An abortion is a medical means of ending a pregnancy. Worldwide, around half of all reported unintended pregnancies end in abortion. Abortion is legal throughout the majority of the United States and in many other countries.
Abortion is a basic healthcare need for millions of women, girls, and others who can become pregnant. Worldwide, an estimated 1 in 4 pregnancies end in an abortion every year.
What are the different forms of abortion?
There are two kinds of abortion — the abortion pill and surgical abortion. Which type of abortion is used to terminate a pregnancy will depend on which one the woman is most comfortable with, the recommendation of the doctor, and the length of time since the woman’s last menstrual cycle.
Medication abortion: (also known as the abortion pill) consists of using two different medicines called mifepristone and misoprostol to end a pregnancy. This medicine causes cramping and bleeding to empty your uterus. It’s kind of like having a very heavy and crampy period, and the process is very similar to an early miscarriage.
In most states, the abortion pill can only be taken up to 10 weeks after the first day of your last period. If you’re past 10 weeks, you can still get an in-clinic abortion. Your doctor or nurse will give you detailed directions about where, when, and how to take the medicines. You may also get some antibiotics to prevent infection.
Surgical abortion: is a medical procedure. It works by using suction to empty your uterus. How late you can get an abortion depends on the laws in your state and what doctor, abortion clinic, or Planned Parenthood health center you go to. It may be harder to find a doctor or nurse who will do an abortion after the 12th week of pregnancy, so it’s best to try to have your abortion as soon as possible.
How long does it take to recover from an abortion?
For medical abortion most people expel the products of conception within 4 to 5 hours after taking the pills. Others take up to 2 days. You might want to take a couple of days off from work because of the discomfort.
Your periods should restart about 4 to 6 weeks after your abortion. You’ll start to ovulate about 3 weeks after you take the medicine. Once you ovulate, you can get pregnant again. Your doctor might recommend that you wait to have sex for a week or two after your abortion. A medical abortion shouldn’t affect your ability to get pregnant in the future.
After a surgical abortion, you may have cramps and light bleeding for up to 2 weeks. Most women can return to normal activities 1 to 2 days after the procedure. However, as with every procedure, each person is different and the recovery time can be much longer. Recovery may take longer for late-term abortions. If complications develop, recovery can take several weeks. However, this is unlikely, as just 2% of people have abortion-related complications.
What To Eat After Abortion For Fast Recovery?
There are several food you should east in order to recover quickly after an abortion they include:
Take Blood Boosting Foods Supplements: Abortion involves blood loss, the median duration of bleeding following an abortion is 13 days with a range of from 1 to 44 days. There is a wide individual variation in measured blood loss between women, from 14 to 512 ml, with a median loss of 74 ml.
Recovering from an abortion requires a healthy diet that includes an adequate intake of fluids, electrolytes, and macro-nutrients, micronutrients like iron and B vitamins, which includes B2, folate (B9), and riboflavin (B6), are essential to rebuilding the body’s supply of red blood cells. To increase the production of red blood cells, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends:
· Eating foods rich in iron and B vitamins like red meat (especially beef and liver), poultry, fish, beans, tofu, dark-green, leafy vegetables and iron-fortified cereals and breads.
· Eating fruits and vegetables that are high in vitamin C, like oranges and lemons, to help with iron absorption.
· Consulting a doctor about iron supplements.
The NIH indicates that, according to new studies, lower-dose multivitamins or over-the-counter iron supplements (18 to 27 milligrams) are as effective as higher-dose prescription iron (38 to 65 milligrams elemental iron) when taken for 60 days to replenish the iron depleted from blood loss and are associated with fewer side effects.
The NIH also recommends ferrous gluconate over ferrous sulfate due to the occurrence of fewer side effects. Iron supplements may cause constipation and can be taken with vitamin C-rich drinks like orange juice to limit this side effect by increasing iron absorption in the intestines.
Stay Well Hydrated: Water plays a critical part in the body’s healing and recovery processes. Blood flow brings oxygen and nutrients to muscles and the healing tissues. When dehydrated, blood volume is low and can delay wound healing.Staying hydrated is essential for your health, especially when your body is recovering from an abortion. Make sure that you’re drinking plenty of fluids such as water, especially after a medical abortion because the pills trigger diarrhea.
Whole grains: Eating plenty of whole grains after surgical abortion will provide your body with the carbohydrates your brain needs for energy and stop your muscles from breaking down. Whole grains also give you another dose of fiber. You are going to feel tired and worn out following your surgery and the right kind of carbs will bring your energy levels up. When you take whole-grain foods you are completing an important part of the healing puzzle.