Post-Abortion Bleeding: What to Expect & When to Worry

Question
Hi,
I had a surgical abortion on Dec 9th, 2009 at 6 weeks 3/7.  I had a moderate amount of bleeding post procedure and then had my period about 4 weeks after.  Since then I have had a small amount of brown vaginal bleeding/discharge.  There are no other symptoms associated with this spotting.  I am now due for my period again.  Is this something to be alarmed about?  I am currently taking birth control and prior to this pregnancy I have a child that was born by c-section 2 years ago.

Answer
Give what you have told me, I don't find this discharge to be particularly surprising. If that's all that is happening, it doesn't sound too worrisome, though if you are concerned, I recommend you see a doctor (not the person who provided the abortion, but someone else). A woman's hormones are messed up by abortion, and will usually remain that way for weeks; they revert back to a normal pattern after awhile. Don't be surprised if you don't have a period, either. It's just part of the consequences of having an abortion.

There are other things you do need to be concerned about. Birth control can cause some serious health problems, so if you aren't married, you are much safer to abstain from sex, or to learn to tell when you are fertile (it won't work while you are using hormones, or for awhile after you stop). You have to chart faithfully. For more information, go here:

http://www.fertilityuk.org/

You also will need to get good prenatal care with any future children you conceive, and you will need to tell the doctor that you have had a surgical abortion. This is because the dilation of the cervix that is done often causes serious damage, and this can result in miscarriage or very premature birth. Very premature birth can cause any number of different birth defects. The doctor may need to fasten your cervix shut until time for birth. Also be vigilant for tubal pregnancy, placenta previa (which can probably be detected by ultrasound late in pregnancy), and be prepared for the possibility of prolonged labor and Caesarian section. You may have an elevated risk of breast cancer as well. Mammograms are a bad idea; I recommend thermograms. Perhaps the best preventative is making sure that you have adequate Vitamin D in your bloodstream; a supplement of Vitamin D3 may help, but you need to have your blood tested in case of overdose.

Please take care of yourself, and don't take any more chances. Feel free to come talk to me any time.