Despite the huge selection of means of protection, the problem of an unplanned pregnancy is extremely urgent today. Few modern families really plan for having a baby. For this reason, the abortion service is constantly in demand.
What is medical abortion?
The newest way to terminate a pregnancy is a medication, or as it is also called, a pharmaceutical abortion. It is carried out in a non-surgical manner, which earned its recognition and popularity. However, this type of abortion has its own peculiarity - it can be performed only in the early stages, up to six weeks of pregnancy.
Medical abortion: how it goes. Highlights
In view of the presence of contraindications to the procedure and the possibility of a danger to life, medical abortion is possible only under the strict supervision of a doctor. It will help assess the condition of the woman and the absence of contraindications, in addition, when you buy a medication, they will require a prescription from your doctor.
Medical abortion takes place under the influence of a medical drug, which stimulates the process of rejection of the embryo and the purification of the uterine cavity.
General contraindications
The procedure has its own characteristics and contraindications, in the presence of which any kind of abortion is excluded, including medical abortion. How the pregnancy goes, the woman's well-being and other features - everything should be taken into account. The procedure is excluded in such cases:
- In acute form of an infectious disease.
- In the presence of an inflammatory process in the body, including in the intimate area.
- When diagnosing an ectopic pregnancy.
In the event of the presence of one of the above contraindications, termination of pregnancy is impossible, and the pathological process is subject to treatment. Otherwise, the risk of complications increases greatly.
Contraindications for medical abortion
For this type of abortion, there are also contraindications:
- Intolerance to the substances that make up the drug. In such a situation, the doctor will be able to advise another remedy that is right for you.
- Having problems with the kidneys and liver.
- Serious heart and vascular disease.
- Anemia.
- Breastfeeding, because the substances are absorbed into the bloodstream and into breast milk.
- In a situation where long-term protection was carried out with the help of oral contraceptives, and their reception was stopped immediately before pregnancy.
- Inflammation of the stomach (gastritis, gastroduodenitis, ulcer).
- The presence of a scar on the uterus.
Preparation for the abortion procedure
To successfully complete the procedure, a woman needs to consult a doctor and strictly follow his requirements and advice. At the first appointment, the doctor will tell the woman how a medical abortion takes place. The patient will need to try to establish the exact date of conception, undergo an ultrasound scan to exclude an ectopic pregnancy, and also pass a number of tests.
The patient should report all chronic diseases to prevent the risk of complications.
The day or two before the abortion should be excluded the use of alcohol and to abstain from smoking. Women who smoke more than ten cigarettes a day should remember that their drug will be reduced.
What is this procedure?
It is carried out in a hospital in several stages.
- The patient is allowed to take two tablets of the drug, after which the woman remains under the supervision of medical staff for a certain period of time (from two to four hours). How does medical abortion go, the doctor should evaluate. In the absence of side effects, drug rejection (vomiting) and complications, the patient goes home the same day. The drug (Mifepristone) helps to terminate the pregnancy. It prepares the uterus for the expulsion of the embryo. It softens, tone increases, a process occurs, as before the onset of menstruation.
- After two days, the client again goes to the clinic to go through the next stage. She receives another type of drug ("Misoprostol"), which helps the body free itself from the fetus. The patient is under medical supervision for at least two hours from the start of the procedure (medical abortion). How the process goes, should be evaluated by a specialist. After examination, the patient can go home. At this stage, the fetus is expelled, which may be accompanied by bleeding and pain.
How is medical abortion: reviews
There are various reviews of the procedure for medical abortion. Many girls note its convenience and a rare percentage of complications. Some mention severe pain at the time of release of the uterus from the ovum and profuse bleeding.
Actions after the procedure
Doctor's supervision is necessary both at all stages of the procedure, and after its completion.
- Two days later, the client again turns to the attending physician for an ultrasound scan in order to obtain a complete picture of the result.
- After two weeks, the woman should again undergo an ultrasound examination so that the attending physician can verify that the abortion was successful and that the patient did not have complications.
Thus, the entire process of expulsion of the fetus, as a rule, takes from three to ten days. For some women, this happens after taking the first drug.
There are cases when after an abortion the pregnancy persists or does not stop completely. There is also a risk of complications. It is in order to prevent such situations that medical abortion (how it goes, etc.) should be evaluated by a doctor.
Each patient takes from a month to two to restore the body. As a rule, when a month has passed after a medical abortion, a woman resumes her period. Sometimes this period can stretch to two months.
Possible complications and how to avoid them
Abortion is a complicated procedure, after which complications can occur. Here are some of them:
- Bleeding (a rare case). At the beginning of profuse uterine bleeding, it is necessary to go to the hospital, where a woman will be able to have a curettage of the uterus and blood transfusion. The risk of uterine bleeding increases in proportion to the gestational age, so medical abortion is best used in the early stages.
- Hematometer (accumulation of blood in the uterus). The development of this type of complications is more frequent. It is dangerous to infect a woman's body. The process is characterized by a sharp interruption of blood loss, fever, pain in the lower abdomen. To prevent hematometers, a mandatory examination by a doctor after an abortion is necessary.
- Incomplete abortion. It occurs most often in nulliparous women. In such a situation, the patient is given vacuum aspiration or curettage. Subsequent observation by the attending physician will help prevent this phenomenon.
- Preservation of the ovum (pregnancy). It is very rare. Most often, attending physicians recommend vacuum cleaning, since the risk of having a baby with developmental disabilities is greatly increased.
- Infectious disease is a rare type of complication. It is characterized by fever (high temperature lasts more than four hours). To prevent infectious diseases, the procedure should undergo a medical examination before the procedure in order to detect possible inflammatory processes and their treatment.
Pros of Medical Abortion
- Use in early pregnancy.
- Least traumatic for a woman’s body.
- A smaller list of complications compared to other types of abortion.
- The process is carried out on an outpatient basis and requires only periodic medical supervision.
Answers to frequently asked questions
- Why does a toxicosis fail after a medical abortion? This may be a consequence of taking medication. Nausea is a possible side effect of the procedure. To make sure that the abortion was successful, do not neglect the subsequent examination by a doctor and conducting a follow-up ultrasound examination.
- Is medical abortion painful? Of all the available methods of abortion, this type of abortion is the least dangerous and traumatic for a woman, but it is also not without discomfort. So, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and blood discharge are possible.
- How to understand that medical abortion was successful? To reduce the risk of possible side effects and negative consequences of the procedure, a mandatory visit to a doctor is recommended. Normalization of body activity occurs, on average, after a month or two after the procedure.