Bleeding experienced after taking abortion pills differs from that of menstruation. While there may be some similarities, the volume, duration, colour and timing can vary with minimal to extreme deviance. The abortion pill process at the pregnancy abortion clinic in Chennai includes two different medicines administered in steps. The first medicine stops the pregnancy from growing and the second medicine is mostly taken up to 48 hours after the first pill. This medicine causes cramping and bleeding to expel the foetus and empty the uterus. Cramping and bleeding usually starts 1 to 4 hours after taking the second medicine. The content of the uterus is normally expelled as blood clots or as clumps of tissues being discharged. It should feel like a really heavy, crampy period. It is important to be aware of what to expect after taking abortion pills. The following questions being explained can serve as a guide to better understand what is and is not normal after taking abortion pills.

Is it normal to bleed for one day after taking abortion pills?

Abortion with pills is one of the safest medical procedures to terminate a pregnancy with rare complications. No matter which abortion method was adopted, chances of bleeding afterward is very high and completely normal. The amount of bleeding should noticeably reduce once the pregnancy has passed. Light bleeding may continue for about two weeks, in some women but spotting up to the next period can be experienced normally in most women. However, It is possible to return to normal routine within the week, sometimes even as early as the next day.

Abortions pills can produce heavier volume of blood flow than ever experienced, almost always with blood clots. Cramping, bleeding and spotting are common signs of abortion that may last only for a day or up to few weeks post-abortion. Some women find that the blood flow will stop and then start again. The bleeding should taper down after a week or two. It is  important to know if the abortion has passed completely by noting the tissues being passed. It is also necessary to check if the blood flow does not decrease or the bleeding is too much. By using menstrual pads made for heavy periods, a track of the number of pads used and the frequency in which they are changed can be the best way to get an idea of the flow of blood over the days after taking abortion pills. Soaking more than two maxi pads per hour for over two hours could be an alarm to reach out to the doctor.

Should I have stopped bleeding 1 day after an abortion pill?

Pregnancy tissues finish passing in 4-5 hours in most women but it may take longer, extending the cramping and bleeding to continue for more than a day. The cramping and bleeding can last for several hours or take place on and off for 1 or 2 days more. It is normal to experience lighter bleeding for a few weeks after taking the abortion pill. So, there is no worry even if spotting persists after the follow-up appointment. Certain activities can increase or decrease the amount of bleeding as well as the duration of bleeding. Bleeding may resume or become more while doing exercise and less when at rest. If a dramatic increase in the bleeding is noticed or in case of developing fever or notice a foul odour, it may mean an infection has occurred, requiring immediate medical attention at the abortion centres in Chennai. Periods are expected to return around 4 to 6 weeks after the abortion and the body can start to ovulate at about 3 weeks after taking the abortion pill, meaning that there are chances of getting pregnant soon again.

Is there a medicine for an abortion without bleeding?

It is not normal to have no bleeding/scant bleeding after taking abortion pills. It is a concern if there is no bleeding within 24 hours after taking the complete dose of medicines for abortion. It is normal that not everyone will pass blood clots during a medical abortion specially if the pregnancy duration is early. The amount and type of bleeding can also vary for person to person and each abortion.  It is normal to experience light, moderate or heavy bleeding during a medical abortion but there is no medicine that can cause an abortion without bleeding. Medicines are supposed to break down the lining of uterus so that a pregnancy can no longer grow and also cause the uterus to release its contents by means of bleeding in the next few hours. No bleeding simply means that the abortion has not been successful or has been incomplete.

What can happen if a child is not aborted after abortion pills?

It is really important to take a special pregnancy test 2 weeks after taking abortion pills for termination of pregnancy. This is to confirm that the pregnancy is not continued. If a pregnancy is not terminated after taking abortion pills, the pregnancy test will show positive. However the bleeding may have been, it is advisable to confirm that the abortion has been successful and complete. Though rare, if the pregnancy is still on after abortion pills, the abortion was incomplete. An incomplete abortion is when part of the pregnancy does not come out, leaving behind some contents in the uterus, leading to chances of infections.  A pregnancy may continue after an attempted abortion where the foetus would grow with risks of abnormal development and congenital defects.

It is important to attend a follow up check after an abortion to know that the body is healing properly, to look for any signs of infection and to confirm that the abortion was complete and successful.  In order to determine if the abortion pill worked effectively, the abortion doctors in Chennai may physically check the cervix and uterus, perform lab tests to check for the pregnancy hormone and perform an ultrasound for absolute confirmation that the abortion is complete.