The term “incomplete abortion” can be slightly confusing. It does not mean you are still pregnant if you’ve already had an abortion procedure. It simply means that the abortion procedure, whether medical or surgical, did not remove all the pregnancy remnants from your uterus.
If you believe you are experiencing the symptoms of an incomplete abortion listed below, you should seek immediate medical attention.
What Are the Signs of an Incomplete Abortion?
The most common sign of an incomplete abortion is severe vaginal bleeding or cramping that last days or weeks after the procedure. This is the body working to expel the leftover tissue. You should seek immediate help if you bleed enough to soak through two thick full-size sanitary pads per hour for two consecutive hours.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) here are some of the other common signs of incomplete abortion:
- Fever
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Lower abdominal and/or pelvic pain
How Common Is an Incomplete Abortion?
There is limited data to give a concrete number, however, there are a few statistics that anyone considering an abortion should be aware of.
According to a study conducted on 4,945 induced abortions, an incomplete abortion was the most common complication related to medical abortions < 12 weeks.
The same study also found that of 24,006 Finnish adult participants who underwent a medical abortion, 10.2% experienced an incomplete abortion.
What if I’ve Already Had an Abortion?
If you have already had your pregnancy terminated and are worried you might be suffering from an incomplete abortion, you should seek medical attention right away! Protect your health by getting treated sooner rather than later when there could be more complications.
If you have not yet had an abortion, it is a good idea to schedule an ultrasound. Ultrasounds can detect pregnancy abnormalities (such as ectopic pregnancies) which can affect the mother’s health. They can also detect whether or not the pregnancy is still viable.
Contact Hope Rising today for a no-cost ultrasound. We look forward to helping you and providing medically accurate information to any pregnancy questions you may have.