If you are considering an abortion, it’s important to understand that almost any medical procedure poses some type of risk. With a surgical or medical abortion, there is the possibility of an incomplete abortion or an infection.
Of a Finnish study of 24,006 adults, 2% experienced an infection. According to this study, the infections are often a result of “an ascending bacterial infection such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, mycoplasma and bacterial vaginosis (BV)…” During the abortion, the bacteria move from the genitals through the cervix to the uterus.
According to the study, “the infection, if untreated, can spread to the fallopian tubes and may lead to infertility.”
Signs and Symptoms of an Infection
Despite developed abortion methods, there are still risks to consider. The common signs and symptoms of an infection after abortion are listed below.
- Fever or chills
- Foul-smelling vaginal or cervical discharge
- Abdominal or pelvic pain
- Prolonged vaginal bleeding or spotting
- Uterine tenderness
- An elevated white blood cell count
If the infection is severe, some women may require hospitalization. If the infection is due to tissue remaining after the abortion, the physician may need to re-evaluate the uterus through a medical procedure.
When to Seek Medical Care
If you experience any of the above signs of infection, you should seek medical attention. It’s also critical to watch for heavy bleeding—soaking two or more pads an hour for two hours.
If you have any concerns or feel something’s not right, seek medical care immediately.
Schedule an Appointment
Now that you know the possible risks of an abortion procedure, it’s important you first have an ultrasound before scheduling an abortion.
At AscentCare, we offer no-cost pregnancy testing and limited ultrasounds. Ultrasounds can confirm the gestational age and location of the pregnancy to confirm if it is ectopic or not.
Contact us today to make an appointment!