If you have had an abortion, it is natural to have questions about possible side effects. Whether your abortion was recent, or from some time ago, it is not unusual for you to have ongoing questions or even concerns that may have arisen since your procedure.
Every woman’s situation with an unplanned pregnancy is unique, and in the same way, each woman may experience different responses after her abortion. Some women may have concerns about physical side effects and others may have unexpected emotional or psychological side effects. Each type of concern is important and we hope the information we can share about them will be helpful for you.
Abortion Side Effects – Physical*
Most likely you received information about after-abortion care and the possible physical side effects you might expect. Common among these are:
- Abdominal pain and cramping
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Spotting and bleeding
When are these side effects serious enough for you to seek medical attention? Call your doctor if you experience any of the following:
- Severe abdominal and back pain that prohibits you from standing up
- Bleeding that is heavier than a normal menstrual period
- Foul-smelling discharge
- Fever above 100.4 F
- Continuing symptoms of pregnancy
Abortion Side Effects – Emotional/Psychological*
Sometimes, there may be unexpected emotional side effects after abortion. It is not unusual for a woman to experience one or more of the following after an abortion. As with the effects themselves, the time of onset, intensity or duration of these responses will be different from one person to another. They may include:
- Regret
- Anger
- Guilt
- Shame
- Sense of loneliness or isolation
- Loss of self confidence
- Insomnia or nightmares
- Relationship issues
- Suicidal thoughts and feelings**
- Eating disorders
- Depression
- Anxiety
If you or someone you care about is experiencing any of these abortion side effects, whether physical, emotional, psychological or relational, you are not alone. You do not need to struggle through them alone. There is help for you.
Restore helps those for whom the lingering effects of abortion continue to cause pain. We provide free and confidential post-abortion care and support services to all individuals. Restore After Abortion serves DuPage County, Illinois and surrounding communities. We invite you to call us today for a free and private consultation.
*Source: http://americanpregnancy.org/unplanned-pregnancy/abortion-side-effects/
****If you are thinking about suicide, please contact the Suicide Prevention Lifeline https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/talk-to-someone-now/ or call 911.