Patient's question:
Last month I found out I was pregnant, and it's been about two months now. Can I still have a painless abortion? How long after pregnancy can an abortion be performed?Doctor's answer:
Generally speaking, it is most suitable to have an induced abortion around 35-50 days of pregnancy. At the same time, if an abortion is performed under anesthesia within the first 10 weeks of pregnancy, the fetal or embryonic skeleton has not yet formed. In most cases, there is no need for cervical dilation, making it easy to remove the fetal tissue. The reaction during the surgery is relatively mild, bleeding is minimal, and the procedure is short. Additionally, after the surgery, a 1-2 hour rest is sufficient before going home, and recovery is quick.However, if a woman is pregnant beyond 12 weeks, the fetus has grown gradually, and the uterus has also expanded. In this case, performing an induced abortion is not easy. It requires a labor induction procedure, which is more complex, involves more bleeding, and has a slower recovery. Moreover, it can cause certain damage to the woman's body.
Furthermore, the harm an induced abortion can cause to a woman is not lower than that of childbirth. It is easy to imagine that even a slight mistake during an induced abortion can threaten a woman's life safety. Therefore, experts from Beijing Aobei Hospital's gynecology department advise women to undergo an induced abortion as soon as possible after discovering an unintended pregnancy to avoid risks.
Of course, in addition to knowing how long into pregnancy an abortion can be performed, careful preparation should also be done before the procedure:
1. Avoid sexual activity the night before the abortion and prevent catching a cold or getting sick.
2. If undergoing a painless abortion, fasting and drinking water should be strictly avoided 4 hours before the surgery.
3. If the body temperature exceeds 37.5°C, the surgery should be rescheduled.
4. Bring a few sanitary pads and some clean tissues.
5. During the surgery, cooperate closely with the doctor and do not be overly nervous.