Expert: Pat G - 12/21/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi i had an medical abortion 6 days ago. I was 53 days . I had heavy bleeding on first 3 days but now its less but i still have pain in my lower stomach n legs esp when i am at office. is there something wrong. My doctor appointment is after 1 week. plz advice

ANSWER: Hello, priti,

The medications you took are very dangerous. I will make some recommendations about them. At 53 days, it is unlikely a pill abortion will even work. You are too far along. It even fails prior to 49 days, quite often, but 49 days is about the latest that anyone recommends a pill abortion, at least in my country.

The thing that is wrong is those powerful medications. The pain is probably because your uterus is contracting. It can be so severe it can rupture your uterus, so it's not something to mess around with. There is also the possibility of infection, so you should be checked. If you are going to go see a doctor who gave you those pills, please find someone else. He cannot be trusted, because he gave you medications that are forbidden for pregnant women.

If you took any pills vaginally, and you start to feel sick (other than contractions or bleeding), even though you don't have a fever, have someone take you immediately to the emergency room. Your life is at stake. Ask them to test for Clostridium sordellii. They have only hours to save your life.

If you start to bleed heavily (which is still very much a possibility), your life is also at risk. You could bleed to death. Make it a habit now to eat some spicy food daily that has red hot pepper in it. If you do start to bleed heavily, seek immediate medical care.

If you are still pregnant, leave it alone. Ask the doctor if he needs to give you anything to prevent birth defects. You may have low progesterone, but he can supplement. If he says that your abortion is incomplete, he may want to operate. But otherwise, don't agree to any further intervention. Abortion is very dangerous no matter how it is done, and it can kill you or render you seriously disabled. It can harm your future children and cause severe birth defects. Don't mess with it, and don't hurt yourself. It's not worth it. If you are facing problems, there is help available. You don't have to resort to abortion, and you deserve better. So please let me know, and let me know what part of India you live in, because there are organizations in some parts of India and not others. They can provide counseling, financial and medical help, clothing, furniture, and supplies for a baby, and adoption help.

You will also need to be vigilant for the rest of your life in case you get breast cancer. Abortion greatly increases the risk. I don't recommend mammograms. See if you can find someone who will give you regular thermograms. There is information on the internet that Vitamin D3 and resveratrol can help protect women against breast cancer. It is possible to overdose on Vitamin D3, so get some good information. If you do carry this pregnancy to term and give birth, and especially if you breastfeed, your risk has been decreased.

Please take care, and let me know how you do.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I went to doctor today and had an ultrasound the abortion is incomplete. now i am given misoprostol for 3 days if still doesn't work they said they will operate. my next appointment is in a week. should i go for surgical now or continue with the medicine

Answer
Hello, priti,

Misoprostol is dangerous. It is not supposed to be given to a pregnant woman. It can kill you. I don't know why they gave you this yet again. It's entirely possible that your baby hasn't even been harmed because of how far along you are. It's also possible that the baby HAS been harmed. You need to find a decent doctor. Going back to someone who will give you more Misoprostol means you can't trust their medical judgment. You need to find a decent doctor, someone who is ethical. Anybody who would give you those powerful medications cannot be trusted. Yes, it's possible further intervention is needed. But get the opinion of another doctor.

I was once told that my baby had died. The "doctor" who said that was totally mistaken, my baby was still very much alive, and I learned later that this man doesn't have any problem whatsoever doing very harmful things to a woman. That's partly why I say, find someone else!

I don't know what part of India you live in, and I should have asked. There are organizations which will recommend a doctor you can trust. They are all in southern India, in or near the major cities. If you live in northern India, the best way to find a good doctor is to talk to someone in your closest Catholic church. You can also contact the Catholic Hospital Association, and they can probably help as well. But in southern India, you can try any of the following:

Nat'l Assoc for Respect for Life     2B Deauville, 19/2 Church St     Bangalore          560 001     INDIA    
St Michael's Home    Indiranagar    Bangalore         560 035    INDIA    542811
Care & Share Ministry    PO Box 52, Padi    Chennai         600 050    INDIA    91-44-5507283
The Blue Valley Trust    4/2 Main Road, Ammapatti    Coimbatore District, Tamilnadu         642 205    INDIA    0091-4252-249400          
Catholic Hospital Association    Ashok Pl    New Delhi         110 001    INDIA
Christo Development Trust    93/95 Rudrappanagar    Udumalpet         642 126    INDIA    91-4252-231012

Please do this immediately. Your life is at stake. You NEED to find someone you can trust, not someone who gives you deadly medicine.

Please keep in touch. Let me know how you do. I will pray for you.