Discharge after medical, vacuum and surgical abortion: norm and pathology

Bloody discharge after abortion

Abortion is a procedure to artificially terminate a pregnancy.
Bloody discharge after an abortion is normal, regardless of the method used to terminate gestation. By the nature of the discharge, one can determine the development of complications in a woman’s body after an interrupted pregnancy. What kind of discharge after an abortion is considered normal? What is the average duration of discharge after different types of abortions? What to do if there is discharge with an unpleasant odor after an abortion? Abortion is a medical procedure for the artificial termination of pregnancy, carried out either by the traditional surgical method (curettage), or by drug stimulation of the rejection of the fertilized egg and its removal from the uterine cavity. Regardless of the method of termination of pregnancy, spotting after an abortion is normal. To better understand a woman’s condition after an abortion, it is necessary to understand what happens during the procedure itself.

Bloody discharge after a traditional surgical abortion most often occurs as a result of injury to the inner layer of the uterus (endometrium) during curettage, or to the cervical canal of the uterus during its dilatation. To introduce the necessary instruments into the uterine cavity for fetal rejection, it is necessary to dilate the cervical canal. The inner lining of the canal and the uterine cavity is rich in blood vessels. Mechanical damage to the inner layer leads to bleeding after an abortion.

Bloody discharge is usually more profuse than normal menstruation. The duration of discharge reaches 10 days. During this period, the discharge becomes spotty. Many women note the presence of small dark clots in the blood. Post-abortion discharge

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Prevention of complications

To minimize the consequences of an abortion, you must strictly adhere to the recommendations of gynecologists:

maintain personal hygiene so that after opening the cervical canal during a vacuum or surgical abortion, infection from the outside does not enter the uterine cavity;
take prescribed medications;
exclude sexual intercourse for a month after the procedure until the body is completely restored;
do not take a bath, do not lift heavy objects and do not get too cold for 30 days after termination of pregnancy;
Eat a diet rich in iron to restore blood loss.

After an abortion, the need to regularly visit a gynecologist becomes even more urgent.
Discharge after an abortion is a normal physiological process. By the nature of the bleeding, color and consistency, one can judge how well the woman’s body is recovering. Normal indicators depend on a number of factors, of which the method of termination of pregnancy is fundamental. Moreover, pathological conditions, especially those associated with the development of inflammation or infection, are the same for any type of abortion.

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Discharge after abortion: causes, treatment

After an abortion, complications often arise, and discharge may appear. Which discharges are considered normal and which ones should not exist. Here you must definitely consult a doctor, who should explain what should be and what should not be. How dangerous is discharge after an abortion? What can they signal and what method can you use to get rid of them? Remember that after an abortion, the female body becomes weak and unprotected. Due to decreased immunity and injury to the internal genital organs, various infections can appear. This is why it is so important to pay attention to vaginal discharge. They should appear on day 3.

Yellow discharge with a rotten smell is considered dangerous; this indicates that the woman has a sexually transmitted infection; she urgently needs to seek help from a doctor. Remember, the sooner you see a doctor, the better you can prevent complications.

Abortion involves removing the fertilized egg, which is one with the lining of the uterus. A medical abortion consists of curettage, and after it there is severe pain in the abdomen, and copious discharge appears, which is more than during menstruation. At first they are scarlet in color, then darken and turn brown.

Medical abortion is performed using a hormonal method; at first there may be bleeding, which is longer than with the previous type of abortion, then the red color of the discharge changes to brown. Also, along with the woman’s discharge, a fertilized egg comes out, which has a light pink tint.

Brown discharge, if it is normal, occurs in a woman up to 10 days after an abortion, because the blood that should come out of the genitals is not abundant, and while it comes out, it coagulates.

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Ways to stop bleeding

Now we know how long blood flows after a medical abortion: intensively - up to 4 days, then a menstrual-like reaction lasts about a month. But what to do if a woman has severe hemorrhage, how to stop the bleeding after an abortion. We immediately say that first of all you need to call an ambulance. And while waiting for medical workers, you need to put the woman to bed, provide her with complete rest, and you can put a cold compress on her stomach.

The main reason for bleeding is most often the fact that the cervix has closed, and the embryo or its remains have not been able to leave its cavity.

It is necessary to consult your doctor in time to prevent complications.

It is worth noting that after taking some abortifacient drugs, for example, prostaglandin, a woman may experience contractions. This remedy promotes intense contraction of the uterus, its muscles begin to push the embryo out of the cavity. But pain is always tolerable; in case of very severe pain, you should seek medical help. Perhaps the uterus was unable to expel the fetus and requires another procedure for terminating the pregnancy (curettage, vacuum). During the normal course of a medical abortion, the pain lasts no more than a day.

Now you know how much bleeding occurs after drug interruption, you cannot ignore any symptoms of complications, only timely medical care can reduce the risk of serious consequences. Carefully monitor how much blood flows after a medical termination of pregnancy, and what the color and consistency of the discharge are; timely help can save a life.

An abortion is an operation to artificially terminate a pregnancy at a relatively early stage - up to 16-18 weeks. For up to 12 weeks, it can be carried out at the woman’s request, then only for medical reasons, for example, if the pregnancy has stopped developing.

Surgical intervention is performed using different methods: surgical, medicinal, using vacuum aspiration. No matter how the fertilized egg is removed, bleeding always occurs after an abortion. In intensity it resembles normal menstruation, and gradually fades away. However, such bleeding cannot be called menstruation - this is not rejection of the endometrium, but the body’s reaction to aggressive intervention.

Discharge after abortion

Artificial termination of pregnancy - abortion, is always accompanied by discharge. This is due to the fact that with any type of abortion, the fertilized egg is forcibly removed from the uterine cavity with damage to its walls, which have a large number of blood vessels.

Bloody discharge after an abortion is normal, but its nature may vary. In addition, they can be protracted, the causes of which are various complications.

In order to talk about normal discharge, it is necessary to recall that abortions are medicinal, vacuum and instrumental (surgical). These methods are different, therefore, the discharge after them differs in quantity and duration.

Concerned women often ask how long the discharge lasts after an abortion. Their duration depends not only on the method of termination of pregnancy, but also on its duration, as well as the individual characteristics of the woman’s body.

In a classic surgical abortion, the fertilized egg is scraped out instrumentally from the uterine cavity. The process is accompanied by pain and significant blood loss. Moreover, depending on the stage of pregnancy, the amount of discharge may be more or less. Usually their volume significantly exceeds normal discharge during menstruation. They last about 10 days. In the first days after an abortion, the discharge is scarlet in color, gradually its quantity decreases and it becomes dark, often brown.

After a medical abortion performed with hormonal drugs, the fetus is expelled from the uterus along with heavy bleeding. If a woman monitors her discharge, she may see a dense pink formation coming out, i.e. fertilized egg. The discharge may be profuse for 2 days, then it becomes more and more

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Signs of pathology

In addition to hormonal imbalance, after any type of abortion, the protective functions of the woman’s body are reduced. In this regard, pathological conditions may occur that require contacting a gynecologist and urgent ultrasound. They usually appear on the 3rd–4th day after termination of pregnancy. Most often this is:

Heavy bleeding. If the super-maxi pad is completely filled within half an hour, then perhaps there are particles of fertilized egg left in the uterus, or the fetus has not been completely rejected. In the case of a surgical abortion, heavy bleeding may be caused by cuts to the uterus, which is life-threatening for the woman, so removal of the reproductive organ is often the only possible treatment.
No blood. This indicates a spasm of the cervix, that is, it has closed and the discharge cannot come out, provoking an inflammatory process. This complication requires surgical opening of the cervix and curettage. Otherwise, due to stagnation of blood, pus is formed, which can enter the bloodstream and accumulate in the peritoneum, and in these cases, the most common solution is to remove the infected organ - the uterus.
Changing the color of the selections:
yellow foamy discharge may be a sign of trichomoniasis or chlamydia;
green color indicates the presence of bacterial vaginosis caused by taking antibiotics or poor genital hygiene;
if the discharge is pink, then the woman may have cervical erosion, fibroids, polyps or a tumor, which can be caused by the use of hormonal drugs;
white discharge indicates thrush caused by antibiotics or stress.
Temperature increase. On days 1–2 after an abortion, a temperature of 37.2–37.3 is considered normal. But if it rises above 37.5 and lasts 2-3 days, then this is a sign of the development of complications.
Sharp pain in the lower abdomen. It is possible that particles of placental tissue remain in the uterine cavity. Aching pain combined with high fever may be a sign of an inflammatory process, which is triggered by a latent sexually transmitted infection.
An unpleasant smell of discharge (sour, rotten) is an indicator of the development of an infection.
Itching, discomfort or burning in the vagina indicates inflammation.

Regardless of the method by which the abortion was performed, the woman must attend an appointment with her supervising obstetrician-gynecologist 14 days after the procedure for examination and ultrasound. In case of complications, it is necessary to seek help at the first manifestation of pathological symptoms.

Ultrasound is a mandatory procedure two weeks after any type of abortion

Video: bleeding during medical abortion

Discharge after abortion

The procedure of artificial termination of pregnancy (abortion) is, unfortunately, familiar to many women. However, almost every one of them is concerned with the question of what discharge after an abortion is considered normal, and in what case they signal the onset of an inflammatory process. This article is devoted to answering this question.

The essence of abortion is to remove the fertilized egg attached to the wall of the uterus. A classic medical abortion is a process of careful curettage, which is why there is discharge after an abortion. Pain in the lower abdomen is also considered normal after surgery. In this case, the scarlet discharge should gradually give way to brown.

The second option of artificial termination of pregnancy, carried out using hormonal therapy, is also accompanied by bleeding. The color of the discharge in this case changes from red to brown. Bleeding after a medical abortion lasts much longer than after a medical abortion.

A mini-abortion is accompanied by minor and short-term discharge, since in the early stages of pregnancy the fertilized egg does not yet have time to firmly attach to the uterus.

After an abortion, the risk of infection is quite high. Discharge of a certain nature can signal the onset of an inflammatory process. Normally, after an abortion there should be discharge without a foul odor. If they become yellow and have an unpleasant odor, you should immediately consult a doctor. In this case, timely treatment is very important, because chronic infection is much more difficult to cope with.

Particular attention to the nature of the discharge should be paid 3-4 days after termination of pregnancy. It is during this period that complications most often arise. Infection after abortion in

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Normal discharge

After an abortion, the risk of infection always increases. Prolonged and heavy bleeding can easily contribute to the development of this process. It is important to monitor your own health and control the nature of your discharge.

An abortion can be considered successfully completed if after the termination the following phenomena are absent:

prolonged heavy brown discharge;
yellow color of discharge;
bad smell;
atypical impurities in blood clots.

On the first day after taking the abortifacient drug, embryonic development stops. On the second day it is rejected. The process of expulsion of the fertilized egg is accompanied by cramping pain, pulling sensations in the lower abdomen, and discharge with clots of bright red and scarlet hue.

Normal excretion is not accompanied by an unpleasant odor, heavy or scanty bleeding, and does not contain curdled components.

Features of the appearance of brown and bloody discharge after an abortion

Discharge after an abortion occurs after surgery, since it is quite aggressive and carries with it a large number of negative complications. It is worth saying that surgical abortion is an abdominal operation. If a woman still needs such an operation, then it is necessary to be fully aware of the consequences during the rehabilitation period. The uterine cavity after an abortion acts as a source of inflammation, so an important point is to know the changes that are occurring, the beginning of the next menstruation and the prevention of possible complications in order to improve the quality of life. Some women underestimate the seriousness of such a procedure, and then they pay for the lack of control over their own health.

The safest and most painless operation in early pregnancy is a mini-abortion. It is done before 5 weeks. It is carried out by vacuum suction from the uterine cavity of an unformed fetus. The risk of damage to the uterine walls is minimized, so bleeding is very rare. Discharge after non-medical termination of pregnancy appears in the form of small bloody spots, later white, and in some cases there are clots. This is due to the fact that during the suction process, some particles of the fetus move away from the main mass and later begin to be released separately. There is discharge after a mini-abortion for approximately 2-3 days.

Surgical abortion. This procedure is an instrumental curettage of the fetus, and it can be performed for a period of more than 5 weeks. The amount and characteristics of discharge after a surgical abortion will depend on several factors: medical experience and qualifications, compliance with medical instructions before and after the intervention, general health, duration of pregnancy

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Taking abortifacient drugs

If pregnancy is early (up to 6 weeks), it can be terminated by taking medications. Medical abortion will take place according to the following scheme:

Stage 1 - embryo development is stopped;
Stage 2 - embryo detachment occurs.

Some specialists prescribe contracting drugs to speed up the recovery of the uterus. The first intake of abortifacient medications can take place at home; during this period of medical termination of pregnancy, bleeding does not occur; the second stage is performed under the supervision of a gynecologist. Because at this time the embryo will come out, usually the exit is accompanied by blood clots, the embryo looks like a pink lump. After the embryo has been removed from the uterus, bleeding begins after medicinal termination of pregnancy.

By the way, many girls think that taking abortifacients is the safest and most humane way to have an abortion, but this is not so. Do not forget that at this moment the female body was subjected to a real hormonal “hurricane”, which provoked embryonic detachment. How long does bleeding last after medical termination of pregnancy, and what is the rate of restoration of the menstrual cycle?

Abortion: Discharge after abortion is brown and bloody. What kind of discharge after an abortion is normal?

Today it is no secret to anyone that most women at least once in their lives undergo a procedure such as termination of pregnancy, either occurring naturally, or performed for medical reasons or due to reluctance to have a child. If you have had an abortion, post-abortion discharge is completely normal. We propose to talk about them in more detail in our article. Indeed, in some cases, they may indicate the penetration of a dangerous infection into the female body or a poorly performed termination of pregnancy.

Abortion involves the removal of the fertilized egg, which has already become one with the inner walls of the uterus. And since this important female organ contains many blood vessels, any manipulation leads to bloody discharge.

If a woman has had an abortion, discharge after an abortion should not frighten her. However, you should clearly understand which of them are normal and which ones signal infection or other complications. So, brown discharge after an abortion is considered normal. Their color is due to the fact that the blood leaving the female genital organs in small quantities has time to coagulate. However, it should be borne in mind that brown discharge can also signal the presence of polyps in the uterus. They arise due to hormonal disorders associated with abortion. Polyps are not dangerous, but they negatively affect a woman’s health, and therefore they must be removed in a timely manner.

If you have had an abortion, the discharge after

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Brown discharge - is this normal?

Some women are afraid of brown discharge after an abortion. If they do not have an unpleasant putrid odor, there is no need to worry. Blood leaving the uterus in small quantities manages to coagulate during its journey and acquire a brown tint. This condition is considered normal.

Sometimes the appearance of such discharge can be a sign of the formation of a polyp in the uterine cavity. This is not a very dangerous disease, but it is recommended to remove the polyp.

And finally, it should be said once again that in order to determine how well the postoperative period is proceeding, and whether the existing discharge after an abortion is normal, it is best to consult a doctor. The female body after an abortion is very vulnerable, so it is necessary to treat it with the utmost care during this period.

Some women, after learning that they are in a “situation”, decide to have an abortion. There are many reasons - the presence of serious illnesses, unpreparedness to become a mother, etc. Regardless of the reason for making such a decision, a woman must understand that abortion is a serious procedure. It can lead to the development of various complications, and therefore, after it is carried out, you need to carefully monitor all changes in well-being that occur during this period. Vaginal discharge after an abortion should deserve special attention. After all, a change in their character is the first sign of the development of complications.

Features of various methods of abortion

Heavy periods always appear after an abortion, regardless of what method of termination of gestation was used. However, the chosen technique depends on how quickly the woman recovers from the procedure and returns to her normal life.

In gynecology, there are 3 ways to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. Among them are:

Medical abortion. They only do it up to 6 weeks of gestation. To carry it out, steroid drugs are used that reduce the level of progesterone in the body, which is why the embryo begins to be rejected by the endometrium of the uterus. Then another drug is used to stimulate active contraction of the smooth muscles of the organ and promote the “pushing out” of the embryo. Due to the fact that this technique does not involve the use of surgical equipment, it is considered the safest for a woman’s health. But there is one drawback - medical abortion does not always give positive results. Sometimes, after taking steroid drugs, pregnancy continues and serious interventions have to be resorted to.
Vacuum aspiration (another name for mini-abortion). Used only in cases where the gestational age does not exceed 7 weeks. To carry it out, a special device is used that works like a vacuum cleaner. It “pulls” the embryo out of the uterine cavity, having minimal impact on its mucous membranes. But damage to the endometrium of the organ still occurs, which leaves the risk of some complications.
Surgical abortion (curettage). Allows you to get rid of unwanted pregnancy for up to 12 weeks. During this procedure, special instruments are used, with which the doctor cleans the uterus from the fertilized egg. However, along with it, the adjacent layers of the endometrium are also removed, which leads to serious damage and an increased likelihood of developing other pathologies in the post-abortion period.

It must be said that the risks of complications are proportional to the gestational age. The larger it is, the higher the likelihood of their occurrence. But, in any case, after an abortion there is a decline in progesterone levels, which leads to hormonal disorders in the body, and the integrity of the uterine endometrium is disrupted, as a result of which the organ begins to bleed. And the presence of bleeding is a natural process. But at the same time, it is important to know which discharges really do not pose a threat, and when you need an immediate trip to the clinic.

What is normal?

In order for a woman to understand whether the cleansing of the uterus was completed without complications, she should know what the vaginal secretion should be during normal recovery.

If the procedure is successful, the appearance of discharge is never supplemented by:

Lethargy.
High temperature.
A specific smell from the intimate area.

After a surgical or mini-abortion, there should be scarlet discharge. At the very beginning they flow abundantly, but this should not last long - only a couple of hours. Then they begin to secrete less and after 2-4 days, instead of blood, a daub appears.

At the same time, scanty periods after an abortion should not contain mucous lumps or any other elements, and the consistency should be uniform, not too liquid and not too thick. In other words, spotting after termination of pregnancy should not be any different from menstrual blood.

And talking about how long the discharge lasts, it should be noted that its duration depends on various factors. The method chosen for the procedure, as well as some characteristics of the body (how long the menstrual cycle lasted before, how heavy the periods were, etc.) are important. So, after a mini-abortion, spotting may bother a woman for 3 days. Then they stop and after 5–7 days the first menstruation appears.

But discharge after a surgical abortion lasts much longer, since during the procedure the endometrium of the uterus is severely damaged. And when discussing the topic of how long the discharge lasts after such an intervention, it should be noted that the duration of the discharge in this case can be from 5 to 9 days.

3–7 days after cleansing, spotting brown discharge (daub) appears. It is their presence that indicates the successful completion of the procedure and the absence of complications. If brown discharge does not appear within 10 days, you should definitely visit a doctor.

It is difficult to say how long a woman’s discharge will last, since in this case it all depends on how many days her body needs to fully recover. And since hormonal disorders are observed, a woman may notice scanty discharge several times a month. And that's okay. Moreover, they are capable of acquiring both a brownish and pink tint.

Important! After the procedure to terminate gestation, women may have periods in the middle of the cycle, which is normal, but it is important to understand that everything has its own “framework”. It takes 2–3 months for the body and its hormonal levels to fully recover. If after this period there is heavy bleeding outside of menstruation, you must immediately seek medical help, since this has nothing to do with the norm.

Possible complications

After termination of pregnancy, the woman's condition worsens slightly. Her stomach hurts and she feels weak. Sometimes on the first day after an abortion, the temperature may rise slightly (not higher than 37.4 degrees) and chills may occur. After a few days, the discharge decreases and the woman’s condition returns to normal. If this does not happen, and after an abortion there is discharge, accompanied by severe abdominal pain or other unpleasant symptoms, you should immediately go to the doctor. Even if the condition is normal, but there are changes in the nature of the vaginal secretion, you will still need to consult a doctor.

The most dangerous are yellow discharge, which can appear both the next day after the procedure and some time later. Their occurrence indicates infection of the uterus and requires immediate hospitalization of the patient and treatment with antibacterial drugs.

Infection can appear for various reasons. Among them is the negligence of doctors who use contaminated instruments when cleaning the uterus, and of the woman herself, who neglected the recommendations of the gynecologist.

As the infection develops, not only yellowish discharge appears, but also a specific odor. It can be different - sour, sweet, rotten, etc. The consistency of the secretion released from the vagina can also be different - foamy, mucous (in appearance such secretions resemble snot), liquid and thick.

The appearance of a yellowish tint and a specific odor is due to the fact that many volatile compounds come out of the uterus, which release pathogenic microorganisms during their life processes.

Important! If, after an abortion, yellow mucus with an unpleasant odor begins to be released from the vagina, you should immediately go to the doctor. Only he will be able to say exactly what kind of infection provoked the appearance of such vaginal secretion and what to do in this situation.

The risks of uterine bleeding after such manipulations persist for a long time. When it occurs, blood begins to flow profusely from the vagina. Moreover, there is so much of it that it becomes necessary to change gaskets more than once every 2 hours. At the same time, the woman begins to have a stomach ache, severe weakness, dizziness and a decrease in blood pressure.

Important! Stop the bleeding immediately. Due to large blood loss, the level of hemoglobin, which saturates cells with oxygen, decreases. As a result, they begin to experience oxygen deficiency and eventually die. And this causes disruption to the functioning of many internal organs, including the brain!

How to stop bleeding after an abortion is decided only by the doctor, taking into account the method of intervention performed and the patient’s contraindications to the use of certain drugs.

It is also abnormal when there is no discharge or very little discharge after an abortion. This is due to two factors:

The occurrence of uterine spasms.
Blockage of the cervix (a blood clot forms in it).

These conditions prevent the normal removal of blood from the uterine cavity. And to let it out, conservative or surgical intervention will be required. If blood begins to accumulate in the uterus, this leads to severe inflammation and activation of bacterial growth inside the organ, which not only causes abdominal pain, but also increases the risk of developing sepsis or an abscess.

If after an abortion your stomach hurts and there is discharge with dark lumps in it, you should go to the hospital for an ultrasound. The appearance of any elements in the vaginal secretion indicates that the uterine cavity has not been completely cleaned and remains of the embryo are still present in it. If they are not removed, this will also lead to serious consequences.

To summarize, it should be noted that normally, after an abortion, menstruation lasts about 3–9 days. Then light white discharge (leucorrhoea) should appear, which is noted throughout the entire cycle outside of menstruation. If the daub lasts longer than 10 days and the stomach begins to hurt, weakness occurs, etc., you cannot sit idly by. Since if a woman has had an abortion and has similar symptoms, this is a sign of the development of complications that need to be treated urgently.

Bloody discharge after an abortion is normal, but its nature may vary. In addition, they can be protracted, the causes of which are various complications.

Discharge after medical abortion

Any type of abortion is accompanied by bleeding. Pharmacological (medical) abortion or surgical abortion have their consequences. A woman’s discharge can last either one day or several weeks; everything here is very individual. It all depends on the woman’s physiology, her state of health, daily routine, type of activity, sexual partner, etc. Medical abortion is quite common. This is the type of abortion that most women prefer. But, it is still impossible to establish a clear relationship between the abortion performed and the amount of subsequent discharge.

The essence of medical abortion is the use of special medications that have an abortifacient effect. To carry out a pharmacological abortion, the drugs Mifegin, Pencrafton, and also RU486 are used. All of these medications contain one active ingredient called Mifepristone. This is a hormonal drug that has an antiprogestive effect, as a result of which changes are observed in the hormonal background of a woman. In particular, the active substance mifepristone is a blocker of the female hormone progesterone, on which the further development and preservation of the fetus depends.

Medical abortion is performed exclusively under the supervision of a doctor. A woman should take 600 mcg of the drug at a time. Within 2 hours the patient has an abortion, that is, a spontaneous miscarriage. A woman should visit her gynecologist again 48 hours after a medical abortion.

At the moment, the gynecologist is not able to tell the patient how long the bleeding will last, and in what quantity. A woman must understand that medical abortion is a serious

Due to certain circumstances, women have to terminate an existing pregnancy. There are several ways to extract the fetus, each of which is characterized by uterine discharge after an abortion. The duration, consistency, smell and accompanying signs will indicate the recovery period or possible violations.

Pathology or normal

Bloody discharge is an integral component after an abortion, regardless of the nature of the manipulations performed. Which discharge after an abortion indicates the onset of menstruation, and which is considered a sign of complications, will be determined by diagnostics of the body using laboratory and instrumental research methods.

Blood after an abortion on the first day (1-3) indicates damage to the blood vessels located in the endometrium and cervical canal. Such bleeding is not considered the beginning of menstruation.

The method of abortion used often determines further consequences for the female body:

With pharmaabortion, blood is released in a larger volume than with vacuum aspiration. The reason for this condition is an imbalance of hormones, which rapidly changes after drug abortion. Medical termination of pregnancy requires a long period of restoration of previous menstrual flow and the natural balance of hormones disrupted by the action of synthetic analogues.
After vacuum aspiration, the area of damage to the mucous membrane in the uterus does not exceed the location of the developing fetus. After a vacuum termination of pregnancy, the likelihood of complications is minimal. This circumstance is explained by the removal of the fetus at the beginning of pregnancy without significant injury to the endometrium. Discharge after a vacuum abortion is most intense in the first 2-3 days. Despite the minimal traumatic impact of aborting instruments, even an experienced specialist will not be able to determine in advance how long the bleeding will take if the patient has contraindications or restrictions to the procedure. If after the vacuum the bleeding intensity does not decrease, the temperature rises, yellow discharge appears after an abortion, blood clots appear, this indicates the development of complications due to incomplete removal of the aspiration material.
How long bleeding lasts after an abortion performed by curettage of the uterus depends on the degree of damage to its cavity and the cervical canal at the time of the surgical procedures. Blood clots that appear as a result of curettage of the uterine cavity on the day after an abortion require attention. If they are released for several days, this is a reason to meet with a gynecologist. The appearance of black spotting after an abortion and clots often precedes the procedure for repeated uterine curettage. It happens that after an abortion there is no discharge or it is scanty. This means that a thorough scraping has been performed. In such a situation, restoration of the wound surface will continue for a longer time, usually 1-2 menstrual cycles.

It goes without saying that after such an operation there will be bleeding, but the main thing is to ask the question in time - is this a pathology or the norm? Since there are many types of abortion, the norm for each of them is different.

If a girl’s abortion was carried out with the help of medications, then bleeding simply means the onset of menstruation with blood clots, among which there will be a fertilized egg. Normally, everything goes the same way as on critical days, but on the first day there may be quite heavy bleeding. Sometimes it happens that there is a short pause between bleeding cycles, on the second day.

Types of abortions

Abortion refers to the artificial termination of pregnancy. Depending on the gestational age, health and age of the woman, concomitant pathologies and diseases, specialists use the following types of abortions:

Pharmabort is considered the safest because it does not require surgical intervention. It is carried out using two drugs in the form of tablets. The first contains an active substance - Mifepristone, which, when entering the body, blocks the effect of the hormone progesterone, which is responsible for maintaining the vital functions and healthy development of the fetus. Due to the action of the drug, the embryo dies. With the help of a second tablet containing hormone-like substances, the uterus begins to contract intensively and reject the dead embryo. Pharmaboration is carried out only in the early stages, up to 5–7 weeks. Menstruation after medical termination of pregnancy may be delayed by 40 days.

This method is applicable up to 7–9 weeks. Its essence is to apply vacuum pressure to the uterine cavity and extract the fetus without damaging adjacent tissues using a special apparatus.

The surgical method provides for the latest period of up to 20 weeks. It is carried out in two stages: dilatation - expansion of the cervix, then curettage - curettage of the fetus and the walls of the womb. The procedure takes place under general anesthesia.

There is another type of abortion that occurs without outside intervention. The body independently decides to reject a dead embryo or fetus that has any abnormalities. Spontaneous termination of pregnancy can also occur due to a lack of the hormone progesterone in a woman’s body, and for a number of other reasons. When the uterus is not completely cleaned, its cavity is cleaned, and the completion of the process is monitored using ultrasound. Read in one of our articles about the nature and duration of discharge after curettage of a frozen pregnancy.

How to stop bleeding yourself

Women often wonder: how to stop bleeding after an abortion at home? There is only one answer to it: no way. If, after the termination operation, excessive bleeding begins, then this is a reason to immediately go to the hospital, because only a doctor can assess how dangerous the development of complications can be.

Signs of complications after abortion:

bleeding did not start after a week;
the bleeding that started stopped abruptly after a few days;
there has been bleeding for more than a month after an abortion;
the volume of discharge increases;
bleeding is accompanied by weakness, pallor, drop in pressure, and severe pain.

An unfavorable symptom is both a sudden cessation of discharge, which carries the risk of hematometra (accumulation of blood in the uterine cavity), and increased bleeding. In order to determine the latter condition, you need to count how many night pads are used within an hour.

Bleeding is dangerous, especially for women with Rh-negative blood in their first pregnancy. This is due to the fact that Rh-positive antigens of the embryo enter the bloodstream. As a result, antibodies against foreign red blood cells begin to form in the mother's blood. The result of this is that in subsequent pregnancies the mother’s body “attacks” the baby’s red blood cells, causing severe hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn or miscarriage.

Making the decision to have an abortion is always difficult. Before taking this step, a woman must realize that even the safest methods of terminating a pregnancy can lead to complications. If uterine bleeding develops, immediately seeking medical help will help preserve reproductive function, and in some cases, life.

In everyday life, abortion is understood as the artificial termination of pregnancy. The normal course of the period after an abortion is the key to successful recovery of the body after a traumatic intervention. An important question is how much blood bleeds after an abortion. This article is devoted to this topic.

How many days does discharge last after an abortion?

The duration of blood released as a result of artificial or spontaneous termination of pregnancy depends on the period of gestation of the child, age, concomitant diseases and the competence of the specialist who led the process. Therefore, even an experienced doctor cannot say exactly how much discharge should go after an abortion.

Pharmabort is characterized by the fact that with the help of hormone-like drugs it has an aggressive effect on hormonal levels, and after such a shake-up the body takes a long time to come to its senses. Despite the fact that there is no surgical intervention or mechanical impact on internal tissues, hormonal imbalance can cause bleeding after medical termination of pregnancy for up to a month, or even before the menstrual cycle is established. On average, bleeding lasts 2–7 days. At first it may be the discharge of dark clots or heavy bleeding; after a day or two, the symptoms subside and end in spotting. Light brown, dark brown, and scarlet discharge without an unpleasant odor is acceptable. The first days after the procedure, cramps and pain in the lower abdomen are possible.
Discharge after mini-abortion (vacuum aspiration) is abundant on the first day. On the second day, blood production stops or appears as a smear. On days 3–4, the symptom resumes and occurs in the form of scanty pink, brown or scarlet discharge. Sometimes stretching in the lower abdomen can be bothersome. The general condition returns to normal within a couple of days. On the seventh or eighth day, the discharge stops completely after vacuum aspiration. During the first few cycles, your period may be delayed.
After a surgical abortion, the discharge is the longest and most intense. On average, its duration is 2–3 weeks. During the first 7 days, the amount of blood is abundant, since with this type of abortion the fetus is removed in parts, and there is a high risk of removing not all of its particles, which are then excreted with secretions. A significant role is played by the fact that during curettage the endometrium, the inner layer of the uterus, is injured. Considering that cleaning is used for periods up to 22 weeks, the uterus can be quite enlarged by this period, and therefore, due to the extraction of the fetus, the area of damaged tissue will be larger, and bleeding after this manipulation will be more abundant and longer. Read about discharge after curettage of the uterine cavity at the link.

Bleeding after instrumental abortion

Instrumental abortion is one of the most common gynecological operations. But despite this, this type of abortion is rightfully considered the most traumatic and associated with the development of serious complications.

During instrumental interruption, the cervical canal first expands. Then a curette with sharp edges is inserted into the uterine cavity, and the entire endometrium, including the fertilized egg, is “blindly” scraped out. Naturally, this causes injury to the uterine walls, damage to blood vessels, and therefore bleeding is inevitable.

It is difficult to say how long the bleeding will last after such an abortion. Each woman is individual, and it is impossible to predict how her body will behave after surgery. On average, blood is released within 10-28 days. The discharge is similar to menstrual discharge, but may last for a few days. Then the discharge becomes pink, and then spotting brown and gradually stops.

Sometimes, in the case of an incorrectly performed operation, when parts of the fertilized egg remain in the uterine cavity or a through puncture of this organ occurs, massive bleeding develops. In this case, against the background of heavy discharge, the woman feels weak, the skin becomes pale and covered with sticky sweat, a drop in pressure and loss of consciousness may occur. This condition requires urgent medical attention. To stop bleeding, repeated “curettage” may be necessary, and sometimes, in especially severe cases, even removal of the organ.

Post-abortion condition: causes of bleeding

Often women do not understand the reasons for the appearance of discharge after an abortion, especially a medical one. Indeed, in the first case, there is no surgical intervention or medical manipulation. The fact is that with the onset and course of pregnancy, the uterus grows and increases in size several times as the fetus develops. During this period, the mother's hormonal background changes. After an abortion, the uterus returns to its normal state and regains its original size through contractions and self-cleaning. This process causes bleeding. At the moment of greatest muscle contraction, the amount of blood reaches its maximum.

In rare cases, after expulsion of the fetus, white discharge from the mammary gland is noticeable without pregnancy. With the onset of pregnancy, the level of the hormone prolactin increases in the female body, which is responsible for milk production and prepares the mammary glands for the upcoming lactation. After an abortion, they remain enlarged for some time and colostrum may be released. This is mainly observed after an early abortion.

If there is no discharge the next day after an abortion, this usually means that the procedure was not effective and the pregnancy was not permanently terminated. Statistics show 7% of cases of this phenomenon.

If we are talking about a failed pharmaceutical abortion, then it is completed by vacuum aspiration or cleaning. A mini-abortion is completed by curettage.

However, do not panic ahead of time, sometimes the discharge makes itself felt after 2 days. At first it may be a slight pink or brown discharge, but with each passing hour its intensity increases. If scanty discharge continues for more than 3-4 days, then the uterus is not cleansed and you need to inform your doctor about this.

The intensity of the blood released may be insignificant during an early abortion (2 weeks), which does not always indicate pathology.

Excessively abundant discharge can also indicate incomplete interruption. In this case, the uterus tries intensively to reject the remains of the fetus, resulting in a large amount of bloody or dark brown discharge and clots.

It happens that dead cells from the remains of the embryo provoke sepsis of nearby tissues. Heavy bleeding is accompanied by purulent mucus, an unpleasant putrid odor, nagging pain in the lower abdomen, radiating to the side and back, increased temperature and deterioration of the general condition. If such symptoms are detected, urgent hospitalization is necessary to preserve the health and life of the woman.

Inflammatory processes have similar signs. The open wound that is the uterus after any abortion is at risk of attack from outside pathogens. The chances of infection and inflammation increase due to reduced immunity and stress experienced by the body. They are characterized by painful bleeding and spasms, fever, chills, and malaise. Inflammations require immediate treatment, as they sometimes affect nearby organs.

Instrumental abortion

During the operation, the fertilized egg is removed by blindly scraping the walls of the uterus. In this case, the entire endometrium is scraped off and the blood vessels that penetrate it are damaged.

A dilator is inserted into the cervix and it is artificially stretched. Then a special spoon-curette is inserted, which is used to carry out all the actions. The procedure is extremely painful and is currently only performed under anesthesia. More recently, women had to endure this severe pain “live.” Despite the prevalence of the operation and its apparent simplicity, for women it is one of the most dangerous.

During surgery, the uterus is injured, and there is a high risk of developing an inflammatory process and infection with pathogenic flora.

No matter how well the procedure is performed, bleeding after it is inevitable. It lasts from 10 days to 4 weeks, and depends on what stage of pregnancy the operation was performed at. It is considered optimal to carry out surgical intervention for a period of 6 to 8 weeks.

If the fertilized egg is not completely removed or the uterine wall is injured, heavy uterine bleeding begins - doctors can define it as “breakthrough.” If it is caused by a violation of the technology of the operation, curettage is repeated. Stopping bleeding caused by perforation of the uterine wall is possible only during surgery. Very often the uterus has to be completely removed.

Vacuum aspiration

Vacuum aspiration is also called a mini-abortion. A dilator is also inserted into the cervix, but the fertilized egg is separated from the wall by creating a vacuum - the walls of the uterus are almost not damaged. Blood discharge may begin on the 2nd day after the abortion.

The method is considered safe; currently the operation is performed on an outpatient basis, under local anesthesia. Its disadvantage is the relatively high probability that the fertilized egg may remain in the uterine cavity.

Bleeding after a vacuum abortion is more reminiscent of menstruation in the last days and lasts no more than 2 weeks. Sometimes spotting lasts a month, but the woman does not experience any pain. It all depends on the individual reaction of the body.

Prolonged bleeding or heavy spotting after vacuum termination of pregnancy is diagnosed as complications. They occur if the blood clotting function is impaired or the fertilized egg is not completely removed.

Medical abortion

Termination of pregnancy is carried out without surgery, using special tablets.

Usually medications are taken according to the following scheme:

the first dose stops the development of the embryo;
the second – provokes its detachment.

Some doctors consider it advisable to prescribe a third type of medication after the detachment of the embryo - contractile.

The first dose can be taken at home; while using the second type of drug, it is advisable to be under the supervision of a doctor.

The embryo comes out along with bloody discharge, which at first is very copious - it looks like a pink lump. Do not think that this method is the most “humane”.

A hormonal shock is carried out throughout the body - all drugs that promote the expulsion of the embryo are based on a high dose of hormones.

Normally, bleeding stops a month after a medical abortion, but the cyclicity of menstruation can be restored for about six months. If after 2-3 days the bleeding intensifies, it is necessary to return to the hospital - this indicates the development of complications.

Norm or pathology

Bleeding should begin after any abortion - when the embryo is detached, the blood vessels that permeate the endometrium burst. If blood is not visible, this is not a reason to rejoice, it means that a complication is developing, which is called hematometra.

A spasm has occurred in the cervix, and blood accumulates in its cavity, creating a favorable environment for the development of the inflammatory process, which occurs due to stagnation or increased activity of pathogenic microorganisms introduced during surgery. When the blood drained for the first 2 hours, and then the bleeding stopped and was absent for more than 2 days, this is also a reason to consult a doctor.

Women usually want to know how long the bleeding lasts after an abortion. It is impossible to say exactly how much - it depends on the individual reaction of the body and the duration of pregnancy. If the intensity of bleeding gradually decreases, the color changes from bright red to dark, and then pink or brown, we can assume that no complications have arisen.

Clots are only allowed after a medical abortion. Fibrin and clots in the discharge after termination of pregnancy performed by other methods indicate the development of complications.

You should also contact a gynecologist if there is pus in the bloody discharge, the temperature has risen, or pain in the lower abdomen appears. Sometimes women are interested in how to stop bleeding after an abortion at home? It is very dangerous to do this. Heavy bleeding almost always indicates complications. In this case, treatment should be done in a hospital setting.

After an abortion

To prevent complications after an abortion, you should be careful about your own health:

Don't get too cold.
Do not take medications that thin your blood and refrain from drinking alcohol.
It is advisable to follow all doctor's prescriptions - currently, after vacuum aspiration or surgical termination of pregnancy, doctors consider it advisable to prescribe antibacterial or anti-inflammatory drugs - a course of treatment of about 3 days.
Sexual rest is required for 4 weeks.

Even if menstruation has not occurred after 4 weeks, you should still use protection. Pregnancy can occur even before the first menstrual cycle, and since the body has not yet recovered from a hormonal imbalance, most often it ends in spontaneous abortion. In the future, this can lead to recurrent miscarriage.

Yellow, white and brown discharge after abortion with or without odor

Sudden blood loss, brown mucus streaked with blood, increasing pain a few days after the abortion indicate a polyp, endometriosis, neoplasm or erosion of the cervix.

Yellow, white or gray discharge after an abortion, found interspersed with blood, indicates infectious inflammation. These include bacterial vaginosis. In addition to the fact that this disease is sexually transmitted, it can also be caused by a disruption of the microflora of the genital mucosa due to stress, medications and tissue injury. Discomfort in the form of itching and burning of the vagina, the unpleasant smell of rotten meat complements the symptoms of this pathology.

Fungal disease - Candidiasis - has similar symptoms. The difference is the curdled consistency and sour milk smell. Thrush often occurs in the post-abortion period due to taking antibiotics.

Yellow, odorless discharge during medical abortion after the first tablet does not pose a threat and indicates the onset of the drug’s effect.

If you notice prolonged, painful blood loss after manipulation, immediately contact a specialist.

No discharge

Sometimes after an abortion there is no discharge. This makes some girls happy. However, their absence is also a cause for concern. Often there is no discharge after an abortion due to the fact that a lot of blood has accumulated in the uterus. There are the following reasons for their absence:

occlusion of the cervical canal;
endometrial cancer;
a tumor or polyp that may block the canal;
cervical spasm.

In this condition, it is better to consult a doctor immediately. The condition may worsen over time if this is not done. It is not recommended to use untested folk remedies and drugs during treatment. All this can negatively affect your health.

Rehabilitation period

It is important to monitor how the post-abortion condition progresses so that complications do not arise. For the sake of maintaining health, it is necessary to comply with these rules:

Stay in bed for at least a week.
Avoid physical and emotional stress.
Avoid drinking alcohol, taking a bath or hot shower, or visiting the sauna and swimming pool.
Take all medications prescribed by your doctor.
Wear natural, loose and comfortable underwear.
Wash and change pads as often as possible.
Use special intimate hygiene products without dyes or fragrances.
Stop having sex for a while. Ideally, this is a 30-day period for curettage (for pharmaabortion - two weeks).
Do not self-medicate if problems are detected.

Not only your health, but also the likelihood of re-conception depends on how successfully you pass this stage.

Thus, bleeding due to artificial termination of pregnancy is a mandatory indicator that the manipulation was successful. If there is no discharge after an abortion, this indicates incomplete and incomplete extraction of the fetus. The intensity and nature of blood loss depend on the type of abortion and the period at which it was performed. There is no need to worry that abortion will cause infertility. The main thing is to entrust this process to a competent specialist and monitor the body and secretions during the rehabilitation period. Be healthy!