Abortion
Day 22 after abortion: medicines and the menstrual cycle
Day 22 · Recovery after abortion
On day twenty-two many women look at the calendar and wonder when the first period will come. In this wait there is a factor that can be overlooked: your medicine cabinet, that is, the medicines you have taken in these weeks.
Medicines you have taken since the procedure, or have been using for a long time, can interfere with the cycle re-establishing itself. Today's topic is which medicines your doctor needs to know about.
Short answer
Can the medicines I take after an abortion delay my period?
The morning-after pill or medicines that affect hormones taken after an abortion can change the menstrual cycle. SoftCare Clinic's doctor never recommends the morning-after pill until the first period after an abortion; for the contraceptive pill, too, you wait for the first period. A preventive antibiotic is given to every patient; ask the clinic before taking any medicine other than the ones the doctor gave you.
Hormones and the first period
The timing of the first period can shift with hormone-acting medicines taken in this period.
Hormone curves on a line from the procedure day to the first period; the first period at the end of the line is highlighted.Do medicines affect the first period after an abortion?
They can. According to our clinic's doctor, the morning-after pill or medicines that affect hormones taken in this period can change the cycle; when the first period comes is also part of this cycle.
When a medicine that touches the cycle comes in between, it becomes harder to interpret the reason for a delay; that is why it helps for your doctor to know your list of medicines. Your doctor decides which medicine falls into this category; what is expected of you is not to make the distinction, but to mention everything you use, without leaving anything out.
Which medicines does the clinic give after an abortion?
At our clinic, every patient is given an antibiotic as a precaution. The painkiller is decided according to the patient's situation; if the doctor considers it necessary, other medicines are added. For how many days and at what dose the medicines are used is entirely the doctor's decision; this page does not give medicine names or doses.
Ask the clinic before taking any medicine other than the ones you were given. This also applies to painkillers you have at home.
Which medicines should I tell the doctor about?
- Medicines you take on prescription.
- Those you bought from the pharmacy without a prescription.
- Herbal products and supplements.
- Any medicine you started or stopped on your own after the procedure.
Why do the morning-after pill and the contraceptive pill wait for the first period?
Our clinic's doctor never recommends the morning-after pill after an abortion until the first period has been seen; this is the medicine the doctor names among those that can change the cycle. To start the contraceptive pill, too, you wait for the first period. Until then, contraception is provided by a condom used every time.
If you have taken the morning-after pill in the last few weeks, there is no need to hide it. Telling your doctor helps them assess the timing of your period.
Do today
- Write down the names of the medicines and supplements you use on your phone or on paper.
- Keep this list with you when you call the clinic.
- Consult the clinic before starting a new medicine.
- Use a condom every time until your first period comes.
Don't do today
- Do not start the morning-after pill or the contraceptive pill before you have had your first period.
- Do not use medicines or herbal mixtures on your own to bring on your period.
- Do not stop a medicine you take regularly without consulting your doctor.
Special note
If you take a medicine regularly
If you take a medicine regularly for an ongoing condition, do not stop it or change the amount on your own. Tell your doctor the name of the medicine; your doctor will tell you personally whether it affects your cycle and what to do.
Special note
If you drink alcohol or smoke
There is no day that applies to everyone for alcohol and smoking; your doctor will advise on this according to the antibiotic and painkiller they gave you. If you do not remember what you were told, you can call the clinic and ask again.
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 you have taken the morning-after pill or a medicine containing hormones in this period, let the clinic know.
- If your bleeding pattern changed after starting a new medicine, let the clinic know.
- 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
Does the morning-after pill delay the period after an abortion?
The morning-after pill is among the medicines that can change the cycle after an abortion; SoftCare Clinic's doctor never recommends this pill until the first period. If you have taken the pill, rather than trying to work out on your own when your period will come, explain the situation to your doctor; they will make the assessment.
Do the medicines given after an abortion affect the period?
At SoftCare Clinic, every patient is given a preventive antibiotic after an abortion; the painkiller and, if needed, other medicines are decided according to the patient's situation. Your doctor will tell you which medicine affects hormones and the menstrual cycle. Use what you were given on the days and at the doses you were told; ask the clinic before taking any other medicine.
When do you start the contraceptive pill after an abortion?
Under SoftCare Clinic's rule, the contraceptive pill is started after the first period following the abortion has been seen. Until then, a condom is used every time after the first week. The morning-after pill is not recommended in this period; it can change the cycle. After your first period, you decide together with your doctor which regular method suits you.
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: