How Long After An Abortion Can You Get Pregnant

Q: How Long Do I Have To Wait After An Abortion Before Going Back To Work

How long after an abortion can you take a pregnancy test? – Dr. Teena S Thomas

A: Patients who have surgical abortions often return to work within a day or two. Patients who have medication abortions often need two full days off of work. We recommend taking it easy for the first week or so after your abortion , most patients feel physically capable of daily activities very soon after their abortion. We are happy to provide doctors notes for missed work or school. .

Contraception After Pregnancy Termination

Can you get pregnant after an abortion before your period? Because ovulation can occur within one to two weeks after an abortion, pregnancy is possible and is likely to occur if you have unprotected sex up to five days before that ovulation. Given this fact:

  • Use of effective contraception is key to avoiding getting pregnant so soon after an abortion. Most doctors or family planning counselors will encourage you to consider starting on a birth control method the day of the abortion, such as the birth control pill or insertion of an intrauterine device .
  • You should avoid intercourse, at any rate, during the first two weeks after a termination to decrease your chance of a post-abortion infection and a pregnancy if you are not yet on birth control.
  • Avoid getting pregnant during the first month after an abortion to give your uterine lining time to heal to accept another pregnancy. Your uterine lining begins to heal right after an uncomplicated abortion.
  • In case you really want to conceive after an abortion, doctors recommend you use contraception and wait until after you have at least one normal period before trying to conceive again.

There is usually a checkup two weeks post-procedure to make sure your uterus is back to normal, and there are no complications.

How To Avoid Pregnancy After An Abortion

If you do not want to get pregnant immediately after abortion, then take appropriate steps and seek doctors advice. Contraceptive measures such as intrauterine contraceptive devices , contraceptive pills, condoms, depot provera injections, etc., should be adopted in order to evade the probability of having an uneventful pregnancy.It is optimally safe to discuss your pregnancy after abortion with the gynecologist to ensure maternal and fetal safety. Ideally, it is recommended to wait for at least three months before you try to become pregnant. An important point that your doctor will consider when you wish to become pregnant is to keep the safety of mother and fetus in mind.

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You Need Birth Control Asap

As soon as the pregnancy is terminated, you can technically get pregnant again. When you have an abortion, thats day one of your cycle so many women will get their period four weeks later, says Leah Millheiser, M.D., director of the Female Sexual Medicine Program at Stanford University Medical School. In other words, you need to start using birth control immediately after the procedure.

Can I Have An Abortion If Ive Had A C

How Much Time To Get Pregnant After Abortion

If you have had a C-Section, there are certain limitations for surgical abortions at Choices. If you are in your first trimester of pregnancy, you cannot have an abortion at Choices if you have had more than 3 C-sections. If you are 13-17 weeks pregnant, you cannot have an abortion at Choices if you have had more than 2 C-sections. If you are 18-20 weeks, you cannot have an abortion at Choices if you have had more than 1 C-Section. If you are more than 20 weeks pregnant, you cannot have an abortion at Choices if you have had a C-Section.

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Does Getting An Abortion Hurt

Your comfort and wellbeing are very important. If you choose to, and if there are no medical contraindications, you will have deep sedation for a surgical abortion which will put you completely asleep during the procedure so you will not feel any pain. After the procedure you may experience cramping, which can range from mild to moderate. In most cases Extra Strength Tylenol, Aleve or Motrin will relieve the cramping. If the cramping is not relieved with these remedies, you should call us immediately.

If for personal or medical reasons you need local anesthesia , you will experience moderate to severe cramping during the procedure, but recovery time afterwards will be shorter.

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When Are Pregnancy Tests Accurate After An Abortion

Shortly after an abortion, a pregnancy test may give a false-positive result. This occurs because the body still contains significant levels of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin .

While hCG levels tend to fall quickly after an abortion, they can take several days or weeks to return to baseline.

Usually, a home pregnancy test shows an accurate negative result 3 weeks after the end of a pregnancy.

If a pregnancy test shows a positive result after 3 weeks, it may indicate a new pregnancy. To be certain, see a doctor, who can carry out a blood test or an ultrasound.

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How Soon Can I Conceive After An Abortion

Are you thinking, When can I conceive after an abortion? Well tell you. As soon as ovulation resumes after the abortion, you can conceive again. If you havent used birth control measures, in rare cases, you can get pregnant within 7-10 days if you are ovulating. But, this is not recommended as the body needs to heal itself.

Doctors recommend waiting for a minimum of 3 months before trying for a baby again. This is to ensure the safety and well-being of both the mother and the baby.

If you had a surgical abortion or a D& C procedure, your gynaecologist will advise you to wait for at least a month to allow the uterus to heal. If your abortion was in the second or third trimester, the doctor may recommend waiting longer, so that youre well-rested. You may also be prescribed folic acid supplements to reduce the chances of neural tube defects in the next pregnancy. If there were no medical complications, then pregnancy after an abortion is safe.

Medical Abortion From 12 To 20 Weeks Of Pregnancy

How long will it take to get pregnant again after having a miscarriage?

Mifepristone and misoprostol can also be used for abortion later in pregnancy.

The abortion will take longer, between six and twelve hours, depending on how many weeks pregnant you are.

More than one dose of misoprostol may be needed.

This type of abortion is similar to having a later miscarriage. Youâll be awake and medication will be given to manage any pain.

You can usually return home the same day. Sometimes the pregnancy can take longer to pass and an overnight stay in hospital is required.

Following the procedure you will bleed, usually for 7 to 14 days. Depending on how many weeks pregnant you were, you may notice some other symptoms such as a small amount of fluid leaking from your breasts.

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How Many Weeks Into Pregnancy Can You Get An Abortion

Pregnancy can either be a time of joy, or a time of confusion. If you were not planning to have a baby yet and you are considering an abortion, there are a few questions you may need answers to. One of those questions is often, If I need an abortion, how many weeks into pregnancy can I be?

While late-term abortions can be performed, they are usually carefully weighed with the risks, the preferred time is prior to 13 weeks. This article will discuss the safe time frames for abortion and the procedures performed at certain stages of pregnancy. The final decision should come from a discussion between you, your partner if they are present, and your doctor.

How Soon After An Abortion Could You Get Pregnant

After having an abortion, its possible to become pregnant again almost straight away, before youve had a period. This is because you can release an egg between 1 and 2 weeks after the procedure.

So read on to learn more about how soon you can get pregnant after an abortion, including advice on avoiding pregnancy after abortion, and when you should see a doctor.

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Your Stage Of Pregnancy

To work out how many weeks pregnant you are, the calculation is usually made from the first day of your last period.

However, not everyone will be sure of this date.

If you are unsure or if you may have medical risk factors, clinics will sometimes carry out an ultrasound scan to confirm how many weeks pregnant you are.

When Should You See A Fertility Specialist After Miscarriage

How Soon Can You Get Pregnant After Having An Abortion? It

Anyone who has experienced 2 or more miscarriages should visit a fertility specialist . The goal is to detect what is causing you to miscarry and apply the most adequate treatment. Common causes include problems like diabetes, genetic abnormalities in the embryo, thyroid disease, advanced reproductive age, structural problems in the uterus, etc.

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Contraception After A Surgical Abortion

Contraceptive implants, contraceptive injections, IUDs and hormonal contraceptive pills are all considered effective immediately after a surgical abortion and can be provided to you at that time.

If you have the contraceptive injection or commence contraceptive pills more than five days after an abortion, you’ll need to use additional contraception for one week.

An IUD can be inserted straight away after a surgical abortion. This is considered acceptable and convenient by many women, as no separate appointment is required, and is one of the most effective options.

Research has shown that there is a slightly increased risk of an IUD being expelled when inserted right after an abortion. This is more likely when the abortion was for a more advanced gestation , however it is still a very low possibility.

How Soon Do You Ovulate After An Abortion

There is no standard amount of time that you can expect to ovulate after an abortion. Everyones body is different, and some menstrual cycles can last only 21 days while others last as long as 40 days.

Assuming that your cycle begins the day after your abortion, you can expect ovulation to occur within the next 2-3 weeks. One study found that on average, ovulation returned approximately 3 weeks following a medical abortion with the drugs mifepristone and misoprostol.

If you are further along in your pregnancy and require a surgical abortion , it may take a few weeks longer to ovulate. This is because pregnancy hormones may remain in your body for a few weeks following your procedure and prolong the start of your menstrual cycle.

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Clinical Considerations And Recommendations

How should patients be counseled about abortion methods?

Only when patients have considered their options and decided to have an abortion does the discussion about the different methods become clinically relevant. Patients who choose abortion should be counseled about all methods available as well as the risks, advantages, disadvantages, and the different features of these options 56. Most patients who initially are unsure about the method will have some preference after counseling 13. Generally, patients are satisfied with the method they choose 121415. Patients who choose medication abortion tend to do so because of a desire to avoid a procedural intervention a perception that medication abortion is safer, more natural, and private compared with uterine aspiration or a combination of these reasons 16. Compared with uterine aspiration, medication abortion takes longer to complete and requires more active patient participation as the pregnancy expels outside of a clinical setting. The uterine aspiration procedure for a first-trimester abortion takes place most commonly in one visit, is slightly more effective, and allows for direct assessment of pregnancy tissue by the clinician.

What information and counseling should be provided to patients who are considering medication abortion?

Medication Abortion Involves Taking Pills

Self-Managed Abortion: Recovery After a Medical Abortion with Pills | Episode 8

A medication abortion is an abortion using pills that you take orally , or that are put through the vagina, into the cervix. This type of abortion can be done as soon as a pregnancy begins, and is usually available until week 10-12 of pregnancy, and sometimes later, depending on where you live.

It typically involves taking one pill at the clinic and then going home and taking another pill. In some areas you may have the choice to take the second pill in the clinic as well, although most people report a preference for being at home . After taking the second pill, the uterus will cramp, bleed, and empty over the course of a few hoursâsimilar to a miscarriage.

The level of cramping, pain, and bleeding can be intense, and may depend on the timing in the pregnancy . A follow-up appointment might happen a week or two later, or no follow up may be needed.

First trimester medication abortions are safe and very effective. More than 95 in 100 people who have a medication abortion need no further treatment . In the small number of cases where the pills donât work completely, another pill or a procedural abortion is used as a follow up. More serious complications are very rare, occurring in less than 0.4 per 100 cases .

Benefits of medication abortion:

Risks of medication abortion:

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Before An Abortion You Will Miss A Period And May Have Symptoms Of Pregnancy

If your periods tend to be quite regular, you may suspect a pregnancy as soon your period doesnât arrive at the expected time. Pregnancy tests work by detecting a hormone produced in the uterus after pregnancy begins . It can take a few days after a âmissedâ period for an at-home test to detect a pregnancy, mainly depending on when you ovulated. For most people, a test will show up as positive within one week of the first day of a missed period .

If your periods are often unpredictable , it may take longer for a pregnancy test to show up as positive. This is because it can take about 2-3 weeks from the time of ovulation for enough hCG to be in your body to register on pregnancy tests . You can exclude an atypical cycle in the Clue app that results from changes such as pregnancy, miscarriage, or an abortion.

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Things To Remember While Planning For A Baby

If youre trying to conceive again, you should take a few precautions.

  • Have a detailed discussion with your gynaecologist or fertility expert. You may also have to get your reproductive system checked.
  • Think about whether youre physically and mentally ready to handle pregnancy again. If youre not ready for pregnancy, use birth control methods like condoms or contraceptives.
  • If youve had multiple abortions, you can get a stitch to keep the growing baby safe. You can also strengthen your pelvic floor muscles by doing Kegel exercises.
  • If you had an abortion recently, allow your body to heal and prepare for the next pregnancy. Conceiving too soon after an abortion causes stress and anxiety, consequently affecting the development of the fetus.
  • If youre unable to conceive after an abortion, consult a fertility expert for IVF or IUI.

An abortion doesnt close the doors to motherhood. As long as its performed at an authorised clinic, you shouldnt have a problem conceiving again.

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Will I Get An Infection

It is very rare to get an infection after an abortion. If you do, it usually starts within a week and includes a fever over 100 degrees F , chills, strong cramps or backache, foul-smelling vaginal discharge, vomiting, or diarrhea.

If you think you might have an infection, call the clinic right away so that you can get antibiotics if necessary.

When Can You Try Again

How soon can you get pregnant after having a baby?

Assuming that you had regular menstrual cycles before your miscarriage, your period should return within four to six weeks after your miscarriage. After that, you may find yourself expecting again right away , perhaps even within the first menstrual cycle after your loss. In other cases, it can take several cycles to get pregnant again even if you begin trying right away.

Confusing matters is that there is no official consensus from the medical community on how far to space out your subsequent attempts at pregnancy following a loss. However, many doctors advise people to wait about three months before trying again for a few reasons, including:

  • Risk: Some doctors refer to an increased risk of recurrent miscarriage if couples conceive too soon, though evidence surrounding this claim is mixed.
  • Grief: Others believe that couples need time to grieve the previous loss.
  • Dating: Some recommend waiting for at least one menstrual cycle before trying again to make dating the next pregnancy easier. In addition, sometimes human chorionic gonadotropin levels don’t immediately drop to zero or an undetectable level post-miscarriage, resulting in a “false positive” pregnancy test if taken too soon.

The World Health Organization suggests waiting even longersix monthsbetween miscarriage or induced abortion and trying to conceive again. The reason for their lengthy recommendation is to reduce the risks of adverse outcomes.

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Pregnancy Following An Abortion

After terminating a pregnancy, it is possible to get pregnant as soon as you ovulate if you have unprotected sex. This can happen within two weeks, even if you are still bleeding. Based on a 2014 review in the International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 83 percent of women ovulate in the first cycle following an abortion, and this can occur as soon as eight days after the procedure. Women concerned about pregnancy immediately after abortion should know that ovulation can vary from woman to woman. The statistics are similar for first trimester surgical abortions and medical abortions.

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