Abortion Aftercare

Taking care of your health following an abortion

After an abortion, it’s a good idea to take it easy and rest for a few days. The majority of individuals heal quickly and easily, however you can phone our patient support line if you have any concerns. Weekends and bank holidays are not an issue for our nurse/midwife-led support line, which is open twenty-four hours a day. We are available to you at all times.

What Constitutes Normal Bleeding?

Each person and abortion may experience different levels of bleeding. Wearing sanitary towels that are appropriate for a large flow is crucial if you want to monitor your bleeding. Below are some illustrations to help you understand the type of bleeding that is typical for both medicinal and surgical abortions. Contact our Aftercare Line if you ever doubt whether what you are going through is typical.

Light, moderate, or substantial bleeding during a medical abortion is common. During a medical abortion, not everyone will have blood clots. The clots should be as little as a lemon for those who do.

Having little to no bleeding or flooding during a medical abortion is uncommon.

Dial 0693270730, our patient assistance line, if:

  • Within 48 hours of taking the Misoprostol pills, you either have no bleeding at all or simply spotting or very little blood.
  • You have severe bleeding that causes you to soak two heavy-flow sanitary pads every hour for longer than two hours.

Call 10177 (or 112) or get someone to take you to hospital if you experience extremely heavy bleeding (see Flooding image) and feel unwell.

After a surgical abortion, bleeding as much as your typical heaviest menstrual cycle is normal. You might pass little clots of blood. Usually, the bleeding ceases in a week or two. Until your next period, you can have spotting. It’s also usual for you to wait until your next period to start bleeding.

A few weeks following the abortion, you can occasionally experience a brief pain accompanied by a clot or a rush of blood. Give us a call if this persists.

Call our patient support Line on 0693270730 if :

  • You’re bleeding more than you usually do during your heaviest time.
  • For more than two hours straight, you have severe bleeding that causes you to soak two or more heavy-flow sanitary pads every.

Call 10177 (or 112) or get someone to take you to hospital if you experience extremely heavy bleeding (see Flooding image) and feel unwell. 

Pain: What is Normal?

During a medical abortion, you will experience brief, sometimes intense cramping and discomfort. Following a surgical abortion, you could have some pain and cramping. These cramps could be mistaken for menstrual pain. Your back, thighs, and tops of your legs may also experience pain.

After Your Abortion

A pregnancy test must be taken three weeks following your medical abortion. This is to confirm that the treatment has been effective. A pregnancy test will be included in your Aftercare Pack. Since the test we provide is different from the ones you may get at stores, please use it. When to take the test will be communicated to you. For more guidance, please give us a call if the test results are positive.

A pregnancy test must be taken three weeks following your medical abortion. This is to confirm that the treatment has been effective. A pregnancy test will be included in your Aftercare Pack. Since the test we provide is different from the ones you may get at stores, please use it. When to take the test will be communicated to you. For more guidance, please give us a call if the test results are positive.

Unless you feel ill or have a positive pregnancy test after three weeks, we no longer recommend that clients get a standard checkup after an abortion.

Your Emotional Wellbeing

It’s common to have a wide range of emotions following a TOP. While some women may experience relief, others may experience sadness, remorse, and distress. After a few weeks, most women will feel better. Please call our patient support line if you are having difficulties and need assistance. Our clinicians may speak with you and, if you would like, schedule an appointment with one of our counselors who specialize in abortion counseling before and after treatment.

You may also find this interesting:
  • Surgical Abortion
  • Medical Abortion
For referrers:

If desired, you can request referral letters from us by e-mail (info@merlinwomenclinic.co.za) or download from our site.

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