Today you had a procedure called an "aspiration" or MVA (Manual Vacuum Aspiration). You will probably feel fine when you go home. You can go back to your regular activities as soon as you want to. You can take a shower and wash your hair as soon as you want to. You can eat normally, although you may still feel nauseated for another few days.

Are there things you should not do? Yes! For one week, do not put anything in your vagina. To be safe, do not use tampons, do not douche, and do not have sex.

Vaginal Bleeding: You can expect to have bleeding for up to 2 weeks. It is common for the bleeding to stop and start for several weeks after the abortion. Some women have no bleeding for 2 or 3 days and then begin to have bleeding like a period. Other women have only spotting for a few days and then no more bleeding at all. If you exercise or have a lot of activity, you may notice the bleeding increases; this is not dangerous.

Cramping: Some women have cramps off and on during the week following an abortion. You can use pain medication like Tylenol, Ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil), or Naproxen (Aleve or Nasprosyn). You can also use a heating pad, or drink some warm tea.

Sadness or very emotional: Most women feel very relieved when the abortion is over. Some women also feel sad, feel like crying, or are moody after an abortion. These feelings are partly from the changes in hormones, now that you are no longer pregnant. Feeling emotional at this time is normal. If you think your emotions are not what they should be, please talk to us.

When will your period come back? You can expect a period in 4-8 weeks. It is not the same for all women.

You should call me if:
– Your bleeding soaks through more than 2 maxi pads per hour for more than 2 hours.
– Your cramps that are getting stronger and are not helped by pain medication.
– If your temperature is higher than 101 degrees.

To reach me:
Call my 24-hour number:_________________. If you have any questions, think something is going wrong, or think you have an emergency, call this number and I will call you back. I know this may be a tough time for you, so if you forget something, or are worried, call me! It may take me 10 to 15 minutes to return your call. No question is too small. Please feel free to call me.

Follow-up visit: You have an appointment in 1 week, ______________ at _______ am/pm.

You can get pregnant before your period comes back, so it is important to use a birth control method whenever you have sex. If you have sex without protection, you can use Emergency Contraception (EC) to prevent another pregnancy. I have given you a prescription for _________________________________.

Birth Control: If you want to use birth control pills, the ring, or the patch, I have given you a prescription. You should start these on _____________________, even if you are still bleeding.