Medical abortion is one of the types of artificial termination of pregnancy. Unlike abortion, drug and vacuum aspiration is more traumatic for a woman both physically and psychologically. Medical abortion is done when the abortion of the two previous methods is done late.
Method and timing of medical abortion
Medical abortion, in fact, is a small surgical operation. It is performed under local or general anesthesia in a hospital setting.
- Medical abortion in the first trimester is carried out by the method of "dilatation and curettage" (expansion and scraping). Special tools expand the cervix and scrape the fetal egg and endometrium of the uterine walls.
- Medical abortion in the second trimester is carried out by the "dilatation and evacuation" method. The canal of the cervix dilates, then the electric vacuum suction (or, if necessary, surgical instruments) removes the fetus.
After a medical abortion, there is always spotting. Their abundance and duration are strictly individual. Allocations begin within the first hours after surgery and can last up to two weeks with interruptions. Immediately after medical abortion, bright red abundant discharge, after some time they become dark brown, their volume decreases. Yellow discharge with fetid odor indicates infection, the infection should be treated promptly.
The first months after the medical abortion begin after 4-8 weeks and initially before the restoration of the hormonal background can be irregular, abundant and prolonged. Sexual life can begin as early as 2 weeks after abortion, while it is important to take care of contraception, because a new pregnancy can occur more quickly than the first postabortion menstruation.
Terms for conducting medical abortion are established at the state level and constitute a period of time up to 12 obstetric weeks of pregnancy inclusive. Up to 6 weeks, as a rule, use medical abortion or vacuum aspiration.
It is allowed to conduct medical abortion during the entire period of pregnancy, but only if there is evidence and, of course, the consent of the woman.
Abortion for medical reasons
Abortion for medical reasons is possible if:
- ectopic or frozen pregnancy;
- the presence of a woman with a disease that, if pregnant, is dangerous to her health or life (tuberculosis, severe diabetes and endocrinological diseases, pelvic organs, hemopoietic diseases, musculoskeletal, nervous and genitourinary diseases, and others);
- detection in the fetus by prenatal screening of congenital chromosomal or genetic abnormalities; the presence of violations associated with fetal impracticability.
Abortion for medical reasons before 20 weeks of pregnancy is called early, in the period of 20-28 weeks - late, after 28 weeks, abortion is already premature birth .
Consequences and rehabilitation after medical abortion
After any abortion, the hormonal background of a woman is more or less violated. Violations are all the more pronounced, the later the pregnancy was interrupted. As a rehabilitation after a medical abortion during the next six menstrual cycles, it is recommended to take a COC
The consequences of medical abortion are difficult to predict. Theoretically, if the operation is performed by a qualified specialist in the proper hospital setting, undesirable consequences are minimized. Nevertheless, the practice shows numerous complications. Every third woman after medical abortion has inflammatory diseases of internal genital organs, ruptured uterine walls, massive bleeding, irregular menstrual cycle, miscarriage of subsequent pregnancies, infertility.