6. Always use clean menstrual pads and change them regularly.
7. Avoid tampons, douching, tub bathing, and sexual intercourse for three weeks after an abortion. The opening to the uterus expands during an abortion. To avoid introducing harmful bacteria to the uterus, nothing should be allowed inside the vagina after the abortion procedure.
8. Receive a RhoGam® shot at a clinic or hospital if she has an Rh- blood type (see Appendix A).
9. Avoid the following herbs and vitamins, which are used historically to reduce uterine contractions and halt spontaneous miscarriage: black haw (root bark) Viburnum prunifolium, cramp bark (bark) Viburum opulis, false unicorn (root) Chamailirium luteum, lobelia (leaf and seed) Lobelia inflate, queen of the meadow (root) Eupatorium purpureum, red raspberry (leaf) Rubus idaeus, wild yam (root) Dioscorea villosa, and amounts of Vitamin E in excess of 100 I.U. per day.
10. Contact a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioner to assist in the process of healing during and after abortion. One TCM formula, Song Tu Fang, when taken 48 hours prior to abortion, has been shown in one study to decrease both the volume and duration of post abortion blood loss, decrease pelvic pain, and decrease the incidence of post abortion abnormal leucorrhea.[71]
How does a woman care for herself after an abortion?
1. Seek medical attention if fever, unusual discharge, or excessive bleeding occurs or if signs of pregnancy do not diminish.
2. Confirm the abortion was complete. Visit a clinic 10 - 15 days after the abortion for confirmation the abortion was completed. A pregnancy test taken three weeks after the abortion will usually show reduced hCG levels.
3. Seek counseling and support when needed (see Resources).
4. Self-induced abortion, whether with herbs or medical abortion pharmaceutical medicines, can be damaging the liver and kidneys. Supplements can help heal and repair the liver and kidneys: lots of pure water, natural juices (cranberry, apple, and beet), and antioxidant supplements Vitamin C and E. Herbal supplements used to help heal the liver and kidneys are: schizandra Schisandra chinensis, nettle seed Urtica dioica, milk thistle Silybum marianum, dandlelion Taraxacum officinale, artichoke Cynara scolymus, salvia Salvia officinalis, and spirulina Arthrospira platensis or Arthrospira maxima. Seek the advice of a trained herbalist. (For additional supplements, see Post-Abortion Care).
5. Use contraception. A woman should research all options and utilize a birth control method to prevent unwanted pregnancy (see Appendix J).
What signs would indicate something is wrong?
A temperature over 101˚F (38˚C) may indicate an infection which requires antibiotics. Excessive bleeding, defined as soaking through three or more pads in three hours or less, would indicate hemorrhage. A racing heartbeat or a drop in blood pressure may indicate a systemic infection. Great abdominal pain may indicate an ectopic pregnancy. If any of the above present, immediate emergency medical care must be obtained.
Where can a woman go if something is wrong?
A woman can seek emergency services at a local hospital and say she is having a miscarriage and receive emergency treatment. The symptoms and treatment for miscarriage and self-induced abortion are the same (see Post-Abortion Care).
What are the potential negative health effects of self-induced abortion?
All abortions, including clinical abortions, carry risks to the health of the woman. The risks of self-induced abortion are greater than clinical abortion as training and experience may be lacking. The range of possible negative side effects to self-induced abortifacients varies widely, as there are many abortifacient substances. It is likely there may be unidentified negative side effects, as well. The most serious potential side effects follow:
• Incomplete abortion - Incomplete abortion requires a manual vacuum aspiration procedure (MVA).
• Hemorrhage – Very heavy bleeding soaking through three thick pads in three hours or less requires immediate medical attention. An MVA, medication, surgery, or a blood transfusion may be necessary.
• Teratogenicity - If a woman uses self-abortive means, fails to miscarry, and continues her pregnancy to term, the resulting child may have a wide range of mental and/or physical deformities. Nearly all abortive methods are suspected teratogens. Teratogens are agents which cause the development of abnormal structures in an embryo resulting in a severely deformed fetus. The first 8 weeks of fetal growth is characterized by rapid cell division and is the most crucial period in the development of an individual. All of the embryo’s bodily organs and systems are forming and are highly vulnerable to teratogenic agents (medicines, estrogenic substances, viruses, radiation, or infection) during the first eight weeks (LMP) of pregnancy. Estrogenic substances (all estrogenic herbs) are teratogens, and can cause vaginal cancer in female babies in later years. Male embryos exposed to estrogenic substances in the womb and as babies have developed lower sperm count as adults. Progestogens in pregnancy can cause masculinization of females and advanced bone age in later years. Many purgatives and diuretics are also known teratogens. Herbal teratogens can cause low implantation of the placenta, possibly causing complications that can be dangerous to the mother and baby in labor if the pregnancy is brought to term. Fetuses are less vulnerable to teratogens after eight weeks LMP, but these noxious agents may arrest normal functional growth of vital organs, especially the brain, later during a pregnancy, as well.
• Toxicity or Allergy - There is a risk of toxicity or allergic reaction related to self-induced abortifacient substances. The kidney and the liver can be negatively affected by substances ingested in attempt to induce abortion. Toxicity to the kidneys and liver can lead to organ damage or failure. Organ failure can lead to death.
• Infection - Infection is a risk of all abortion methods. The cervical os is more open during abortion, and bacteria can travel from the vagina to the uterus more easily. There is a 5% infection rate in clinical abortion. Self-induced abortion methods involving inner uterine techniques have a greater risk of infection. The risk of infection is relative to the amount of training and experience the practitioner has. If infection occurs and antibiotics are not secured, sepsis (total body infection) may follow. Sepsis can be life threatening.
• Reproductive System Damage - Although rare, damage to the reproductive organs can result from perforation of the reproductive organs or infection which leads to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
• Undetected ectopic pregnancy – This is rare, and can be fatal if left untreated.
• Death – It is extremely rare, but death is possible from very serious complications. Death occurs in one out of 100,000 clinical abortions. Childbirth is riskier than abortion in the first 20 weeks LMP.
What are the characteristics of a normal abortion?
Wherever the placenta separates from the endometrium, bleeding occurs. The first sign of an abortion is vaginal bleeding, similar or somewhat heavier than an average menstrual period. Clotting and cramping may be similar or somewhat heavier than a woman’s normal period. During the first four weeks (LMP) of pregnancy, most women who abort do not notice the little fertilized ovum (egg) encased in its tiny chorionic villi shell amidst the menstrual fluids. By the eighth week LMP, the embryo and sac grow larger and may be noticeable to the naked eye. The placenta passes towards the end of bleeding. Prior to the seventh week, the placenta has not grown large enough to be seen.
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Li Feng-cai