Having an abortion is a serious medical procedure, and like other procedures, it has the potential for complications. One of the risks is an incomplete abortion. Incomplete doesn’t mean the pregnancy didn’t end. It means a woman’s body didn’t expel all the pregnancy tissue from her body.
This complication is also known as retained products of conception. When pregnancy tissue remains inside, it can cause severe bleeding and an infection. It’s vital to recognize the signs of an incomplete abortion so that you know when to seek emergency care if necessary.
How Can an Abortion Be Incomplete?
Both the abortion pill method (a medical abortion) and surgical abortion (in-clinic) have the potential of being incomplete.
Abortion Pill Method
The abortion pill method uses two drugs to terminate a pregnancy and is only FDA-approved through 10 weeks of pregnancy. The first drug, mifepristone, blocks the hormone progesterone.
Without progesterone, the pregnancy cannot survive.
The second drug, misoprostol, removes the pregnancy from the uterus with bleeding and contractions. However, there may be times when the contractions do not expel all of the pregnancy tissue. If this occurs, a woman may need a surgical procedure.
Surgical Abortion
Depending on how far along a woman is in her pregnancy, the abortion provider may use suction or vacuum aspiration and a scraping instrument called a curette. It is possible that the provider may miss some tissue that requires a follow-up procedure.
What Are the Symptoms?
Some of the physical symptoms of an incomplete abortion include the following:
- Heavy bleeding or blood clots
- Fever
- Irregular periods
- An enlarged uterus
- Infection
- Pelvic pain
Experts say a woman should seek immediate medical attention if she experiences any of the following issues after an abortion:
- Difficulty breathing
- Heavy vaginal bleeding
- High fever
- Nausea and vomiting
- Severe pelvic pain
What Should I Do Before an Abortion?
If you are considering an abortion, we recommend getting an ultrasound beforehand. An ultrasound provides valuable information about your pregnancy that may protect your health and safety.
At Coweta Pregnancy Services, we provide no-cost, limited obstetrical ultrasounds if you receive a positive pregnancy test result from us. We’ll get you the information you need first.
Schedule a free and confidential appointment with a caring advocate at Coweta. We value your health and want to provide services and information that ensure you are safe and prepared.
Coweta Pregnancy Services does not provide or refer for abortions.
All abortion information sourced in this blog is based on accurate information at the time of writing.