Frequently asked questions about abortion and termination of pregnancy

What information do your the doctors need?

The following questions will be asked during an informative interview:

• When was your last menstrual period?
• Have you already had surgery, have you already had gynecological surgery – and if so, were there any complications?
• Have you already had children, normal births or caesarean sections?
• Do you have any internal diseases, blood clotting disorders and/ or are you taking any medications?
• Are there any gynecological complaints, e.g.: frequent infections?

How can I use contraception safely after an abortion?

The medical team at Woman & Health will be happy to advise you on the most suitable and safe contraception for you.

• If you want to use a hormonal contraceptive such as birth control pills, the day of your abortion is the first day you take it. Various different birth control pills are available at our clinic; we will also be happy to give you a prescription. Caution: If you are a smoker, the risk of thrombosis can increase dramatically when taking birth control pills containing estrogen. In this case we recommend a progestogen-only pill.
• If you want to use IUDs, hormonal IUDs or copper chains for a longer period of time, the ideal time to use them is immediately after the abortion while you are still under anesthesia. This way, the existing anesthesia can be used to position the contraceptive in your uterus completely painlessly. It is a particularly safe and uncomplicated method to immediately achieve perfect contraceptive protection.

How significant is the „rhesus factor”? When do I need a rhesus injection?

The blood group characteristics of humans also include the so-called „Rh factor”. About 85% of people have a positive Rh factor, only 15% have a negative one. People with the blood group characteristic rhesus negative would form antibodies against rhesus-positive blood cells due to the body's own immune defence system if they came into contact with them.

This initial contact, which in principle is asymptomatic, could occur during birth or abortion. Only in the case of a second contact, e.g. in a subsequent pregnancy, would there be a massive formation of antibodies with a defense reaction.

This would lead to severe complications during this pregnancy. A simple injection after birth or during an abortion can completely prevent this antibody formation and avoid any risk of antibody formation. This means: If you do have the blood group Rhesus negative (blood group certificate or quick test during the operation) you will receive the Rhesus prophylaxis injection from us.

Can I still have children after the procedure?

Of course. A new pregnancy is already possible in your next cycle. The risk of long-term complications is extremely low. However, as with any operation, it is always advisable to be supervised by experienced doctors.

How many abortions does Woman & Health perform each month?

We perform about 80-100 medical and surgical abortions at our clinic each month. Our patients tend to opt for a surgical abortion.

What do I need to consider before having an abortion?

Often women know quickly and clearly what their decision will be after discovering they are pregnant. Sometimes the situation is anything but easy and needs time and helpful discussions. Often a non-judgemental counselling session at Woman & Health can help.

We also offer counselling sessions only. These do not require a decision to be made. An ultrasound may be performed to determine the week of pregnancy. This counselling session is usually very helpful because patients are often confused by the information that can be found on the internet.

What are the most common reasons for abortion?

The reasons for abortions are very diverse: the relationship with the partner could be unresolved, women could just having given birth to a child, there can be medical reasons or infidelity, education could still be ongoing, there could be a financially unsecured future, some women fear becoming a single mother or being dependent on their parents... and many more.

How long should I wait after an abortion before having sexual intercourse, using tampons, swimming or doing sports?

In the first week after an abortion, we recommend refraining from sexual intercourse, swimming and bathing. Tampons should also not be used, instead you should use pads. Showering, work and sports are allowed again the day after the abortion. For most women, an abortion is no more stressful than a normal menstrual period.

How long will pregnancy symptoms such as nausea or breast tenderness last?

Because the pregnancy hormone present in the blood takes some time to drop again, these symptoms can last for a few weeks – depending on the week of pregnancy. However, they will definitely disappear again completely.

Do I have to take leave/sick leave for an abortion?

Usually you recover very quickly after the surgical procedure. In this case we recommend taking a day off on the day of the abortion.

In the case of abortion with medication, bleeding may occur in the first few hours after taking the prostaglandin (the 2nd tablet after two days). We recommend you to stay at home on this day and wait for the abortion bleeding.

What complications are possible with a surgical abortion?

In principle, surgical abortion is a very low-complication and low-risk operation. Nevertheless, you should know about the typical, albeit very rare, complications:

• In principle, the wall of the uterus can be penetrated during suction curettage. Since the uterine wall consists of dense muscles, such perforations close up again immediately. If that should happen, we would give you antibiotics and you would be staying in the recovery room a little longer than usual, so that any post-operative bleeding can be detected quickly.
• During the operation itself, there may be more severe bleeding. This can usually be controlled quickly with drugs to stimulate the contraction of the uterine muscles and other drugs to improve the body's own blood clotting.
• Complaints such as cramps, post-operative bleeding or infections may occur later – even days after the procedure.
• After the procedure, there is usually a period of post-operative bleeding that can last from a few days up to 2 weeks. It is also normal for bleeding to become heavier again after a period of no bleeding. The bleeding usually disappears completely within the above-mentioned period. In case of really heavy bleeding, we are always available by email at office@womanandhealth.com (we check our emails regularly!) and can arrange an acute check-up appointment.
• If pain, cramps or fever occur, we are also available 24 hours a day via the emergency email office@womanandhealth.com. After an abortion, there is a wound area in the uterus as well as a small amount of blood. This can be an ideal breeding ground for bacteria rising from the vagina. Most of the time, however, the body's immune system keeps these germs in check, so we are rarely confronted with infections. However, should you notice the above-mentioned symptoms, antibiotic therapy will help.

What complications are possible with a medical abortion?

Medicinal abortion has been a successful and safe method of terminating a pregnancy for many years. Typical, albeit very rare, complications are:

• The occurrence of too little bleeding or the complete absence of bleeding: In these cases, the repeated administration of Cyprostol (the tablets administered after 48 hours) can often trigger the abortion after all. If not, a surgical abortion can be performed. This does not incur any further costs for the patient.
• The occurrence of extremely heavy bleeding: If the bleeding appears to be threatening or if your circulation threatens to collapse due to the intensity of the bleeding, it is imperative to contact our emergency hotline or to go to a hospital, if necessary by ambulance. This is a very rare case, but nevertheless we think it is important to inform you about it.

What are the differences of the medical abortion compared to the surgical method?

The clear advantage of the medication method is that no surgical procedure with anesthesia is necessary – even though of course it is usually harmless. Medical abortion is ideal for very early pregnancies. This method is allowed up to the 9th week (63rd day after menstruation).

It is a very safe and reliable method, with a success rate of about 97-98%. The disadvantage is that the medical abortion lasts two days and can be witnessed, which can be unpleasant for some women.

How much experience is there with medical abortion?

The abortion drug has been used in France since 1988 in combination with a prostaglandin. It is now approved in almost all Western European countries and has also been added to the list of essential drugs by the World Health Organization (WHO). To date, more than two million women in Europe have been treated with the abortion drug, to mostly great satisfaction.

Which of the two methods do you perform most often?

Surgical abortion is chosen more often by our patients. This is because the situation is over faster with this method than with a medical abortion. After the mini-surgery, the patient usually has a menstrual period that only lasts a few days.

Which is the better method for abortion?

There is no better method. It is always an individual decision, which is discussed together with the patient. After an examination, we advise the patient which method would be more suitable for her. The decision depends mainly on the state of the pregnancy. Both methods, medical and surgical, are very effective and have hardly any side effects.

What are the advantages of both methods?

The great advantage of the medication method is that the abortion can be performed very early and no surgical intervention is necessary. The big advantage of the surgical abortion is that it is very quick, the patient does not notice anything and does not feel any pain during the abortion.

Contact

If you have questions about termination of pregnancy and abortion, you can send them directly to our specialists using the form below. If you would like to make an appointment, you can reach us by phone at +43 1 5333 654 52, and in emergencies around the clock by email at office@womanandhealth.com.We check our e-mails regularly!

24h-emergency & weekend hotline

You can reach us around the clock by phone, SMS, WhatsApp and signal at 0676 661 0 992. If you do not reach us immediately, we will call or write back as soon as possible and guarantee a quick & uncomplicated appointment.