Abortion
Day 4 after abortion: when do pregnancy symptoms go away?
Day 4 · Recovery after abortion
By day four you may have noticed that your nausea is easing; your breasts, however, may still be tender. Pregnancy symptoms do not withdraw at the same time or at the same speed; each has its own timeline, and today you are in the middle of these timelines.
While some symptoms continue, the doubt 'was the procedure incomplete?' may arise. Below you will find when each symptom is expected to pass and at what point you should call the clinic.
Short answer
When do nausea and pregnancy symptoms go away after an abortion?
According to the SoftCare Clinic doctor, how long nausea lasts after an abortion depends on the week the pregnancy ended; if it lasts longer than 1–2 weeks, call the clinic. Breast tenderness passes within 4–5 days at most; if it lasts longer than 2 weeks, call the clinic. The later the week in which the pregnancy ended, the more likely it is that milk comes from the breasts.
How long does each symptom last?
Pregnancy symptoms do not disappear all at once; they fade over days.
A band fading from dark to light; it shows pregnancy symptoms decreasing and disappearing over days.When does nausea go away after an abortion?
Our clinic's doctor does not give a single number of days for nausea: the duration varies with the week in which the pregnancy ended.
If your nausea continues, compare yesterday with today; it easing matters more than it having stopped completely. If nausea goes on for more than 1–2 weeks, call the clinic.
How many days does breast tenderness last?
According to the time given by our doctor, breast tenderness passes within 4–5 days at most. Your breasts still being tender today is within this period; it is expected to settle over the next day or two. If the tenderness lasts more than two weeks, call the clinic.
The process behind it is this: the pregnancy hormone (hCG) does not drop all at once after the procedure, but over time.
Can milk come from the breasts after an abortion?
It can. The later the week in which the pregnancy ended, the more likely it is that milk comes from the breasts.
If you notice milk, call the clinic and tell them. The doctor decides both whether a medicine to stop the milk is needed and what its dose should be.
What does it mean if I still feel pregnant?
Some symptoms continuing on day four does not, on its own, mean that the pregnancy is continuing. That the procedure was complete was checked by the doctor during the procedure, with ultrasound and by hand.
A home test done in these days does not help either: because the pregnancy hormone does not drop straight away, the test is misleading during the first 15 days. Resolve your doubt by calling the clinic rather than by testing.
Do today
- Follow from day to day whether your symptoms are decreasing.
- Note the day your nausea ends.
- Let the clinic know if milk comes from your breasts.
- When in doubt, call the clinic rather than taking a test.
Don't do today
- Do not make decisions based on the result of a home test done this week.
- Do not think the procedure failed because your breasts are still tender.
- Do not take medicine for nausea without asking your doctor.
- Do not use a milk-suppressing medicine on your own.
Special note
If milk is coming from your breasts
Only your doctor gives the medicine to stop the milk; the doctor alone decides, without exception, whether it is needed and at what dose. Never use a milk-suppressing medicine you obtained from a pharmacy or a relative on your own; this is very dangerous. Call the clinic first.
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 nausea is increasing rather than decreasing on day four, let the clinic know.
- If milk is coming from your breasts, consult your doctor before looking for medicine.
- 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
How many days do pregnancy symptoms take to go away after an abortion?
According to the SoftCare Clinic doctor, breast tenderness after an abortion passes within 4–5 days at most; how long nausea lasts depends on the week in which the pregnancy ended. The symptoms disappear one after another, not all at once. If nausea lasts longer than 1–2 weeks, or breast tenderness longer than 2 weeks, call the clinic.
Why is the pregnancy test positive after an abortion?
The pregnancy hormone (beta hCG) does not drop straight away after an abortion. Depending on the week of the ended pregnancy, a home test can be positive for about 15–20 days and can stay positive for up to 4–6 weeks; during the first 15 days the test is misleading. That is why a positive result on day four does not show that the pregnancy is continuing.
Is it normal for milk to come from the breasts after an abortion?
It can happen; the later the week in which the pregnancy ended, the more likely milk is. Only the doctor gives the medicine to stop the milk; the dose and whether it is needed are the doctor's decision. SoftCare Clinic asks patients not to take milk-suppressing medicine on their own; when milk comes, call the clinic first.
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: