Vacuum aspiration of the uterine cavity or "mini-abortion": what is it? Mini-abortion (vacuum aspiration) - does the prefix "mini" really make the procedure safe.

Vacuum aspiration is a mini-surgery during which, with the help of a special vacuum suction, the contents of the uterine cavity are extracted (suction). During vacuum aspiration, only the superficial ball of the endometrium of the uterus is removed, its neck and walls are practically not damaged.

Vacuum aspiration in gynecology - the essence and purpose of carrying out

For most women, the concept of "vacuum aspiration" is associated with an unwanted pregnancy, or rather with a certain method of terminating it. Indeed, in gynecology, this method is most often used to terminate a pregnancy, but other purposes for its use are possible, in particular:

Postpartum vacuum cleaning. Vacuum aspiration after childbirth is necessary in case of poor uterine contractility to remove blood clots and placental tissue.
Vacuum "cleaning" after a frozen pregnancy or spontaneous miscarriage. It is carried out in order to extract the fetal egg (with ST) or its remains (with incomplete miscarriage).
Therapeutic vacuum aspiration in inflammatory diseases of the uterine cavity.
Diagnostic vacuum aspiration of pathologically altered endometrium with its subsequent histological examination.

Vacuum aspiration is performed on an outpatient basis, the procedure lasts no more than 10 minutes, after which the woman should be under supervision in a hospital setting for 1 hour.

Does vacuum aspiration hurt? No. The procedure is almost painless, as it is done under local anesthesia. A woman may feel a slight aching pain in the lower abdomen.

Termination of pregnancy by vacuum aspiration

Vacuum aspiration () of the contents of the uterine cavity is perhaps the safest and least traumatic method of abortion of all existing in our time. But such mini-abortions are effective only in the early stages of pregnancy (up to 5 weeks).

The most common question that gynecologists hear from their patients concerns the nature and duration of discharge after the vacuum aspiration procedure. It is not possible to give a clear answer to it, since the abundance and duration of discharge directly depends on the gestational age and other factors. But there are some "average" data.

So, scanty spotting spotting can be observed for several days after vacuum aspiration, then they become serous or mucous in nature. In some women, after a short break (2-5 days), more abundant menstrual-like bleeding resumes, the presence of which may be a variant of the norm, and may indicate post-abortion complications. Massive bleeding, yellowish discharge with a putrid odor is a reason to immediately seek medical help.

The first periods after vacuum aspiration usually begin after 30-35 days, a delay of 7 days is allowed. The menstrual cycle is getting better within a few months.

Rehabilitation and possible complications after vacuum aspiration

The technique of vacuum aspiration of the contents of the uterine cavity is relatively safe. Serious physical complications in most cases are not observed, long-term rehabilitation, as a rule, is not required. The most common complication is endometritis - inflammation of the walls of the uterus, and in case of termination of pregnancy - incomplete extraction of the fetal egg. In some cases, there are more serious consequences: massive bleeding, pneumoembolism, infertility.

The recovery of the female body after vacuum aspiration occurs within one to two weeks. If the purpose of vacuum aspiration was to terminate the pregnancy, then as a rehabilitation, the doctor will prescribe COCs (Regulon, Novinet and others) for several menstrual cycles. If necessary, antibiotics may be prescribed.

A prolonged absence of menstruation after the vacuum aspiration procedure may indicate both a hormonal failure and a new conception (it is important to remember that a new pregnancy after a vacuum aspiration can occur before the start of the first menstruation).

During an abortion, the hormonal stress for a woman is so strong that it takes more than one month to recover from such an intervention. Normal menstruation after an abortion is a confirmation of the success of the procedure and the absence of complications. Therefore, what the discharge should be, how much and when they should go, should be known to a woman who decides to take such a step.

Termination of pregnancy involves the removal of an embryo with a fetal egg from the uterine cavity. Depending on the term, this can be vacuum aspiration (mini-abortion), conventional surgical abortion or medical abortion. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, features of the recovery period. Only a doctor can choose the optimal method of interruption after the examination, including after performing an ultrasound examination of the uterine cavity.

Allocations are normal

Menstruation is the process of rejection of the surface layer of the endometrium. It occurs when pregnancy has not occurred. A termination of pregnancy is an instrumental or drug expulsion of the fetal bladder from the uterine cavity, along with which the upper layer of the endometrium is removed. In fact, abortion replaces menstruation and the next critical days should come "according to the new schedule."

After the removal of the fetal egg, spotting appears. How much menstruation goes after an abortion depends on the presence or absence of concomitant pathologies in a woman and the complications of the intervention. Normally, they last up to five to seven days, like regular menstruation. But small deviations are possible.

Postponement of withdrawals. Immediately after the interruption of blood clots or even daubing, there may not be. They may appear on the second or third day after the abortion.
Increase in duration. Discharge after the procedure may be longer than normal menstruation, up to seven to ten days.
The appearance of pain. Uterine contractions after interruption are more intense than during normal menstruation in a girl. The longer the pregnancy, the stronger the pain.

The next menstruation after the interruption should occur after 25-35 days from the date of removal of the fetal egg. According to their characteristics, they should not differ from the usual menstruation of this girl. If abnormalities occur, you should consult a doctor to rule out complications.

Period after mini-abortion

Vacuum aspiration is carried out within 21 days from the moment of delay of menstruation. At this time, the gestation period is about five weeks. During the procedure, a special apparatus is placed into the uterine cavity through the cervical canal (cervix), the fetal egg is suctioned. This is possible due to the fact that by this time it is not yet tightly fixed to the walls of the uterus. Therefore, on the eve of vacuum aspiration, it is important to accurately determine the gestational age in order to avoid unpleasant complications in the future.

Together with the fetal egg, the surface layer of the endometrium is removed, so heavy periods after a mini-abortion are extremely rare. You can also expect the following:

the discharge immediately after the manipulation is scanty, spotting;
on the second or third day, spotting increases somewhat;
the duration of the daub is not more than five to seven days;
the next monthly exactly in 25-35 days (approximately in a month).

After surgery

Surgical abortion is used to end a pregnancy after five weeks. With the help of special curettes (reminiscent of metal loops on the leg), the ovum with the embryo is removed, and then the walls of the uterus are carefully scraped out. The last action is necessary, since after five to six weeks the fetal bladder is tightly fixed to the walls of the uterus, forming the chorion - the future "children's place". If the curettage is not carried out thoroughly, complications will develop, and the monthly cycle after a surgical abortion will be disrupted.

After such an abortion, you can observe:

immediately after the procedure, the discharge is abundant, with clots;
over the next three to five days, only a small daub remains;
the first menstruation after an abortion comes 25-35 days after the intervention.

If taken with tablets

Medical abortion is considered the safest and most gentle for the body, which is also confirmed by the reviews of women who have undergone it. In many countries, its implementation is allowed up to 12 weeks or more. In Russia, in most regions, abortion with pills is carried out only up to a period of five to six weeks.

The essence of medical abortion is to create a special hormonal background, in which a woman has a complete miscarriage. For such an abortion, it is necessary to take medications in two stages.

First you need to create a detachment of the fetal egg.
Then - to provoke contractions of the muscles of the uterus to expel it.

Together with the fetal egg, the functional part of the endometrium, which was necessary for its attachment, leaves. Menstruation after a medical abortion should normally be of the following character:

after the first portion of the tablets, there is no discharge or a small daub;
after the second portion of the tablets, abundant discharge appears during the day;
from three to seven days they retain the character of ordinary menstruation;
a new menstruation comes in 25-35 days from the onset of spotting.

What is considered a pathology

Timely detected pathology is half of successful treatment. Therefore, if you have any doubts about the norm of your condition, you should consult a specialist and wait for the doctor's answer. The following selections should alert.

Very plentiful. If a woman has to change three or four maxi pads within an hour, she should consult a doctor. Abundant discharge most often indicates incomplete emptying of the uterine cavity. Strong periods can be either a day after a vacuum, surgical or medical abortion, or 20-30 days later.
Prolonged smearing. Scanty brown discharge for more than 2 weeks also indicates pathology. It is possible that a placental polyp has formed in the uterine cavity, but sometimes this is the first symptom of a cystic mole (a malignant tumor from the tissues of the embryo with damage to the walls of the uterus).
Periodic during the month. If the discharge does not end, but periodically appears - sometimes abundant, then spotting, you need to see a doctor. Sometimes such discharge of a woman is incorrectly mistaken for the second menstruation, which begins immediately after an abortion. In fact, this is pathological bleeding, which can intensify at any time.
With an unpleasant smell. Painful and fetid discharge indicates the addition of an infection. This happens most often in the presence of inflammation in the vagina or non-compliance with recommendations after interruption.
Ambiguous color. If the discharge after an abortion becomes yellow or purulent, you should consult a doctor. This is the first evidence of the development of inflammation.

Why "critical days" may not be

The delay in the next menstruation after an abortion always worries a woman. This can happen due to functional disorders and hormonal changes, or for more objective reasons.

Failure of menstruation. Immediately after conception, the body seriously changes the hormonal background, which is necessary for successful gestation. An abrupt termination of pregnancy can provoke failures, the severity of which depends on the age of women, the presence of gynecological diseases, the number of abortions in history. Early treatment will help to avoid serious complications, such as ovarian dysfunction, functional ovarian cysts.

If there were problems before. When menstruation was irregular even before pregnancy, it is quite difficult to calculate when they will come after the interruption. Sometimes it's a month, other times it's two or three.
The fertilized egg remains in the uterus. If during the termination of pregnancy the fetal vesicle was not evacuated, the pregnancy will develop further. The absence of menstruation for a month and a positive pregnancy test should prompt a woman to this thought. But it should be remembered that a weak second strip may be normal for another two to three weeks after the interruption. This is due to the slow excretion of chorionic gonadotropin (hCG, pregnancy hormone) from the body.
New pregnancy. If menstruation does not occur after an abortion, a new pregnancy must be excluded. In the first month after the interruption, a woman can re-conceive if not properly protected from pregnancy. An ultrasound will help to figure out whether this is an old fetal egg or a new one, by which you can determine the period.
Excessive scraping of the walls of the uterus. One of the negative aspects of surgical abortion is that in an attempt to carefully remove the ovum, the doctor may excessively scrape the walls of the uterus. It may take several months for the endometrium to fully recover. In this case, the pregnancy test will be negative, there will also be no other signs (nausea, weakness, decreased pressure).

What is observed when prescribing contraceptives

Often on the day of a vacuum or surgical abortion, the doctor will recommend starting hormonal birth control to prevent another pregnancy.
In this case, you can expect:

periodic daubing before the start of the next menstruation;
very scanty new periods;
absence of critical days within two months.

How to avoid complications

In order to ensure the complete completion of the termination of pregnancy, it is recommended:

perform an ultrasound of the uterus immediately after the procedure and ten days later;
take a blood test for hCG in ten days;
choose a reliable method of protection immediately after interruption.

If there is a suspicion that menstruation after an abortion is pathological, you should immediately contact a specialist. This is especially true in the following cases:

if the discharge is long and plentiful;
if there is a daub for more than two weeks;
if other signs of pregnancy persist;
with an increase in body temperature;
if there is no menstruation 35-40 days after the abortion.

Termination of pregnancy is a serious damage to a woman's health. In order to reduce the amount of damage and protect the body from complications, it is important to know when menstruation begins after an abortion is normal. And if you suspect a pathology, you should immediately consult a doctor to clarify the situation.

Vacuum aspiration, what is it, when is it performed, for what reasons, what consequences and complications can it have? This procedure, which is a method of obtaining the contents of the uterine cavity, is used to diagnose certain gynecological diseases, as a treatment for complications after childbirth, miscarriage, and also to terminate a pregnancy in the first trimester. Let's take a closer look at all the appointments.

Abortion

This is a simple procedure performed in many public and private clinics. The main condition is that a vacuum abortion is performed in the early stages of pregnancy, up to 3 weeks of delayed menstruation. The maximum term is a week longer than that of medical abortion, and the procedure itself is significantly cheaper. Thousands of women have gone through this.

It is determined whether it is possible to terminate the pregnancy by vacuum aspiration (mini-abortion) after obtaining the results of smears on the flora, conducting an ultrasound study, which looks at the location of the fetal egg and its size. In some cases, more often if an abortion is performed in a hospital, it may be necessary to take blood tests (general, biochemical, coagulograms, for syphilis, HIV, viral hepatitis), urine, and consult a therapist.

Before the procedure, the woman is given injections of a sedative, as a sedative, and an antispasmodic in order to relax the cervix. The procedure usually does not require dilation of the cervical canal, since the diameter of the catheter inserted into the uterus is no more than 6 millimeters. It all goes on for just a minute. At the same time, the woman experiences moderate pain in the form of a spasm. After that, you need to lie down for 30-60 minutes on your stomach and you can go home if your health allows. The procedure is usually fairly easy. Vacuum aspiration rarely has consequences. Sometimes the abortion may be incomplete, then you will have to repeat the procedure or have a surgical abortion. Abundant bleeding after a mini-abortion almost never happens. There may be hormonal imbalances, but they are minor, since the pregnancy is terminated at an early stage.

Discharge after vacuum aspiration of the uterine cavity can continue like normal menstruation, sometimes it can be much shorter, go 2-3 days. Too bad there wasn't any blood. Perhaps there was a spasm of the cervix, and the blood simply cannot leave the uterus. And this threatens with a severe inflammatory process. In this case, you need to do an ultrasound and, if necessary, surgical curettage.

Menstruation after vacuum aspiration begins on time, that is, on average, 28-35 days from the day of the abortion. With a delay - you need to do a pregnancy test if you had unprotected intercourse after an abortion. Or wait a little. With prolonged amenorrhea, this is a delay in menstruation of one month or more, progesterone may be prescribed. On its cancellation, bleeding will begin.

It should be noted that the cycle will not fail if, immediately after the abortion, you start taking hormonal contraceptives, which will also save you from unwanted pregnancy.

Medical reasons, for treatment

Often the procedure is carried out not at the request of the woman, but for medical necessity. For example, vacuum aspiration during a missed pregnancy. This is an opportunity to avoid cleaning the uterus, a much more "bloody" and unpleasant procedure. With a non-developing pregnancy, it is imperative to remove the fetal egg with membranes from the uterus, otherwise it will all begin to decompose and cause an inflammatory process, and perhaps even sepsis. Abroad, women with a missed pregnancy are usually given 2-3 weeks, during which a spontaneous miscarriage can occur. But in Russia it is customary to immediately do a vacuum aspiration or cleaning the uterus.

The same procedure can wait for women in the first days after the birth of a child. Not all women have a uterus that contracts well, and postpartum discharge (lochia) normally disappears. Sometimes they linger in the uterus for a long time, and this is fraught with an inflammatory process. In many European countries, vacuum aspiration is performed after childbirth if a lochiometer is diagnosed on ultrasound. In domestic hospitals, it is often suggested to start with Oxytocin, try to “start” uterine contractions, and then, perhaps, you won’t need to suck out the contents of the uterus, everything will come out naturally.

Diagnostics

Vacuum aspiration has indications not only directly related to pregnancy and childbirth, but also the diagnosis of gynecological diseases. So, it is often performed on women with suspected endometrial hyperplasia. Or if a myomectomy (removal of uterine fibroids) is planned. After all, no one will remove neoplasms without a histological analysis of the endometrium. In the case of a good result of an ultrasound examination, a young patient (up to 35 years old), curettage of the uterine cavity in order to simply obtain confirmation that there are no endometrial pathologies is not performed. It is replaced by a much more gentle procedure - vacuum aspiration of the endometrium, performed without anesthesia, and even in most cases without the use of local anesthesia. It is not required. Let us clarify that it is more correct to call this procedure a pipel biopsy or an aspiration biopsy. Under this name, it is indicated in the price lists of clinics. Also, a pipel biopsy is prescribed for prolonged infertility, in preparation for IVF.

So how is it going. First, a woman takes a regular smear on the flora. The doctor must make sure that there is no inflammation. Otherwise, during the procedure, pathogenic microorganisms can be introduced into the uterine cavity, and then acute endometritis will begin.

Depending on the purpose of the study, the day of the menstrual cycle for a pipel biopsy may be different. Knowing that the procedure is, to put it mildly, unpleasant, many women take painkillers and antispasmodics shortly before it (to avoid spasm of the cervical canal). This issue should be discussed with the gynecologist in advance. However, one should not immediately think that the procedure is unbearably painful. Women have different pain thresholds. Another good pain reliever is lidocaine spray. If it is not available at the clinic, you can purchase it yourself and bring it to your appointment.

The woman lies down on a regular gynecological chair. The doctor installs a gynecological mirror and treats the cervix with alcohol (may pinch). After that, a thin catheter is inserted into the uterus. It should be noted that its diameter is 2-3 millimeters, which is 2 times less than with abortion. After all, there is no fetal egg in the uterus, under the diameter of which a catheter is selected. This means that it is much faster and easier to enter it. Literally within 30 seconds, the absorption of the endometrium from different parts of the uterus takes place. Then the catheter is taken out. Procedure completed. After it, soreness, like spasms, in the uterine region and small spotting may persist for some time.

Vacuum aspiration of the contents of the uterine cavity imposes small restrictions on sexual life after it. If everything goes without complications, then you need to refrain from sex for a period of 3-4 days. By the way, good news for those planning a pregnancy. There are statistics proving that after an aspiration biopsy, it is immediately possible to become pregnant. Scientists do not yet know the exact reason for this. But most likely, there is a positive reaction of the endometrium to its slight trauma.

One of the sparing ways to terminate a pregnancy at a short time is a vacuum abortion. Vacuum abortion is prescribed:

if a woman has had an unsuccessful medical abortion;
if there are deviations (malformations) in the development of the fetus;
if the mother is unable to bear the child (chronic diseases);
if a woman herself wants to terminate an unwanted pregnancy.

Description of vacuum abortion

Vacuum aspiration is carried out for short periods (up to three months). The shorter the time, the faster and easier the whole procedure goes.

The average duration of the procedure is up to 10 minutes. After an abortion, a woman remains under the supervision of doctors for some time to make sure that the operation was successful.

This method is called sparing, because the amount of damage caused to the uterus is insignificant. In the process, only the mucous membrane is damaged.

Who is contraindicated for vacuum abortion?

Like any procedure, the vacuum abortion method has its own contraindications:

The fertilized egg is outside the uterus (ectopic pregnancy). Vacuum abortion in this case is simply impossible. After all, you can cause incurable damage to the mother's body.
If a woman is sick (acute infectious diseases). There is a huge risk of infection in the uterine cavity.
Physiological features (poor blood clotting).
If a woman gave birth less than a year and a half ago.

Pain during a vacuum abortion

Vacuum abortion is performed under anesthesia. Therefore, no pain is felt during the procedure.

The consequence of such a surgical intervention, as well as any type of abortion, are pulling and cramping pains in the lower back and lower abdomen. They last about 2 days until the uterus restores its previous size.

The process of vacuum abortion (mini abortion)

With the help of an electric vacuum pump, negative pressure is created in the uterus. Under the influence of the apparatus, the fetal egg is detached from the walls of the uterus and sucked into a prepared container. The process does not use metal dilators, so the neck is not injured. The risk of infertility after a vacuum abortion is minimal.

Before embarking on the process of terminating a pregnancy, a woman undergoes a consultation with a gynecologist and passes the necessary tests. Common blood and urine tests, blood clotting tests, ultrasound, hepatitis and HIV tests are standard.

After a thorough check of the tests, the patient is allowed to have an abortion with a vacuum. The whole process is carried out by a qualified doctor in a specialized institution (hospital).

The vagina and cervix are treated with an antiseptic, anesthesia is injected into the cervix. If required, in cases where the woman has not given birth before, the cervix is dilated to allow further insertion of a rigid tube. The fertilized egg is sucked out with the help of a tube.

During the procedure, a woman may experience spasms that stop immediately when the tube is removed. During the removal of uterine tissue (abortion), nausea, weakness, and excessive sweating may occur.

The duration of the procedure is 5-10 minutes, after which the patient rests in the ward, where her condition is observed.

At discharge, antibiotic treatment is prescribed to prevent the inflammatory process, as well as painkillers if the pain is too intense.

Sex after a vacuum abortion

Intimacy (sexual intercourse) within a month after the abortion is prohibited. During this time, injured uterine tissue heals, and sexual activity can cause inflammation. After complete healing of the genital organs, sex should be started using condoms.

The consequences of a vacuum mini abortion

Any abortion, even a mini abortion (vacuum) is an intrusion into the natural process of the body. Any invasion, especially by surgery, has its consequences. This is stress of the whole organism, which is clearly expressed by tangible symptoms.

Discharge after vacuum abortion

Bleeding begins immediately after aspiration. This is a natural reaction of the body to such interference. Many women think that this is an ordinary period, but it is not.

The duration of bleeding should not exceed 10-14 days. Abundance should decrease with an increase in the period after the abortion.

Bleeding is not normal if:

accompanied by unbearable pain;
the abundance of secretions does not decrease;
blood clots are present.

In the presence of such indicators, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Pain after a vacuum abortion

Pain in the lower abdomen is expected after a mini-abortion. Associated with uterine contractions. Last about 3-5 days. Treatment is not subject.

Pain and swelling in the vagina are also normal and disappear after a few days.

Breast pain usually does not bother patients, due to the fact that a mini-abortion is performed at a short time. But they can rarely be present, it depends more on the physiology of the woman.

Menstruation after vacuum abortion

It is impossible to say exactly when menstruation will begin, because this process is individual. From the date of the mini-abortion, about 40 days pass before the start of menstruation.

The full restoration of the menstrual cycle depends on whether the woman gave birth before or not. For those giving birth - this period is less (about 3 months). For the rest, this process can take a long time (up to 6 months).

During the first monthly discharge may be scarce. If within a couple of months the menstrual cycle has not recovered, you need to contact a gynecologist.

If there is no period for a long time after the abortion, take a pregnancy test. The result is positive - the vacuum abortion was not successful or you have an ectopic pregnancy. If the result is negative, you should wait a little longer.

Complications after vacuum abortion

Complications after a vacuum mini-abortion are quite rare, but this possibility cannot be completely ruled out.

Perforation of the uterus . With a vacuum abortion, it can only occur due to the mechanical expansion of the cervix with a special instrument.

Incomplete removal of the fetal egg. It manifests itself in profuse bleeding and incessant pain in the lower abdomen. Urgent surgical intervention is required.

Spasm of the cervix. The cervix closes quickly and blood remains in the uterine cavity. This causes constant pain and fever. Urgent hospitalization required.

Ectopic pregnancy. If during the vacuum procedure the pregnancy was in the tubes, then it is saved. Symptoms are abdominal pain and pain during intercourse. Requires surgery.

A woman after a vacuum mini-abortion should visit special support groups or go for a consultation with a psychologist. After all, abortion causes not only physical harm, but also emotional. It is necessary in any way to prevent the occurrence of depression, which will only slow down the recovery process of the body.

The video will tell you more about the consequences of abortion.

There are two methods of vacuum aspiration (also called suction aspiration).

Manual vacuum aspiration. This procedure can be used approximately 5 to 12 weeks after the last menstrual cycle (at the beginning of the first trimester of pregnancy). It involves the use of a specially designed syringe to perform suction. This method is not available everywhere, but may be more affordable than machine aspiration in some geographic areas.
Machine vacuum aspiration. This procedure is a common method used in the first 5 to 12 weeks (first trimester) of pregnancy. Machine vacuum aspiration involves the use of a hollow tube (cannula) attached to a bottle and a pump that provides a gentle vacuum. The cannula is inserted into the uterus, the pump is turned on and the tissue is gently removed from the uterus.

Manual vacuum aspiration procedure

Manual vacuum aspiration usually takes 5 to 15 minutes. It can be safely performed in a clinic or medical office using a local anesthetic and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen. The procedure includes:

You are placed on the examination table in the same position as for a pelvic exam, with your feet on the gynecological equipment, lying on your back.
The vagina and cervix are cleaned with an antiseptic solution.
A numbing medicine (local anesthetic) is injected into the cervix.
If necessary, a small instrument is inserted into the cervix to dilate it slightly. However, in most cases, the extension is not necessary.
A thin tube is inserted through the cervix into the uterus. A manual syringe is used to aspirate tissue from the uterus. As the tissue is removed, the uterus will shrink. Most women experience cramps during the procedure. The cramps go away after the tube is removed. Some women also experience nausea, sweating, and feeling weak. But usually the symptoms are less severe than with machine vacuum aspiration.

Machine vacuum aspiration procedure

About 90% of all abortions are performed in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Abortion rarely affects the ability to become pregnant in the future. So it is possible to get pregnant within a few weeks immediately after the procedure. Avoid sexual intercourse until your body has fully recovered, usually for at least one week. Use contraceptives in the first weeks after the abortion. As well as condoms to prevent infection.

Depression may occur due to the fact that pregnancy hormones change after an abortion. If you continue to experience symptoms of depression such as fatigue, sleepiness, changes in appetite, or feelings of sadness, emptiness, anxiety, or irritability for more than two weeks, see your doctor about treatment.

The hospital or surgical center may give you instructions on how to prepare for your surgery, or your nurse may give you instructions right before your surgery.

Immediately after the operation, you will be taken to the recovery room where you will be observed and cared for by nurses. In the recovery room, you will most likely stay for a while and then go home. In addition to any special instructions from the doctor, the nurse will explain information to you to help you recover. You will go home with a printed care guide, including who to contact if problems arise.