February 22, 2022

What are the Signs of an Incomplete Abortion? 

A few days after Melony’s abortion, her abdominal pain had not subsided. In fact, it seemed worse. She was still bleeding through multiple pads in an hour. She decided to take her temperature and noticed it was high. She called her doctor right away and was instructed to go to the emergency room. She discovered she had an incomplete abortion that resulted in a serious infection. 

What is an Incomplete Abortion?

An incomplete abortion occurs when an elected abortion does not fully remove all the parts of the pregnancy. This can happen both with surgical abortions and with medical abortions.

What Causes an Incomplete Abortion?

Most often, incomplete abortions happen with medical abortions. This is because women are self-administering the abortion pill without supervision of a doctor. 

Sometimes medical professionals also fail to get all of the parts of the baby when performing a surgical abortion. This can happen when the abortionist is rushing to get through a lot of appointments quickly and not taking time. It can also happen for a myriad of other reasons.

What Are the Symptoms of an Incomplete Abortion?

Just like Melony experienced, cramping and moderate to severe vaginal bleeding are common signs that something is not quite right after an abortion. If you are bleeding through multiple maxi pads in one hour or if your toilet is full of blood, this could be a sign that emergency medical care is needed.. 

Other signs include lower back pain and pelvic pain. 

A fever alongside any of these symptoms should be addressed immediately, as it could be a sign of an infection or of oncoming septic shock. 

How is an Incomplete Abortion Treated?

After being diagnosed with an incomplete abortion, your healthcare provider will want to see you for several follow-ups to check your beta-HCG levels. Most of the time, your own body will expel the remaining tissue on its own, but in some cases, it will need to be removed surgically. 

Sometimes an IV for extra fluids or pain medication will be given as treatment. And in rare cases where too much blood has been lost, a blood transfusion may be administered. 

Do You Have More Questions?

If you have had an abortion and have questions or concerns, contact your OBGYN right away.

If you are pregnant and are exploring your options, we can help!

We offer free pregnancy testing, ultrasounds and professional counseling. Please contact us today for a free consultation.