The abortion regimen is a hormonal play. It takes about 2-4 weeks for the female hormones to reach their normal levels and for the menstrual cycle to become normal again. The symptoms of abortion may thus last for up to this time. It is hence very confusing for a woman to understand the post-abortion menstrual cycle. She may very often consider spotting within this time frame to be her periods or may also be faced with irregular periods for extended durations after an abortion.
The following explanation may be able to resolve your worries.
When can I expect my first period after an abortion?
Abortion bleeding may last until complete expulsion of pregnancy contents. This may be intermittent spotting or continued light bleeding. This must not be confused with menstrual periods. The hormones altered during the abortion will only eventually get back to normal.
Although, after a successful pregnancy termination, the hormones are reset fairly quick, the menstrual cycle in women does not function in a strictly time-regulated manner. So, while some women may begin ovulating in about a week, others may take some more time. It is estimated that your regular periods start in the broad time-window of 4-8 weeks. This partly also depends on the gestation period in which you terminated your pregnancy. The aforementioned standards hold true for most first-trimester pregnancy endings. Therefore, some women may experience a late period after abortion.
What is this first period like?
As a matter of fact, the first period after an abortion may be nothing like your regular periods in terms of appearance or flow. It may also last for longer or fewer days than usual. It takes a few months for the menstrual cycle to gain back its regularity.
The body takes time to adapt to not being pregnant anymore. A few of the pregnancy hormones continue to be retained for months after a successful termination and their effects might be reflected in the duration of each cycle, blood flow and severity of cramping. A few of these changed conditions continue to last for as long as a few years.
Please note that you must use sanitary napkins instead of tampons for the first few periods after an abortion because insertion of anything into the vagina may hamper the recovery process and also pose infection threats.
How do I know if everything is okay?
No periods after an abortion may also not necessarily be a worry because there are many women who take longer to heal. But, one must ensure that a successful abortion is confirmed about 2 weeks (14 days) after the intake of Misoprostol through formal clinical assessments. A pregnancy test cannot be completely relied upon.
If it has been 4 weeks after abortion and no period blood is observed, it is advisable to consult a physician and take an opinion to avoid undue anxiety.
There are chances of an undesired pregnancy even immediately after an abortion. So, you must wait for complete recovery and always use contraception during sexual intercourse.