When is it safe to have sex after an abortion?

You can usually have sex straight after an abortion, however some doctors will recommend that you wait until any vaginal bleeding stops. This will help to reduce the chance of an infection. Furthermore, we recommend that you use contraception and always practice safe sex in order to prevent you from getting pregnant again.

What is an abortion?

An abortion is a medical process that terminates a pregnancy.

The pregnancy is ended by either having a minor surgical procedure or by taking medications.

Before an abortion

Before you have an abortion you will need to go to an assessment at a sexual health clinic or hospital. During this session you may discuss a variety of different things with the practitioner. Including:

• why you would like to have an abortion
• be offered to talk to a counsellor
• talk to a doctor or nurse about the different methods of abortion available
• do a pregnancy test to confirm you are pregnant
• be tested for sexually transmitted infections and your blood type
• be given antibiotics in order to prevent the chance of infection

When you are sure that you want to have an abortion you will be asked to sign a form of consent. You can change your mind after signing if you no longer want an abortion.

Methods of Abortion

There are two main types of abortion, with both being carried our up to 24 weeks of pregnancy. In exceptional circumstances an abortion can take place after 24 weeks.

Medical Abortion

A medical abortion involves taking some medication to end the pregnancy. It doesn’t require any surgery, so is preferred with many.

In order to have a medical abortion you would take two sets of pills usually 24 to 48 hours apart. These pills will cause bleeding and the loss of the pregnancy.

If a medical abortion is carried our after nine weeks then you may need more doses of one of the pills and you will be more likely to stay in the hospital or clinic.

Surgical Abortion

A surgical abortion involves having a procedure under local anaesthetic, conscious sedation, or general anaesthetic. There are two main methods of this type of abortion.

Vacuum or suction aspiration

This can be used up to 15 weeks of pregnancy, and involves inserting a tube through the entrance to the womb, and then removing the pregnancy using suction.

Dilatation and evacuation

This is a method that is used aroudn 15 weeks of pregnancy and involves inserting forceps through the cervix and into the womb to remove the pregnancy.

This method is carried out with conscious sedation or general anaesthetic.

After an abortion

If you have a medical abortion then you may have some short-lived side effects. These include nausea and diarrhoea.

Whatever type of abortion you have had it is usually very likely that you will experience some stomach crams and vaginal bleeding. These can last up to two weeks.

It is very important that after an abortion you use contraception immediately, as you can still get pregnant.

If you have any more questions on having an abortion then we strongly recommend going to visit your local doctor or sexual health clinic and speaking to someone on person.

References:

When is it safe to have sex after an abortion? – www.nhs.org

How to care for yourself after an abortion – Medical News Today

Contraception after an abortion – Better Health