Patient's question:
I started my last menstrual period on October 18th and it lasted for 6 days. My normal cycle is around 36 days. Last Saturday (December 3rd), I went to the hospital for a check-up. My urine test was positive, and the ultrasound showed a gestational sac, approximately 12mm x 8mm. The gynecological examination revealed that my cervix is relatively low, close to the vagina, and that I have a retroverted uterus. The doctor said that medication abortion may be affected by the success rate due to this condition and recommended an artificial abortion 5-7 days later.Am I only able to undergo artificial abortion? Will it be very painful? How long does the surgery usually take?
Follow-up question: How many days of bleeding is expected after the procedure? I had the surgery on December 9th, and this is the first day post-operation.
Doctor's answer:
After artificial abortion, it is necessary to rest for 2 weeks, maintain cleanliness and hygiene of the external genitalia, eat less spicy and irritating foods, and consume more nutritious foods to help the body recover as soon as possible. Before menstruation returns after an abortion, sexual activity, sitz baths, vaginal irrigation, and medication should be avoided. This is because the cervix is relaxed, the endometrium is shedding, and the local defense ability is weakened, making it easy to cause retrograde infection, which may lead to pelvic inflammatory diseases such as endometritis and adnexitis. Severe cases may result in infertility. The amount of bleeding after abortion should be less than the normal menstrual flow, and the bleeding duration should be less than 2 weeks. Abdominal pain should generally not exceed 3 days. If the bleeding exceeds these standards, it should be considered as possible intrauterine residue, incomplete uterine involution, or uterine cavity infection. Active medical examination should be conducted for diagnosis and symptomatic treatment.