What Are Signs of an Incomplete Abortion?

April 25, 2024

One of the risks of both medical and surgical abortions is an incomplete abortion, which is when fetal or placental tissue remains in the uterus after the procedure. An incomplete abortion can lead to an infection if not treated soon enough.

Keep reading to learn about the signs of an incomplete abortion and when to seek medical attention.

Medical Abortion

In a medical abortion, two medications are taken days or hours apart. Mifepristone ends the pregnancy, and misoprostol causes abdominal cramping and vaginal bleeding, which expels the pregnancy and related tissue.

Parts of the fetus, placenta, or other tissue can remain in the uterus after a medical abortion procedure. This can cause heavy vaginal bleeding and lower abdominal pain and cramping.

It can also lead to infection. Signs of an infection would be a high fever and a foul-smelling discharge.

If a physician determines that the abortion is incomplete, a surgical procedure may need to be performed to empty the uterus, similar to a dilation & curettage (D&C) abortion. 

Surgical Abortion

One type of surgical abortion is a dilation and curettage abortion (D&C). In this procedure, a physician dilates the cervix, either with drugs or surgical instruments.

Then, a physician uses a curette, a sharp surgical instrument, or a suction device to scrape and suction out the pregnancy and the remaining tissue in the uterus.

Because a physician performs a surgical abortion, there’s less of a chance for an incomplete abortion. However, fetal parts can still remain inside the uterus after the procedure. If this is diagnosed, an additional procedure may be required. 

Signs and symptoms of an incomplete surgical abortion include bleeding, cramping, and abdominal pain. If not treated, an infection can set in, with a fever and foul-smelling discharge as the main signs.

Do You Think You Might Be Pregnant?

Darke County Pregnancy Help Center would like to help. Our experienced medical team can provide a free, lab-quality pregnancy test.

If the test is positive, we can provide a limited obstetric ultrasound at no cost to you. Plus, we can provide you with information on all your options. 

If you have had an abortion and are struggling, we are here for you. We can provide you with the help you need to heal and recover.

Schedule an appointment or give us a call. We are available 24 hours a day.