If you’re considering a medical abortion or have already started the abortion pill process, you may be wondering if heavy bleeding is a typical side effect or whether it could be a sign of a more serious complication.
While bleeding is an expected side effect of a medical abortion, severe or life-threatening bleeding is a serious complication that requires immediate medical attention.
InnerVisions HealthCare can give you accurate information about abortion and its risks, as well as your other options, parenting, and adoption, if you are facing an unexpected pregnancy. We also provide no-cost pregnancy testing and limited ultrasounds (if no medical contraindications) to confirm your pregnancy and provide important information.
Schedule your no-cost, confidential appointment today.
Is Heavy Bleeding a Side Effect of a Medical Abortion?
A medical abortion, also known as the abortion pill, involves two drugs taken in sequence.
The first drug, mifepristone, blocks progesterone, which is the hormone needed to continue the pregnancy. The second drug, misoprostol, causes the uterus to contract and expel the pregnancy through cramping and vaginal bleeding.
Bleeding, which is heavier than a period, is expected as you pass blood clots and pregnancy tissue. The amount and duration of bleeding vary depending on how far along you are in your pregnancy and the individual.
When Heavy Bleeding Becomes a Medical Emergency
Although heavier-than-normal bleeding is expected, certain symptoms may indicate a serious complication.
These symptoms include:
- Soaking through two or more pads per hour for two hours in a row
- Blood clots larger than the size of a lemon
- Feeling faint and dizzy
- Severe or worsening abdominal or pelvic pain
- A fever that lasts more than four hours or begins in the days after taking misoprostol
- Chills, body aches, or a fast heartbeat
- Foul-smelling vaginal discharge
These symptoms can indicate excessive bleeding, infection, or an incomplete abortion, all of which require urgent medical attention.
Why an Ultrasound Is Important
Getting an ultrasound before making a pregnancy decision is important because it provides medical information that can help protect your health. An ultrasound will show where your pregnancy is located, how far along you are, and whether your pregnancy appears to be progressing.
Confirming the pregnancy location is especially important since it can identify an ectopic pregnancy. This is a life-threatening condition where the pregnancy develops outside of the uterus and cannot be treated with the abortion pill.
Miscarriage occurs in around 1 in 4 pregnancies. An ultrasound can determine whether a fetal heartbeat is detected and whether the pregnancy appears to be developing. It is still possible to receive a positive pregnancy test result if you have miscarried due to the remaining levels of the hormone hCG in the body.
Knowing how far along you are is important because the abortion pill is FDA-approved only through ten weeks of gestation.
Get Accurate Information
We know how overwhelming it can feel when you are facing an unexpected pregnancy.
InnerVisions HealthCare is here to give you a safe space where you can ask questions, get no-cost pregnancy services, and learn the facts about your options.
We are here for you. You don’t have to navigate this alone.
Contact us to make an appointment.