Pregnancy: General Pregnancy And Pregnancy Prevention Questions/Concerns / Question
Published: February 18, 2009
Dear TeenHealthFX,
Is it possible to become pregnant after an abortion from sperm that was already inside the body 8 days before the abortion?
Signed: Is It Possible To Become Pregnant After An Abortion?
Dear Is It Possible To Become Pregnant After An Abortion?,
It would be very unlikely for you to become pregnant after an abortion from sperm that was in the body 8 days before the abortion. Most sperm usually dies in the vagina within less than an hour, and those that survive longer do not last much more than five days in the uterus.
However, pregnancy can occur in the weeks right after an abortion if someone is sexually active following their abortion. If there is sexual intercourse or any other type of contact where semen comes in contact with the vagina following an abortion – a woman get can pregnant again. That said, whenever a person become sexually active again following an abortion, it is important to use some kind of reliable birth control method, such as the pill or patch –and to use a back-up method for the first cycle of pills such as condoms, spermicides, or abstinence.
Other things to know about post-abortion care and potential problems:
1) It will probably take you 1-3 weeks to heal and feel better after an abortion, and it is best not to have sex during this time. To help prevent infection, once you do start having sex again use condoms for several weeks (or as long as your doctor recommends)
2) Normal symptoms following an abortion can include: irregular bleeding or spotting for as long as three weeks, cramping for the first two weeks, menstrual-like cramping for up to 6 weeks, and various emotional reactions for 2-3 weeks.
3) A health care professional should be called immediately if you have any of these symptoms following an abortion:
- Severe bleeding, which can include passing clots that are bigger than a golf ball or that lasts more than 2 hours, soaking more than 2 large sanitary pads in an hour for 2 hours in a row, or bleeding heavily for 12 hours in a row.
- Signs of infection, such as headaches, muscle aches, dizziness, or a general feeling of illness.
- Severe pain in the abdomen that is not relieved by pain medication, rest or heat.
- Hot flashes or fever of 100.4 or higher that lasts longer than 4 hours.
- Vomiting that persists for more than 4-6 hours.
- Sudden abnormal swelling or rapid heart rate.
- Vaginal discharge that has increased in amount or smells bad.
- Pain, swelling, or redness in the genital area.
4) Call your health professional for an appointment if you have any of these symptoms after a recent abortion:
- Bleeding (not spotting) for longer than 2 weeks.
- New, unexplained symptoms that may be caused by medicines used in your treatment.
- No menstrual period within 6 weeks after the procedure.
- Any signs and symptoms of depression. Hormonal changes after a pregnancy can cause postpartum depression that requires treatment.
If you believe you may be pregnant, or are experiencing any of the symptoms above, please call a medical provider as soon as possible. If you don't have a doctor and live in northern
Signed: TeenHealthFX
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