Caring for yourself, both physically and emotionally after your abortion is important. Take time, be kind to yourself, indulge in self-care, and listen to your body.
In your pack, you will see that there is a pregnancy test. Take the test 21 days after your miscarriage. We will send you a reminder the day before. Our nurse will call you to gather the results of your test and answer any questions you may have. We will call you from an unknown number.
If your test is negative, it means you are no longer pregnant. If your test is positive, our nurse will guide you through the next steps. If your test is positive, this doesn’t always indicate you are still pregnant. If the test is positive, our nurse It means that our nurse will work with you to investigate where your pregnancy hormones are at and why.
Infection can happen after a surgical abortion. Although rare, sometimes not all the pregnancy tissue is successfully removed and the remaining tissue can cause you to have an infection.
Signs you may have an infection are:
You may experience all or a combination of these symptoms. If you feel you may have an infection, let us know. We can guide you in treating the infection.
Pregnancy symptoms should disappear within a few days of having a medical abortion. If your symptoms don’t disappear and/or you continue to feel pregnant it is important that you call us. Our nurse will guide you on what to do next.
Your period will usually return within 4-8 weeks. Your first period after an abortion is likely to be different from normal. Your period may be delayed, heavier or lighter, and maybe clotty (blood clots). You can use tampons, pads, period undies, or a moon-cup – whichever you are most comfortable with.
You can have sex as soon as you feel ready. We encourage you to consider contraception. Our nurse can help you find the best method of contraception for you.
Your fertility returns to normal straight after having a surgical abortion. You can get pregnant soon after, or even before your next period.
If you are interested, you can discuss contraception options with our nurses and find the best option for you. We can arrange the (contraceptive) pill or long-acting reversible contraception (LARCs) on the day of your procedure. LARCs are a fit-and-forget method of contraception. Once they are fitted, you don’t have to think about it. You can find more information about the options available to you on our contraception page.
Using contraception decreases your chances of falling pregnant again.
Reach out online or call 0800 226 784 to speak to one of our nurses. We are here to support you every step of the way. This is your journey.
