Abortion
Day 1 after abortion: how many days do cramps and pain last?
Day 1 · Recovery after abortion
You have left the first night behind. If you feel a tightness in your abdomen this morning, that is exactly what this page is about: where the cramp comes from and how long it will last.
Knowing that pain has a timetable makes it easier to bear. The short answer: it is measured in days, not weeks. Below you will find the times given by our clinic's doctor and what you need to know about painkillers.
Short answer
How many days do pain and cramps last after an abortion?
Mild cramps and pain after an abortion start on the procedure day; they can last for the first 2–3 days, and 4–5 days in some women. The cramps come from the uterus contracting and shrinking. The painkillers (analgesics) given by the SoftCare Clinic doctor are effective for this pain. Not tiring yourself out during the first 2–3 days is recommended; with severe pain that does not ease with painkillers, call the clinic straight away.
How the uterus recovers
After the procedure the uterus contracts and shrinks; the cramp is the feeling of this contraction.
Schematic drawing of the uterus contracting and shrinking; arrows from the outer line to the inner line show it returning to its previous size.How many days does pain last after an abortion?
According to our clinic's doctor, the mild cramps and pain that start on the procedure day continue for the first 2–3 days. In some women this can reach 4–5 days.
So having pain today is expected; it still being there tomorrow or the day after is also within this range.
The duration varies from woman to woman; for some it is over in two days, for others it stretches to the fifth day.
Why do cramps happen?
Cramping is the uterus at work. After the procedure the uterus contracts, shrinks and returns to its previous size. The tightness you feel is these contractions themselves.
That is why cramping is a sign not that something has gone wrong, but that the uterus is recovering.
Do painkillers help?
They do. The painkillers (analgesics) your doctor gives you are effective for these cramps. Your doctor decides which medicine to use and at what dose according to your situation; stick to the interval and amount you were told.
Ask the clinic before switching to a painkiller other than the one your doctor gave you, or combining your medicine with another one.
A mild cramp that settles with medicine and pain that increases despite medicine are not the same thing; with severe pain that does not ease with painkillers, call the clinic without waiting.
Should I rest today, can I go back to work?
Our clinic recommends not tiring yourself out and not wearing down your immune system during the first 2–3 days. Leave heavy work and long, tiring days until after this period.
For this procedure, the sick leave recognised by the regulations is 1 day; it is issued to patients who need it.
Do today
- Use your painkiller as written on the prescription.
- Do not tire yourself out for the first 2–3 days.
- Note when the pain increases and whether it settles with medicine.
- Take a shower if you want to.
Don't do today
- Do not increase the dose of your medicine on your own.
- Do not use a painkiller prescribed for someone else.
- Do not get into a bath to ease the cramps; baths are restricted for 15 days.
Special note
When taking painkillers
We do not give medicine names or doses on this page; the doctor who examined you decides both. Follow what is written on your prescription or on the sheet you were given, and call the clinic to ask whenever you are unsure.
Special note
If the anti-D injection is needed, it is given today
If your blood group is Rh negative and your doctor considered the anti-D (Rh) injection necessary, it is given on the day after the procedure, that is, today. The doctor decides whether it is needed by looking at the week the pregnancy ended; if you have not been told anything, you can ask the clinic.
When should you call?
Call 112 first (if you are abroad, that country's emergency number)
- Fainting: If you faint, call 112 first; if you are abroad, call the emergency number of the country you are in.
Call the clinic straight away
- Heavy bleeding: Soaking 2–3 pads within one hour. A total of 2–3 pads over the whole day is normal.
- Fever: A temperature of 38 °C or higher, or fever together with weakness.
- Severe pain: Severe abdominal or back pain that does not ease with painkillers.
- Foul-smelling discharge: Unusual, foul-smelling vaginal discharge.
- Large clot: Passing a clot the size of a golf ball.
Call the clinic
- If your pain is getting worse rather than easing despite your medicine, call the clinic straight away.
- If you are thinking of taking another medicine you have at home, check with the clinic first.
- Dizziness or shivering: Dizziness, chills and shivering that do not pass.
- Hard abdomen: The abdomen becoming hard, or clear tenderness when touched.
- Burning on urination: Burning or stinging when passing urine.
SoftCare Clinic patients can reach the doctor's assistant or a nurse 24 hours a day; when needed, they contact the doctor. Call whenever you are unsure; what your own doctor tells you always comes first.
Frequently asked questions
Is lower abdominal pain normal after an abortion?
Yes, mild cramps and pain are expected after an abortion. According to the SoftCare Clinic doctor, this pain starts on the procedure day and can continue for 2–3 days, 4–5 days in some women. It is caused by the uterus contracting and shrinking. With severe pain that does not pass despite painkillers, call the clinic straight away.
Which painkiller is used after an abortion?
The doctor who sees the patient decides which painkiller to use after an abortion and at what dose, according to her situation; that is why no medicine name is given here. At SoftCare Clinic the painkillers (analgesics) given by the doctor are effective for the cramps. Ask the clinic before using another medicine you have at home.
What should I do if the cramps continue on day 5 after an abortion?
Mild cramps can last 4–5 days in some women; mild pain on day 5 is within this range. If your pain is increasing rather than decreasing, or is severe despite painkillers, call SoftCare Clinic straight away; for the clinic's own patients a nurse or the doctor's assistant can be reached day and night.
Sources
SoftCare Clinic for your questions
Our patients can reach a nurse and the doctor's assistant 24 hours a day.
This page is for general information; it does not replace an examination or your doctor's advice. Every woman recovers differently. The times and rules your doctor gives you always take priority over those on this page.
Medically reviewed by Op. Dr. Şükrü Sanus, Obstetrician & Gynecologist · Last medical review: