Following a medical abortion, you may experience bleeding lightly, moderately, or heavily. In some cases, women do not bleed afterward, at all.
Bleeding can start right after the abortion process or until several days after. When it happens, it may stop at some point and then start again.
Don’t be surprised if you experience increased bleeding 4 to 5 days after a medical abortion, complete with clots and strong cramps that will last for several days.
Menstrual-like cramping is normal for the first week after an abortion and may extend to the second week. So don’t be alarmed.
Just take a pain reliever to ease the pain, such as Tylenol or Ibuprofen. But avoid Aspirin as it can increase bleeding.
The only time you need to worry or even call an A&E is when heavy bleeding becomes too heavy and too much.
What you need to know about bleeding after an abortion
- Bleeding can last around 1 to 2 weeks
- Blood clots maybe pass like a normal menstrual period
- When the bleeding stops, you may experience spotting until your next period
- 3 to 6 weeks after an abortion, your normal period should begin
- You may experience mood swings or emotional upset for a few days or weeks
- Menstrual-like cramping can happen for the first week or two
It is important to note that the symptoms you experience may vary from one abortion pill to another. In the case of Misoprostol, bleeding and cramps should be expected.
After using the pill, bleeding can start within 4 hours. But it can also happen at a much later period. Bleeding usually signals the start of an abortion.
As abortion continues and progresses, bleeding and cramps will become more severe and may be associated with other side effects like vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and dizziness.
Cramps and bleeding are often heavier if the pregnancy has developed for longer.
Once you experience heavier blood loss, with severe pain and cramping, this signals that the abortion process has reached its peak.
Once it’s complete, bleeding and cramps should diminish.
2 to 5 hours after using Misoprostol, you may experience the heaviest bleeding which then slows down within 24 hours. Light bleeding will continue for 1 to 3 weeks, and menstrual period should occur 4 to 6 weeks after.
There are instances when heavy bleeding can happen after 48 hours, along with clots that may pass for days or even weeks. This is normal when taking Misoprostol.
What is not normal is when heavy bleeding becomes severe.
How can you tell if you’re bleeding more than it is safe and necessary?
Keep track of the number of pads you’re using
If within an hour you soak 2 maxi pads, which extends to two hours in a row, you need to call your doctor immediately. This is because you are already experiencing severe bleeding.
Keep an eye on the size of any blood clots
Passing clots that are bigger than a golf ball for 2 hours or more is a sign of serious bleeding that requires medical attention. Don’t ignore the sign and call the clinic right away or go to an A&E if you are able.
Abnormal vaginal bleeding may be a result of the blood vessels not constricting or uterine muscles not contracting to stop the bleeding. On very rare occasions, it can also be a result of a perforated uterus or a lacerated cervix.
That is why abnormally heavy bleeding after an abortion should not be ignored.
While it is normal to pass blood clots as you heal from a medical abortion, with sizes that range from pebble-like to egg-like, the timeline tells a different story.
Golf ball-sized clots passing for two hours or more is a serious complication.
This can result in the uterus enlarging and causing severe pain because the cervical opening is blocked. It can be caused by the uterus not contracting and passing out tissue during an abortion.
Monitor the length of time that you’re heavily bleeding
Bleeding heavily for 12 hours in a row is bad news. This may be a sign that something is wrong and you should contact your physician right away.
The same is true if you bleed heavily for 12 hours or more and the color of blood is bright red instead of darker red.
Bleeding longer than 2 weeks
If you experience spotting or bleeding longer than 2 weeks, you should call your doctor for an appointment.
Remember that normal bleeding after an abortion should only last around 1 to 2 weeks. Anything longer than that is a cause for worry.
You should also call the doctor if you don’t have your period within 6 weeks after your procedure. There could be underlying causes that need to be checked and addressed immediately.
Based on the information above, one of the most important signs to look out for is the timeline of bleeding following an abortion.
Bleeding heavily during and a few weeks after an abortion is normal, provided that there are no large clots and that you’re not soaking several maxi pads or sanitary towels in one hour.
Bleeding for two weeks is common. But can be worrisome if it lasts longer.
With this in mind, monitor how long you bleed following a medical abortion and keep an eye out for other symptoms.
These include signs of infection, such as a headache, dizziness, or muscle aches, severe belly pain, 4 to 6 hours of vomiting, heavy or smelly vaginal discharge, and pain in the genital area.
Hy….i took misoprostol on the 1st of may but even today im still bleeding but lightly coupled by some on and off cramps and everyday headache ….is this normal?
Hi Lebo, Normal is about three weeks of bleeding or up to that. If you are still bleeding and you don’t think it’s your period coming back I would call just to make a follow up appointment.
Hi,I had an abortion which lasted for 3 days then later I’ve been bleeding slightly where am only using 1 panty liner for a day..what should I do?
Hi Ing, It’s normal to bleed up to three weeks after the abortion. If this is the case then you are most likely fine.
Hi I took the abortion pill on the 3rd of May. I’ve had bleeding and some pain as normal. However it’s still continuing almost 5 weeks ago now.
And sometimes I feel slightly sick but also tired. But otherwise able to carry on with normal activities fine.
I’m on the birth Control pill so I’m not sure if maybe that’s causing the problems. If it helps I am a little underweight.
Hi Sarah, you should have been done bleeding from the abortion about 2 weeks ago. Women generally bleed anywhere from a few days to about three weeks. It could be your birth control especially if it’s a new one to you or you are just getting back on it.
Hi
My friend is 7 weeks pregnant and after taking mifopostrol she bleeds only for 4 days . Can we assume if the abortion is successful.
Hi Carrey, most likely that’s normal. Honestly some people bleed for a short time and others for a longer period of time but it also depends on how early they have the abortion. So that is likely normal.
I had a medical abortion on May 21. I am still passing clots and bleeding. The blood ranges from very dark brown to bright red. The clots have been no bigger than a dollar coin but have been prolific still.
Hi Meg, have you been back for your follow up appointment. At this point I wouldn’t think that you should still be bleeding like that and passing clots. You should be around to getting your period again relatively soon as well. I would recommend making another appointment.
Hi, I did an abortion 7 days ago I experienced cramping and clots for two hours. I have now been receiving spots and no bleeding but I feel pain with my pelvic and a lot of dizziness with a headache. am I okay?
Hi, you most likely are. I would give it some time and reduce you activity and rest. You have to let your body recover from an abortion. Some take longer than others. I hope you feel better soon! If it does continue for the next few days (or if you are still experiencing it now) I would consider calling your doctor and just getting checked out.
I took the pill last wednesday (May 22rd) passed one large clot and was bleeding for two days after. I stopped bleeding and now a week and a half later I’m bleeding more heavily and experiencing some cramps.. Is this normal?
Hi Sophia, some people do bleed a few days to a few weeks. So this could be normal for you. Also depending on how early on you were in pregnancy there might not have been much to pass either. I would give it some time it’s only been about 10 days.
Hello, I had my abortion last may 11 and until now I am bleeding slightly more like spotting, just a few blood. I did an ultrasound and was told it’s out. tho I used postinor 2 tablet on may 28, pls is the bleeding normal??
Hi Bebs, if you went to the doctor and everything is out then the bleeding should stop. You could also be experiencing your first period as well even if it did stop for a short time. You should be getting your first period within 4-8 weeks of the abortion.
Hallo ..I had an abortion last week …The pregnancy was 6weeks .. I put the misoprostol Pills under my tongue nd the moment i swallowed it started having cramps and few minutes later the bleeding started …It only took me 5days and i stopped bleeding …Is it normal
Hi Mia, yes, some bleed more than others and it’s also an early one so there isn’t much to pass.
I had took abortion pills about 2 weeks ago. I have been expiring heavy bleeding on and off daily. But the last couple days have been worse. Soaking through pads and passing lots o f blood clots. I feel like the bleeding should be getting better if anything. Should I be seen?
Hi Alyx, if you have been bleeding through more than one pad every two hours, make an appointment with your doctor asap. You shouldn’t still be bleeding that much.
Hi I was 2months pregnant 3days ago I took 1 cytotec pill under the tongue and 1 I insert after few minutes I started bleeding and pass clots when I’m going to facility room I have soaked two maxi pad from 6pm to 3am and its stop,but when I’m going to restroom I pass some drop of blood. After 2days it’s started again bleeding and pass some clots and I’m paining soon much.when I touching my abdomen it hard but still bleeding a little. Please help me.
Hello Jaoh, this is normal during an abortion.
Hi m 5+4day pg and we also have 3 little kids so terminating it…. today I used misoprostol orally 12 tablets with the gap of 4 hrs..now I bleed like normal menstrual period no blood clot no heavy bleeding & no heavy cramps does it mean failure of abortion…Please help and also I have diarrhoea.
Hello Sara, there is nothing abnormal mentioned from you above. This is all normal during an abortion.
Hello my name is Nicole, I had my abortion last may 11 and until now I have a little spotting, but just a few blood. It’s almost 3weeks already on Friday. Is it normal?
Hello Nicole, yes this is normal.
Hallo…I was three weeks pregnant and I had abortion. After few hours I experienced heavy cramps and a terrible headache. I started bleeding and passed one clot but the bleeding stopped the next day. Is it possible that the abortion was unsuccessful?
Hello Rhose, this is normal during an abortion.
hello I took 800mg of misoprostol 3 times each after 3 hours interval I had heavy bleeding and clot just for one day. after then no bleeding is the abortion successful
Hello Maryan, the only way to determine this is by repeating a pregnancy test.
I have the same problem. Was yours successful?
I’m Sim I had a medical abortion and am bleeding for two weeks now is that normal?
Hello Sim, yes, this is normal.