Signs of an incomplete abortion?

A woman is sitting on a bed with her head on her knees.

Incomplete Abortion

FIRST, WHAT IS AN INCOMPLETE ABORTION?

Whether you took the abortion pill or had a surgical abortion, one of the risks is an incomplete abortion. If all the products of the pregnancy are not removed from the uterus, this is considered an incomplete abortion. This can be more common after taking the abortion pill, but it happens after surgical abortions as well.


WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF AN INCOMPLETE ABORTION?

For most women, the primary symptom is moderate to severe vaginal bleeding that lasts days or even weeks as well as cramps that are slightly less severe than contractions (as the body works to expel the remnants of the pregnancy). 


You should contact your healthcare provider right away if you bleed enough to soak through two thick full-size sanitary pads per hour for two consecutive hours or if you are concerned about heavy bleeding or severe cramping.


According to the National Institute of Health (NIH) here are other common signs of incomplete abortion:


  • Fever
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Lower abdominal and/or pelvic pain


If you’ve recently had an abortion and are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should seek medical care immediately because incomplete abortions can cause health complications such as uterine rupture or perforation, infection, cervical damage, etc. For your wellbeing, seek medical help immediately.


WHAT IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING ABORTION?

If you are facing an unplanned pregnancy, the Open Arms Pregnancy Clinic can help. We are not an abortion provider but we offer important first steps including clinical pregnancy testing, ultrasound to confirm and date the pregnancy, and education on all pregnancy options available to you including abortion.


We are here to help you make an informed and empowered decision for your reproductive health, so schedule an appointment today! All of our services are free and confidential.

By Ariel Sanchez January 1, 2025
The mental health effects of abortion can impact your life in various ways. Numerous published studies show that abortion is associated with elevated mental-health risk.1 For instance, a meta-analysis of 22 published studies, which together included 877,181 participants, found that compared to women who carried a pregnancy to term, women who had an abortion had an 81% increased risk of mental-health problems, including the following:2 Anxiety disorders Major depression Alcohol abuse Marijuana abuse Suicide attempts Each woman's emotional response is unique, and the mental health effects of abortion may surface years after the procedure. It's important for your long-term wellbeing to be fully informed prior to having an abortion. Likewise, it's important to seek care and support afterward. We provide personalized, compassionate after-abortion support in Northridge, California, serving clients throughout the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles. We do not provide or refer for abortion services. If you’re contemplating an abortion or have already experienced one, we are here for you. Please contact us today to learn more about how we can help. 1 Bellieni CV, Buonocore G. Abortion and subsequent mental health: Review of the literature. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2013 Jul;67(5):301-10 (reviewing 30 studies). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23859662/; Sullins DP. Abortion, substance abuse and mental health in early adulthood: Thirteen-year longitudinal evidence from the United States. SAGE Open Med. 2016 Sep 23. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27781096/. 2 Coleman P. K. (2011). Abortion and mental health: quantitative synthesis and analysis of research published 1995-2009. The British journal of psychiatry: the journal of mental science, 199(3), 180–186. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.110.077230.
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