According to studies, 10% of women soon after the abortion experience various complications in 1/5 of the cases we are talking about serious complications. In abortion there are more than a hundred potential complications of the main ones you should know.
The physical complications of abortion
By "minor" complications include:
- some infections
- bleeding
- fever
- chronic abdominal pain
Abdominal pain: Types and Symptoms
- disorders of the gastrointestinal tract
- vomiting
- Rh sensitization.
Nine of the most common severe complications of abortion:
- infection
- excessively heavy bleeding
- embolism
- uterine perforation
- complications
- associated with anesthesia
- convulsions
- hemorrhage
- cervical injury
- endotoxic shock.
In one study it was found that of 1182 women who had an abortion in accordance with the standards of medical care, 27% had post-abortion infection that lasted for three days or more.
While such complications after abortion usually respond well to treatment, in the long run they may lead to disturbances in the reproductive system of a more serious nature.
For example, one of the possible results of post-abortion infection is infertility. Experts report that 3-5% of women undergoing abortion are infertile due to problems associated with the operation. The risk of infertility is particularly high in women who have an abortion when there are any diseases, sexually transmitted diseases.
In addition to the risk of infertility, post-abortion infection is five to eight times increases the risk of ectopic pregnancy.
Damage to the cervix is another complication of abortion, which may have serious consequences in the long term.
Normally, the cervix is tightly closed. To perform an abortion, it is necessary to stretch, using considerable force. In this procedure almost always appear in the microscopic gaps in the cervical tissue and, sometimes, damage of the uterine wall.
However, almost regardless of the scale, damage to the cervix during an abortion, often lead to a permanent weakening of the cervix. Further it may lead to increased risk of premature delivery or miscarriage. According to one study, the weakening of the cervix in varying degrees, observed in 75% of women who do the so-called classical abortion with the use of expanders.
The psychological effects of abortion
Specialists studying the reaction of women to abortion, noted the presence of only one positive emotion: relief. This is not surprising, because the majority of women who undergo abortion by choice, they want as soon as possible to get rid of pregnancy.
Interim relief is often followed by a period, which psychiatrists define as emotional paralysis or numbness Postabortion. For some time a woman can not express or even feel their own emotions. Their focus is mainly on the experience of abortion as a test, and they are, at least temporarily, if lose touch with their feelings.
From 40 to 60% of women during the first weeks after the abortion experts say about their negative reactions to abortion. Within 8 weeks after the abortion, 55% of respondents expressed a sense of guilt, 44% complained of nervous disorders, 36% were observed sleep disturbances
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, 31% regretted their decision; 11% of women had to take various medications to stabilize the emotional state.
As a result of observation of the patient 56741, underwent an abortion, it was concluded that within 90 days after the abortion, the risk of hospitalization in institutions for the treatment of mental disorders among women undergoing abortion is 160% higher than that of other women. In the next 4 years the risk of the need for mental health care also remains relatively high. Women may experience such conditions as depression, de-socialization, reduced self-esteem.
In 30-50% of women after abortion have problems in the sexual sphere - both short and long term. Most often this is reflected in the reduction of sexual desire. For some women, there is an aversion to sex and / or men in general; others begin to indiscriminate sexual intercourse.
Some women after an abortion there is self-injurious behavior - from alcohol to self-injury without suicidal ideation and suicide attempts
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Including - successful.
Early complications
Early complications - those which arise directly during surgery or immediately after it. These include bleeding, perforation of the uterus, inflammation of the genital organs (adnexitis, endometritis) and peritoneum (peritonitis). One of the most dangerous complications - a perforation (puncture) of the uterus. Perforation may damage the bowel, bladder, major blood vessels and require immediate surgical intervention. If abortion is performed without anesthesia, while punching a woman feels a sharp pain, which can cause painful shock and loss of consciousness.
Uterine bleeding can result from violations of uterine contractility, the remnants of the ovum or placental polyp (a small piece of placenta remaining after abortion in the uterus), and is usually accompanied by cramping pains. Bleeding can be both modest and durable, and the sudden and massive. This is the reason for seeking medical attention and re-scraping of the uterine cavity
Curettage - how dangerous it is?
. As a consequence, the remnants of fetal eggs in the body and the presence of chronic foci of infection occur pelvic inflammatory disease. Symptoms of inflammation are manifested by severe pain in the abdomen, a rise in temperature, purulent and bloody, foul-smelling, discharge from the genital tract, nausea, vomiting, general weakness.
Late complications
Late complications arise after abortion is delayed and perhaps even years. By late complications include worsening of chronic diseases of the pelvic organs or chronicity of acute processes, hormonal disorders, the occurrence of endometriosis, infertility, miscarriage, complications of pregnancy and childbirth. Most abortions performed surgically when used cervical dilators and curette. When violent and rapid expansion of the cervix it damaged tissue, which then leads to its failure and, consequently, to miscarriages. Curette scrape the uterus, often scraping is not only functional (recovering) layer, and basal.
Also, after scraping into the uterine cavity can form adhesions. All of this in the future will affect the course of pregnancy and manifest the desired location of the placenta abnormalities, intrauterine growth retardation, a violation of uterine activity in labor, and, quite possibly, infertility. Since abortion - is unnatural abortion in the body after an abrupt hormonal changes that can not affect the endocrine system. This can manifest itself as "innocent" in violation of the menstrual cycle, and the emergence of hormone-dependent diseases, such as uterine fibroids, endometriosis and endometrial hyperplasia.
Prevention of complications
- Mandatory inspection of women before the operation, commissioning tests, medical consultation. It is necessary to carry out ultrasound to clarify the duration of pregnancy and the choice of the method of abortion.
- Since the uterus after an abortion is an open wound surface, it is necessary after receiving anti-inflammatory treatments (short course) and abridge funds.
- Remediation of foci of chronic infection, up to the treatment of carious teeth.
- Hygiene in the postoperative period. The prohibition of sexual activity during the month, to eliminate heat (sauna) procedures and limit physical activity.
- Medical observation for at least 6 months after surgery. The first visit to the antenatal clinic after an abortion within 7-10 days for Inspection and pelvic ultrasound.
- Selection of low-dose birth control pills not only for contraception but also for the restoration of hormonal imbalance.
- If necessary - psychological counseling.
And of course, the best prevention of post-abortion complications - not to have abortions!
Anna Sozinova
