal egg is rejected and, together with the mucous membrane, is brought out. In this case, the patient begins menstrual bleeding.

At the second stage of abortion (36-48 hours after taking a pill that provokes a miscarriage), a drug is taken to speed up the process of removing particles of the fetal egg from the uterus, which enhances its contractility.

Mifepristone analogues (Mifegin, Pencrofton, Mifeprex and others) are used as progesterone blockers. One of the best drugs certified in Russia and recommended for use by the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation is Mifegin.

Misoprostol (a substance from the group of prostaglandins) is used to stimulate uterine contractions. Reception of tablets is made only in the presence of a doctor. Doses are prescribed strictly individually, taking into account the physiological characteristics of the body and the results of a preliminary examination of the state of health.

The advantages of such termination of pregnancy is that it is carried out at an early stage (at 4-6 weeks), when the woman does not have time to get used to her new state, therefore she does not experience emotional stress. The cervix is not injured, there is no possibility of infection with surgical instruments entering its cavity. No anesthesia required. If everything goes well, then after taking the medicine, the woman goes home and waits for the result.

Video: How medical abortion is performed

Possible Complications

The fact that the detachment of the fetal egg has occurred can be guessed by the occurrence of bleeding. At first it is quite intense, and then after 2-3 days it gradually weakens, turning into sanious discharge. The total duration of bleeding after such an abortion is 7-10 days.

Complications can be:

Incomplete detachment of the fetal egg or even preservation of pregnancy. If the control ultrasound shows that the effect could not be achieved, an additional vacuum abortion or curettage of the uterus is performed.
Feeling unwell after taking the pills (nausea, vomiting, fever, severe and dangerous uterine bleeding).
Violation of the cycle (irregularity of menstruation due to hormonal failure, painful menstruation).
The presence of long-term consequences caused by artificial interference in the hormonal processes occurring in the body. Such consequences can be the formation of tumors in the mammary glands and in the uterus (fibroids, for example), cysts in the ovaries, as well as endometrial hyperplasia. Perhaps the development of inflammatory processes in the vagina, in the uterus and appendages, the occurrence of erosion of the cervix.

Note: Sometimes it happens that the pregnancy is not interrupted, and the woman, repenting of her decision, wants to keep it. However, after taking such drugs, this is highly undesirable, since there is a very high probability of damage to the organs of the fetus. After a medical abortion, a woman retains all chances for the next pregnancy and the birth of a healthy child in the future.

Before the onset of the first menstruation, a woman needs to carefully monitor her well-being and sensations. If her temperature rises, there are cramping pains in the lower abdomen, unusual discharge of a heterogeneous consistency, this indicates an incomplete removal of fetal particles, the development of an inflammatory process.

Video: Contraindications to a pharmacist. Possible Complications

When do the first menses appear?

How quickly the body recovers after a medical termination of pregnancy depends on factors such as the woman's age, the state of the hormonal background, and the course of the cycle before pregnancy. The term at which the termination of pregnancy is performed, the presence of previous births and abortions matters.

The menstrual cycle is counted from the day when the detachment of the fetal egg occurred, that is, when the bleeding began after taking the pills. Since medical abortion is done for a short period of time and hormonal deviations are not so significant, most often after such a procedure, the functioning of the ovaries is quickly restored. Therefore, the nature and duration of menstruation in more than 60% of women remain the same as before.

Permissible deviations are:

The duration of bleeding after taking the drug is not more than 10 days. If it does not weaken and does not stop longer, this indicates that particles of the fetal egg remain in the uterus.
Cycle extension. Sometimes the duration of the cycle after such a termination of pregnancy increases by 10-12 days compared to the usual one.
The irregularity of the onset of menstruation (deviations in the duration of the cycle by 2 weeks), soreness, fluctuations in their intensity within 3-6 months after medical abortion. The restoration of the cycle occurs as the normalization of the hormonal background.

It should be noted that the presence of clots (endometrial particles and ovum) in bloody discharge during the first few days after the termination of pregnancy is also considered normal.

What is the delay in menstruation after an abortion

Sometimes the first period after a medical abortion comes with a delay of up to 2 months. The reason for the delay in menstruation may be the slow recovery of hormonal levels or the stress that a woman experiences in connection with an abortion. Stressful anticipation of the onset of the next period and fear of health consequences can also cause a delay.

In the case when the control ultrasound after the end of the medical bleeding showed that the abortion was successful, a delay in the first menstruation by 10-14 days may mean that the woman became pregnant again.

A warning: Reproductive function is restored, as a rule, after 1.5-3 weeks. Therefore, if pregnancy is undesirable, you should consult your doctor about choosing and starting to use hormonal contraceptives.

A pregnancy test in the first cycle may be unreliable, since the level of gonadotropin in the blood is not restored immediately. It is recommended to carry out such a test repeatedly every 2-3 days, using test strips from different manufacturers.

As a rule, if the first menstruation came on time, then the next cycle has about the same duration. If, after a normal first menstruation, a woman is not protected, this causes a delay in the second menstruation, this may again be a sign of pregnancy. Significant differences in the intensity of the first and second menstruation indicate a hormonal disorder. In order to normalize the work of the ovaries, the doctor prescribes COCs (combined oral contraceptives).

Anxiety about the first and second delay may be unfounded, but it is better to play it safe and, with the slightest doubt in the state of the body, seek advice from a gynecologist.

When to visit a doctor

The reasons for a mandatory visit to the gynecologist after a pharmacological abortion are:

excessive bleeding after taking drugs;
duration of bleeding more than 10 days;
too little or no discharge;
the duration of the first menstruation is less than 3 days, which may indicate endometrial hypoplasia (violation of its formation and thinning);
a combination of symptoms such as fever, pain in the lower abdomen (of any nature), signs of toxicosis;
too rapid resumption of the first menstruation after medical abortion (menstruation occurs earlier than 20 days after it);
the presence of yellow discharge with clots of mucus, an unpleasant odor;
severe delay in menstruation (more than 2 weeks after the expected date);
the duration of subsequent menstruation is more than 3-8 days, the appearance of spotting in the middle of the cycle, a significant increase in the pain of menstruation. These may be signs of hormonal failure, the occurrence of endometriosis or inflammatory gynecological diseases.

It is important not to confuse the first menstruation with real bleeding, in which scarlet blood is released, and you have to change the pad every 1-1.5 hours. This requires emergency medical care: the introduction of hemostatic drugs and curettage of the uterine cavity.

How to prevent complications

The most important method of monitoring the condition of a woman after a pharmacological abortion is ultrasound. It allows you to evaluate the effectiveness of the procedure.

Clarifying methods of diagnosis in the event of complications are the analysis of smears from the vagina (for the presence of infection), blood tests for clotting and the content of various hormones.

After an abortion, anti-inflammatory, pain medications may be prescribed. Often hormone therapy is required.

To speed up the rehabilitation of the body after an abortion, a woman is recommended to avoid sexual contact for 2 weeks, refuse to take a bath and visit a sauna or a beach. You should beware of colds. Do not drink alcohol, smoke or take any medications without consulting your doctor.