Other reasons why a woman's long-term response to an abortion can be poor may be related to past events in her life. When help and support from family and friends are not available, a woman's adjustment to the decision may be more of a problem. One of these is not having any counseling before consenting to an abortion. Certain factors can increase the chance that a woman may have a difficult adjustment to an abortion. Others find them more difficult to overcome. Some women who describe these feelings find they go away with time. For a while after the abortion she also may feel a sense of emptiness or guilt, wondering whether or not her decision was right.
She may feel sad about ending the pregnancy. Another woman may feel sad that she was in a position where all of her choices were hard ones. One woman may feel relief, both that the procedure is over and that she is no longer pregnant. After an abortion, a woman may have both positive and negative feelings, even at the same time. Complications associated with an abortion or having many abortions may make it difficult to have children.īecause every person is different, one woman's emotional reaction to an abortion may be different from another's. LONG-TERM MEDICAL RISKSįuture childbearing: Early abortions that are not complicated by infection do not cause infertility or make it more difficult to carry a later pregnancy to term. If a woman and her fetus have different Rh factors, she must receive medication to prevent the development of antibodies that would endanger future pregnancies. Rh Immune Globulin Therapy: Genetic material found on the surface of red blood cells is known as the Rh Factor. The reported risks of anesthesia-related complications is around 1 per 5,000 abortions. Surgery may be required to repair the uterine tissue, and in the most severe cases hysterectomy may be required.Īnesthesia-related complications: As with other surgical procedures, anesthesia increases the risk of complications associated with abortion. Depending on the severity, perforation can lead to infection, heavy bleeding or both. The reported rate is 1 out of every 500 abortions. Perforation of the uterus wall: A medical instrument may go through the wall of the uterus.
This happens in less than 1percent of first trimester abortions. Ask the doctor to explain heavy bleeding and what to do if it occurs.Ĭut or torn cervix: The opening of the uterus may be torn while it is being stretched open to allow medical instruments to pass through and into the uterus. Heavy bleeding (hemorrhaging) is not common and may be treated by repeat suction, medication or, rarely, surgery. Heavy bleeding: Some amount of bleeding is common following an abortion. The clots usually are removed by a repeat suction curettage. The reported rate of such complications is less than 1 percent after a D&E whereas, following a labor induction procedure, the rate may be as high as 36 percent.īlood clots in the uterus: Blood clots that cause severe cramping occur in about 1 percent of all abortions. Incomplete abortion may result in infection and bleeding. Incomplete abortion: Fetal parts or other products of pregnancy may not be completely emptied from the uterus, requiring further medical procedures. Infection rates are less than 1 percent for suction curettage, 1.5 percent for D&E, and 5 percent for labor induction. In rare cases, a repeat suction, hospitalization or surgery may be needed. Antibiotics may clear up such an infection. Pelvic Infection: Bacteria (germs) from the vagina or cervix may enter the uterus and cause an infection. To learn more about the methods of abortion and when each is used, click here.īelow is a description of the risks that have been associated with abortion: The risk of complications for the woman increases with advancing gestational age. First trimester abortion is considered minor surgery.