Did you know that your menstrual hormones could be disrupted after an abortion? Indeed it is common for women to have an irregular period or experience other changes after losing a pregnancy this way. Read on to know what happens to your periods after abortion.
The onset of pregnancy will bring about many changes in your body, especially in the hormonal activities. As your body starts to prepare for childbirth, pregnancy hormones will take over the menstrual hormones. These hormones will be thrown off track if miscarriage or abortion occurs. Your whole cycle would go haywire at this period, which makes it much possible for you to experience abnormal hormonal activity. Your period might get delayed, come early, or vary greatly during this time.
During this period, your body’s first priority is to release all the remnants of your lost pregnancy. The fetal tissue, as well as other debris, will be dispelled from the uterus within weeks or days after abortion. This could be categorised by heavy bleeding, which some regard as the first period after abortion or miscarriage.
The fetal tissue can be removed surgically if you have a medical abortion. You could also experience heavy bleeding after this. If your period becomes irregular after a medical abortion it might be less painful and heavy. Your normal period might be delayed for a few weeks as your hormones resume regular activity.
More About What Happens To Your Periods after Abortion
Your body should start going back to normal relatively quickly following abortion. The ovulation cycle could happen as early as seven to ten days, while your menstrual cycle starts in four to eight weeks. The exact time will vary, of course, because it depends on every woman as well as the time when the pregnancy was terminated. For example, your periods could return in four to six weeks if you had a termination in the first trimester of pregnancy. Your periods could take longer to return if your pregnancy was terminated at a later stage.
The return of the period cycle is definitely not a problem for many women as is the irregularity. During this time, the reason for irregularity will be due mostly to the fact that the body holds some pregnancy hormones for several months. You could still feel the effects of pregnancy hormones even after having an abortion. Just as it was before pregnancy, your regular menstrual cycle will only return when those hormones are drained from your body completely.
Bear in mind though that you could still experience many bodily changes for up to two years after abortion, even when the menstrual cycle becomes regular. These could be changes during each cycle, the amount of bleeding and the types of cramps. After abortion, you might bleed lightly, moderately, heavily or not at all for one to three weeks.
There are cases where some women don’t start bleeding for several days, have strong cramps with heavy clots for several, or will start to bleed on and off. You should not be surprised if you are experiencing increased bleeding or cramping for four to five days following the abortion.
It is absolutely normal for cramping to be associated with menstrual period during the first week or two. If this
happens, you could use hot water bottle or pads to get relief. For acute pain, you can use medication such as Ibuprofen and Tylenol. Aspirin should be avoided as this might increase bleeding.
In addition, you might experience some pregnancy symptoms such as fatigue and swollen breasts. You could also experience postmenstrual syndrome and heavy clotting. All of this, and maybe more, can be experienced after abortion, especially in the first few periods.
Period Flow
You are likely to have a lighter and longer period for the first time after undergoing a surgical abortion. If you notice that your first period goes on for much longer and is heavier after surgical abortion you should contact your doctor. On the other hand, you should expect longer and heavier periods during your first cycle after medical abortion.
It’s worth noting that you are expected to have your period for no longer than eight weeks following abortion. A number of things can happen if eight weeks pass and you are not seeing a period. This includes things such as:
- Depression and stress
- Your body taking a much longer time to heal as the hormones cause a number of changes in your body
- You are pregnant
- A serious health condition, such as PCOS or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
- Your hormones going haywire and pills are needed to decrease or increase hormonal activity
Now that you have a better understanding about what happens to your periods after abortion, it’s also good to know when to contact a doctor. You might want to see a doctor immediately if you notice that your periods come with very heavy bleeding, severe pain, and large clots.
It might also be a good idea to see a doctor if the blood has a bright red color and not reddish brown.
Hi, I had a medical termination at 21 weeks due to a feral abnormality. I bled for 2 weeks and stopped.’u period came 5 weeks after termination but I have now had heavy bleeding for 9 days when my periods are usually 4-5. Is this to be expected?
Hi there Jenny, yes this is normal after an abortion.
Hi I had a surgical abortion two weeks ago.
Bled for a week and been spotting for another week.
Problem is I started feeling nausea a few days ago. Cud the pregnancy still be there after a whole week bleeding?
Hello Ethel, a surgical abortion normally ensures complete abortion. However, you can simply take a pregnancy test to determine if you are still pregnant. It is highly unlikely that you are though. This nausea might be caused or related to something else.
Hi I had medical arbotion at 7 weeks and I bleed heavily for one day is this normal?
Hello Kwetsi, yes this is normal. You might bleed some other time after.
I had a medical abortion at 9 weeks three months ago but now i have irregular cycles. Some months it has 28 days and some months 33 days is that normal?
Hello Milpeace, this is normal after an abortion.
Hi, I had medical abortion last month, not up to a month though and now am feeling the same symptoms I felt that confirmed me to be positive last month…. abdominal pains and discharge. What could have caused that ? And have been having sex with condoms
Hi there Anonymous, kindly do a pregnancy test if you have suspicions of pregnancy.
Hi, I had a medical procedure which failed and went for surgical one. Where I was given 2 pills still and scrubbed. I had no heavy bleeding and my period came a month later. It was lighter than usual, instead of the next period, I felt tired more cramps, constipation and spotted instead of a period. Not had sex but today I was declared pregnant (urine and scan). How is this possible. Please help as I’m worried that I might be sick
Hi there Rai, you might not have aborted successfully it seems. See your doctor.
Hi,I had a medical abortion,bled for two weeks and had my period after 4 weeks it was very heavy,lasted for six days,now my second period I spotted for three days and stopped,did a pregnancy test and it was negative,pls is this normal
Hello Am Blessed, after an abortion your cycle might not readily go back to normal.
Hi, I had abortion on 23 March, I bleeding for almost the whole month of April, what to know, when should I take the pregnant test? Is it normal to pee alot after abortion
Please I have an abortion September last year, I saw my first period on December last year,the subsequent ones were not normal and also light and this month am supposed to see my period today but I have not seen it, I did a pregnancy test on Sunday,it came out negative
Please I have an abortion September last year, I saw my first period on December last year,the subsequent ones were not normal and also light and this month am supposed to see my period today but I have not seen it, I did a pregnancy test on Sunday,it came out negative, please help me
Hello, your cycle might not be back to normal just yet.
I had my periods at 25th of each month but after a medical abortion it now 16th or 18th. Will it change back to 25th again.
Hi there G Reigns, your cycle could go back to regular soon.
I had a medical abortion dec 12th. My normal period returned jan 8th. Since then my periods have been irregular either coming early(recently it came a week and 4 days after the last period) or a day late. Is this normal?
Hello Tai, yes this is normal after an abortion.
Had an abortion recently 9 days ago, I went and got an ultrasound . they said they see blood clot in try stomach but the termination was successful ( due to no bleeding after abortion and yet my pregnancy test says positive)am confuse. How long will it take for hcg level to go back ( I was 4 weeks when I terminated my pregnancy)
Hi Bebe, it could have been up to 2 weeks that you were still showing pregnant on a test.
I had an abortion last two years by pills and it was at the first month, after the abortion I bled up to a week but not heavy and my menstrual cycle came back. It changes from time to time because normally my cycle is not normal but now started having issues with irregular menstruation that I might not see it for a month. I am not pregnant and don’t know what is going on anymore because I am tired and worried. Please help or tell me what to do.
Hi there, if you normally have irregular periods, then you not seeing it for a timeframe is normal for you. But then you say it is normal so I am a bit confused. If you are worried about the irregularity there are also options of getting on hormonal birth control to help regulate it. You’ll have to discuss your options with your doctor.
Hi I had my abortion on 28th December 2019 I bled heavy for two days and the blood started dropping small small till date. is it normal