After a medical abortion, it is considered normal if bleeding is clean in a few days. Sisters, please note that typically, bleeding should be clean 7 to 14 days after a medical abortion.
In the initial days following a medical abortion, bleeding may be slightly heavier, similar to or even more than monthly menstrual bleeding. Over time, the amount of bleeding decreases. If bleeding is clean within a few days after the medical abortion, but continues for an extended period beyond 14 days, it may be due to the following reasons:
1. Incomplete abortion: This is the most common cause of prolonged bleeding. Residual pregnancy tissues in the uterine cavity can affect uterine contractions, leading to continuous or fluctuating bleeding. Usually, an ultrasound examination is needed to confirm the diagnosis. If incomplete abortion is confirmed, a uterine cleaning operation may be necessary.
2. Poor uterine contractions: Inadequate uterine contractions can prolong bleeding. When the uterus contracts weakly, it is unable to effectively stop bleeding by compressing blood vessels, leading to continuous bleeding. Under medical guidance, drugs that promote uterine contractions like oxytocin or motherwort granules can be used.
3. Infection: Poor personal hygiene after a medical abortion or engaging in sexual activity too soon can lead to infections. Infections can cause endometritis, pelvic inflammatory disease, symptoms such as fever, abdominal pain, and foul-smelling lochia, and can also prolong bleeding. Antibiotics are needed to treat this condition.
If bleeding stops within less than 7 days after a medical abortion and gradually decreases until it ceases, it is generally considered normal. However, even if bleeding stops, it is recommended to have an ultrasound re-examination 1-2 weeks after the medical abortion to confirm the success of the abortion procedure and the proper recovery of the uterus.
After the complete delivery of the embryo, taking post-abortion nutrition is advisable for quick repair of endometrial damages, preventing endometrial adhesions, clearing any residual drugs in the body, stopping bleeding, replenishing blood, and preventing anemia post-miscarriage. Therefore, it is relatively safe in comparison.
What are the physical reactions and risks of a medical abortion?
1. Increased risk of infection after a medical abortion can lead to vaginitis, cervicitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, salpingitis, and other diseases.
2. A medical abortion can disrupt female hormones, causing adverse reactions during the process such as abdominal pain, nausea, and diarrhea. Mifepristone, an anti-progesterone steroid, disturbs the support role of progesterone in pregnancy at the uterine receptor level, disrupting the endocrine balance. It poses significant risk to the ovaries and uterus in females.
3. Medical abortion may lead to infertility. It can cause blocked fallopian tubes and cervical adhesions, resulting in infertility; an incomplete abortion or improper uterine cleaning surgery can also lead to infertility.
4. Excessive bleeding after a medical abortion: Excessive and prolonged bleeding after a medical abortion, sometimes up to a month, can lead to inflammation of the endometrium, reduced menstrual flow, or even amenorrhea. Prolonged bleeding can cause complications like infertility.
5. Periodic lower abdominal pain, nausea, and diarrhea may occur after a medical abortion. Intense abdominal pain begins 2-4 hours after taking medication, characterized by severe contractions, cramps, and a feeling of lower abdominal heaviness.
6. Risks of medical abortion are higher than surgical abortion: Medical abortion has a lower success rate and often requires surgical uterine cleaning due to incomplete abortion, increasing the risk of infection. Uterine cleaning surgery after a medical abortion is like undergoing two procedures in a short period, inflicting significant damage to the female uterus. Therefore, choose medical abortion cautiously.
There are risks associated with medical abortions such as excessive bleeding and prolonged bleeding. Additionally, incomplete embryonic expulsion may require a surgical uterine cleaning. Due to the impact of the drugs on the liver and kidney functions, monitoring for abnormal liver and kidney functions, and vigilance for significant vaginal bleeding, which may indicate a uterine rupture, are crucial.
After the complete expulsion of the embryo, using post-abortion nutrition through PWRH can prevent the side effects, increase the success rate of medical abortions, avoid a secondary surgical uterine cleaning operation, and effectively restore uterine health.
Causes of infertility due to surgical and medical abortions and their prevention and repair:
If surgical abortion is not handled properly, it can damage the patient’s endometrium and fallopian tube mucosa, leading to inflammation and subsequent spread, resulting in edema, congestion, adhesions, and obstruction of the uterus and fallopian tubes, causing ovulation dysfunction and ultimately infertility.
Some women may experience prolonged vaginal bleeding after a medical abortion, which can pose a threat to their lives if not addressed promptly. Moreover, medical abortion has a low success rate, and a few individuals still require uterine cleaning surgery if the abortion is incomplete.
After taking the medication, uterine contractions can cause severe pain in women, making them susceptible to infection during the abortion process. Lack of attention to external genital hygiene and avoiding sexual intercourse can hinder fertility.
PWRH has an impact on post-abortion vaginal bleeding and menstrual conditions. Issues such as continuous vaginal bleeding and irregular menstruation after a surgical abortion affect the patient’s physical and mental health. The emergence of PWRH has provided a direction for addressing these issues.
PWRH is a new type of postpartum repair nutrition, consisting of three components:
1. Repairing production injuries.
2. Supplementing postpartum recovery nutrition.
3. Regulating hormonal balance, which not only enhances the combination with hormonal receptors to suppress hormone activity but also helps regulate endocrine levels to pre-pregnancy levels.
Through hormonal regulation and essential nutrient intake, the endometrium is repaired, stopping abnormal vaginal bleeding and restoring normal menstruation. Recent studies have shown that PWRH significantly reduces vaginal bleeding amount and duration, shortening the menstrual recovery period. This research indicates that PWRH improves vaginal bleeding conditions and restores regular menstruation effectively.
Conclusion: PWRH effectively restores menstrual cycles, increases endometrial thickness, prevents complications, enhances the expression of VEGF, bFGF in the endometrium, and increases endometrial microvessel density, facilitating effective endometrial repair.
Signs of an incomplete medical abortion:
1. Persistent bleeding:
Incomplete medical abortion typically presents as persistent bleeding, lasting two to three weeks irregularly fluctuating in quantity.
2. Prone to uterine infections:
An incomplete medical abortion can lead to infections. Although bleeding volume may not be substantial, there might be a foul smell, abnormal vaginal discharge, yellow discharge, tenderness upon uterine compression, and occasional fever.
3. Lower abdominal pain or nausea and loss of appetite:
Incomplete medical abortion may cause lower abdominal pain or discomfort. Symptoms such as nausea, loss of appetite, and aversion to oily foods may also occur.
Note: If the mentioned symptoms occur after a medical abortion, prompt medical examination is necessary to assess clearing completion. In case of incomplete abortion, immediate uterine cleaning surgery is required.
It is considered normal if bleeding stops within a few days after a medical abortion; typically, bleeding should cease within 15 days post-abortion. Since individual body conditions and sensitivity to abortion drugs vary, the duration until bleeding cessation may differ.
About a week after a medical abortion, a B-ultrasound examination is usually needed to check for any remaining tissues in the uterine cavity. If the examination shows no remaining tissues, no special treatment is required; regular observation is sufficient. However, if bleeding persists for more than two weeks, there might be residual tissues that require medical examination and targeted treatment.
