In the United States, three out of every ten women have experienced an abortion before the age of 45. There are two types of abortion: medical abortions (the pill) and surgical abortions. The former entails a shorter recovery period, while the latter, more extensive surgical abortion, can take a longer time to recuperate from. Both involve a matter of bodily and emotional stress, so it is vital to acknowledge that aftercare is needed. And for any type of abortion, proper post-surgery care is required.

Both medical and surgical abortions are considered safe procedures, but care is still needed to help patients get back to the peak of health. Engaging in activities immediately after a procedure can sometimes result in serious complications. Your doctor or clinic will most likely provide you with a list of specific instructions to follow, but even then, there are times that it the advice is not enough to manage the nasty side effects. Commitment and sticking to the doctor’s instructions are needed for a full recovery without any complications.

Emotional care and rest are also needed to ensure that no negative feelings linger even after the procedure and recovery period are long over. Here we share 15 things you should do immediately after an abortion.

15 Skip The Tampon; Try Out A Pad

After the abortion, one can expect a good amount of bleeding. This is normal, and totally nothing to worry about. In this case, it might be tempting to reach for a tampon and wait until the bleeding is over. But since abortion is a delicate procedure, steps have to be taken right after to ensure safety. Skip the tampon and reach for a sanitary pad instead.

Why? Well, after an abortion, a woman’s cervix is dilated, making it very prone to bacteria and infections. Insertion of a foreign object such as a tampon may bring microorganisms that could be harmful for the vagina, especially in its sensitive post-abortion state. It is also more prone to injury due to its high sensitivity. What’s more is that usage of tampons could also introduce an infection, so it’s best not to use tampons for now.

14 Get Back On The Pill

Contrary to popular belief, it is easier to conceive a child when a woman is fresh from an abortion. This is because the human body prepares for the next menstruation cycle, making the woman more fertile than before. To avoid an unplanned pregnancy, it’s best to remember that the next period comes between four and six weeks after the abortion. Birth control could help curb this fertility and solve the problem of an unwanted pregnancy if a woman has unprotected sex after the procedure.

It’s important to talk to your doctor regarding birth control options. There are temporary birth control options, like the pill, and there are more permanent ones, like tubal ligation. There’s even vasectomies for those with male partners who are sure they do not want to have children in the future. Whichever option it is, birth control should be a staple in any woman’s post-abortion routine.

13 Leave Out The Douche

For many women, douching can be a big part of their feminine hygiene. It’s a classic cleaning method, and is familiar to women across the globe, stretching back to the early 18th and 19th centuries. But after an abortion, this practice is probably better left out. Just like avoiding tampons, avoiding the douche is essential because the cervix is still very dilated and highly sensitive to foreign objects.

It may be challenging to avoid high maintenance cleaning down there due to bleeding and clotting. It might be tempting to douche, especially when the bleeding kicks in, but keep your cervix in mind and save douching for after you’ve fully healed. Even the “natural douche” formula, a mixture of water and vinegar, can be harmful and highly acidic for the vagina. Best to leave it alone and save the douching for later!

12 Keep Track Of The Bleeding

Bleeding after an abortion is to be expected. In the first 24 hours after the abortion procedure, light spotting to a heavy flow can be expected, depending on the woman’s body. One should not be alarmed when she soaks through one to two maxi pads in an hour, as this is normal post-abortion. Passing blood clots during this period is also normal, especially during the 24-hour time frame.

Despite clotting being normal, one should also monitor the sizes and frequency of passing them. Small clots are normal, but a blood clot the size of a golf-ball in the span of two hours or less is not. In this case, one should see a doctor and seek medical advice. It’s also important to note that this bleeding and the actual beginning of a period post-abortion is different. First blood is not the “official” period, so it’s best to keep track of the days until four to six weeks have passed.

11 Skip The Gym

Ladies, make sure you have a conversation with your doctor about how and when you can go back to doing your daily activities. A normal procedure may take only a few days for you to recover, but complications during an abortion might set you back a few weeks before you can do normal stuff around the house or the gym. Huffing and puffing on the treadmill is not something you want to be indulging in soon after an abortion. Taking on too much too soon can slow down the recovery process.

According to the website Livestrong, subtle and low-impact exercises are the most convenient to do soon after a procedure. It is suggested to slowly increase repetitions, weight, and distance while at the gym to acclimate the body to the physical stress. And when going back to exercise it is crucial to listen to your body and take note if something feels off. Watch out for excessive bleeding, pain, or fever, and at the first sign of any of these, immediately inform your doctor.

10 Hydrate!

Just like any stressful activity, abortion can zap a woman’s system of a good chunk of the body’s natural hydration. So, it is important to take in a lot of liquids to replenish the fluids lost during the procedure. Post-surgery, you would need to be properly hydrated to flush out the anesthetic injected into the system. Also, the heavy bleeding and blood clot passing takes a toll on the body and fluids are key to restoring the lost nutrients.

The body’s ability to take in water plays a very important role in the recovery process. It helps the body to digest vital nutrients, repairing muscles damaged during surgery. Muscles are composed of 75% water and it is crucial to take in what was damaged and lost during an abortion. Proper hydration helps to reduce fatigue in the body, making the body stronger and more resilient. So, HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE!

9 Have A Follow-Up Appointment With The Doctor

Between two and three weeks after the procedure, one must set up another appointment with the doctor to check on how the healing is progressing. During this appointment, you can also ask the doctor about bleeding, clotting, and which vitamins and supplements to take to boost the immune system. The doctor will also be checking on your blood pressure and if there is still pain in your abdominal region. This will also serve as the confirmation check-up. Confirming that you are no longer pregnant and that all matter has been removed from the uterus.

The usual things to be checked around this time will be the bleeding pattern, effects of the antibiotics, and the dilation of the cervix. The various different methods of contraception will also be discussed, so it is the perfect time to ask which ones will work best for you and your partner. It’s usually better to wait until after this time to have sex again, just in case (since sex is also a strenuous activity). Make sure to be as honest as possible when the doctor asks questions, and feel free to ask some of your own as well!

8 Take The Entire Course Of Antibiotics

After the abortion, you will be given antibiotics. The antibiotics will help lessen the risk for infection, since the cervix is dilated and very prone to bacterial buildup. Medications will also help speed up the healing process by giving the immune system a helping hand. These antibiotics will have a strict schedule that’s supposed to be followed until all the medicine is gone. Usually, these terms last between 48 hours and one week, but it will always differ from woman to woman.

There are also precautions for taking antibiotics post-abortion. It is advisable not to take these antibiotics before you go to sleep due to their strength. It’s also advisable not to consume any alcohol within 48 hours of taking them, since doing so will likely result in a fried kidney, and no one wants that. Breastfeeding is also discouraged while taking these, as they can be bad for the baby’s development.

7 Don’t Mind The Milk

A milky discharge from the breasts is quite normal after getting an abortion. Since the body has prepared itself for pregnancy, your breasts will have begun to produce milk. This can also cause enlargement and a slight soreness of the breasts, coupled with the leaking. When this happens, it is important not to suppress it or force all the milk out, as this will only make you feel worse. Wear a supportive bra to ease discomfort around the breast area.

You can also take the time to massage the area around the breast gently. Lactation is normal at this stage, and it is normal to feel a bit of pain here and there. This usually fades a few weeks after the procedure, so know that this goes away. If the pain gets unbearable, place a cold compress on and around the breast area. Always consult a physician if something does not feel right!

6 Eat Your Veggies

Since the body has been put under a great deal of stress, a woman who has just undergone an abortion has to eat healthily. That means more vegetables and fruits in their diet, to make up for the energy and blood lost. A healthy diet can also help speed up the healing process and ease the nausea caused by passing clots and bleeding. Once the body is well-fed, the nutrients will help the menstrual cycle get back on track and react well to the antibiotics prescribed by the doctor post-abortion.

Staying healthy can also mean taking vitamins, like Vitamin C. Consult with your doctor and ask which vitamins you should take with the antibiotics. This will help the body’s immune system and make cells regenerate faster. All these, coupled with lots of rest, will make you feel better in no time and will contribute to you feeling like less and less of a literal Bloody Mary.

5 Leave The Heavy Lifting To Others

Ever wonder why people fresh from surgery are told not to lift anything heavy while they’re healing? It is because heavy lifting can cause bleeding due to exertion, and it can worsen things overall. Abortion is no different from any other surgery. Heavy lifting after the procedure can increase bleeding and slow down the healing process, so avoid anything strenuous, like carrying heavy bags or even your kids.

Lifting heavy objects can also cause your body stress, which is bad for the vaginal area because it has been through a lot already. It can also cause high fevers and dizziness. An abortion does take a big toll on a woman’s body, and following a doctor’s advice to stay put is important and should be followed to the letter. That also means no going to the gym or any other physical activities!

4 Seek Support

After getting an abortion, feelings of grief, loss, and self-doubt may be commonplace. Almost all women who go through this medical procedure experience these feelings, so it’s important to remember that you are not alone. Gather as much support as you can, because feelings of loneliness can creep up unexpectedly. Talk to friends and family, and make sure to look after yourself.

Going to an abortion support group can also prove to be helpful, especially if you still feel alone. Meeting other women in the same predicament can help ease the loneliness, and help you create new connections. If you would rather be discreet about it, there are helplines and websites that offer free talks and consultations. Going to therapy could also be a huge help in this situation, if one prefers a more professional, confidential way of dealing with negative feelings.

3 Take More Showers

Slipping into a warm bubble bath may seem like the ideal setup one needs to unwind and relax after an abortion. But keep in mind, this is one of the main things to avoid until one is fully healed. A bath can cause water to get stuck in the cervical region, making it a fresh breeding ground for bacteria to grow. This can pave the way for infections, which could slow down the healing process.

Instead of taking baths, take warm showers instead! Showering lessens the risk of infection, and can feel just as relaxing. But be careful while showering, as nausea can make it a little difficult to balance. It would be best to keep the door open or unlocked in case something happens. And think of it this way: take showers throughout the healing process, and save the bath for when you’re fully healed as a special treat!

2 Be Careful With Painkillers

Pain is expected after an abortion. One may experience cramping, nausea, and sensitivity afterward. Cramping is expected to last up to a week or two. It might be second nature to reach for some painkillers. But before taking some medicine for the pain, make sure to ask a doctor which medications are suitable for a body going through the healing process, as some anti-pain meds can affect a post-abortion body negatively.

Painkillers such as Ibuprofen or Paracetamol are ideal and can be taken during this time. However, there are also pain medications that can cause the body harm and interfere with the healing process during this period. Aspirin can increase the flow of blood, and cause the vaginal region to contract, causing more pain. A hot pad and some loose clothes can help with the discomfort, as can lots of rest.

1 Get Lots Of Rest

Abortion is a delicate subject, and having to go through one can cause women a great deal of emotional and physical stress. After going through one, a woman deserves to take care of herself. Rest is required for the body to recuperate, and we’re not just talking about a simple weekend off. The mind needs to take a break as well.

Talk to your boss and explain that you’ve gone through a delicate medical procedure, and take a leave of absence if you can. It’s a simpler way to explain one’s situation without having to go into details that might make things awkward for both parties. Do whatever you do to relax and treat yourself: stay in, read a good book, and have a relaxing cup of tea. Get lots of sleep and make sure to surround yourself with a supportive group of people, and remember to care for yourself even after you’ve healed!

Sources: EveryWomansHealthCentre, Healthline, WebMD, PlannedParenthood