In this article we are going to discuss bloating and other things can occur after abortion. Following an abortion a woman may be taxed both emotionally and physically (quite severely in some cases) and so it is important to know what may occur and better, what may be done to help. So now you are probably wondering, ‘is it normal to be bloated after an abortion?’. Let’s discuss the answer to this question and delve a little into what side-effects may occur and what you can about them. Are you ready? Let’s discuss!
Bloating and constipation after abortion
A number of side effects can occur following an abortion. Bloating and constipation, for instance, are not uncommon, and may last up to 8 days. This is typically due to hormones but it can also be related to the pain medication that you might be taking following the procedure. Thankfully, gas drops can help with the stomach bloating and constipation-feeling after abortion but you are not necessarily out of the woods yet. Some other effects that you may experience:
- Bleeding – Some bleeding and spotting the first three weeks is normal (although some women do not bleed). If it is heavy and continuous (we will describe how to gauge this later in the article.) then it may be a serious complication that will require the help of your physician. .
- Irregular periods – For 4 to 8 weeks your period will likely be irregular This is do to your reproductive cycle being ‘reset’ and should clear itself up.
- Contractions – Lower abdominal contractions may occur for the first 30 minutes after your abortion. This is completely normal.
- Swollen breasts – As part of pregnancy your breasts will likely be swollen in preparation for lactation. This should go away on it’s own and should not be a cause for alarm (there are exceptions as you will see later in this article.).
- Blood clots – In conjunction with the bleeding and light spotting it is not abnormal to pass small to medium blood clots following an abortion.
- Cramping – Cramping for a small period of time following an abortion is normal.
- Air in the abdomen – ‘Trapped wind’ after medical abortion can occur but is fairly rare. It is a feeling of air in the abdomen with light pain until the gas is passed.
- Mood swings – Due to the hormonal imbalance mood swings often occur following an abortion but should stabilize as your body recovers.
Does the bloating occur after an
abortion pill or only a clinical abortion?
The bloating can and other side effects may occur with both of these types of abortion although the symptoms may be lessened if the abortion pill was used instead of the clinical procedure.
Are there symptoms that I should look out for?
There are some symptoms that are signs of complications which you should definitely look for. If you have recently had an abortion then you will want to consult your physician if you experience any of the following symptoms:
- Persistent pain in the pelvic regions – If you are experiencing a persistent pain that is not responding to heat pads or other home remedies then this could indicate an infection or possibly an ectopic pregnancy. You will want to consult your physician immediately in order to rule out these possibilities.
- Heavy, continuous bleeding – While some bleeding is to be expected in most cases, heavy and continuous bleeding can occur with incomplete abortions or in cases where the uterus is relaxing too much to constrict the blood flow. This could also be due to damage to the uterus during the abortion procedure. If you are bleeding enough to soak two pads every hour for 2 hours in a row then you will want to see a physician immediately.
” The uterus is relaxing too much to constrict the blood flow.”
- Symptoms of pregnancy – If you are still experiencing bloating, tenderness in the breasts, and nausea following the first two weeks after your abortion then the abortion may have been incomplete. You will want to consult your physician for further testing at this point (a home test will not work, unfortunately, as over the counter pregnancy tests will show positive from the pregnancy hormones already in your system. )
- Fever – If you develop a fever and your temperature is over 100.4 degrees then this may be a sign of infection and you should consult your physician right away.
Medical questions: Bloating, constipation, and more
If you have questions or concerns following your abortion we cannot stress enough the importance of a visit to your physician. While there are a number of expected side effects, you are the one who knows your body best. As such, you owe it to yourself to follow your instincts if you think that there may be complications. A doctor’s visit for some testing takes only a small amount of time and can take the worry out of the equation (a very important factor when your hormones are imbalanced!). So if you suspect that something is amiss be sure to consult an expert just to be on the safe side. After all, your health is paramount!
Some closing words
In this article we have discussed, in brief, some of the after effects that can come with an abortion procedure. Please note that our goal here is not to preach any political agenda. Instead, we prefer simply to provide you with data so that you may know what to expect and will be less susceptible to panic should some of the normal side-effects arise.. While we have outlined a few worse-case scenarios it is quite likely that you will experience only minor side effects from the procedure and should be restored to good health in a little time. Just be sure to follow your physician’s post-procedure advice , eat healthy, and get some rest. Take good care of yourself and everything is going to be just fine!
