Surgical abortion recovery and aftercare
What to expect after your surgical abortion
If you have had a surgical abortion with us, you will find all the information you need for your aftercare and recovery on this page.
This includes information on treatment, travelling home after your abortion, side effects, and recovery after your abortion. Recovery time after an abortion will be different for everyone, but you’ll usually feel better within a few days.
Surgical abortion treatment and aftercare booklet
It’s important to read our surgical abortion aftercare booklet, which provides all the information you need to know about surgical abortion treatment and aftercare.
Surgical abortion treatment page
This surgical abortion recovery and aftercare page provides information on surgical abortion aftercare. Learn more about surgical abortion treatment at our dedicated surgical abortion page.
Advice for travelling home after a surgical abortion
After your treatment, you’ll spend some time in our recovery lounge having some light refreshments until you’re ready to go home.
We recommend you go straight home and rest after your surgical abortion, and that someone takes you home and stays with you for 24 hours after the procedure.
Please be aware of further advice below.
What are the side effects of a surgical abortion?
Medical and surgical abortion carries some side effects, but these are usually short-lived. Any side effects you experience will depend on your procedure and the anaesthetic used.
Click on the tabs below to read more about what to expect with pain and bleeding after your surgical abortion.
Recovery after your surgical abortion
It is important that you take all the time you need to look after yourself. We are here to support you. Click on the tabs below to see our recommendations to help your recovery after a surgical abortion.
Our aftercare line
It is important you take all the time you need to look after yourself after your abortion, and we are here to help. We have a 24-hour dedicated aftercare line, where you can talk to one of our nurses about your aftercare and recovery.
Understanding complications after an abortion
Serious complications have warning signs. Please call us straight away on 0345 122 1441 if you experience:
- Very heavy bleeding that soaks through more than 2 sanitary pads (suitable for a heavy flow) an hour.
- Abdominal pain or discomfort that is not helped by pain relief medication, or by a heat pad.
- Vaginal discharge that smells unpleasant.
- Feeling hot and shivery with a high temperature that is 38°C or above.
- Generally feeling unwell.
Sepsis can be caused by an infection in any part of the body. Sepsis after an abortion is rare, but very serious and you should be aware of the symptoms. Symptoms of sepsis can be like having the flu at first. If you develop any of the signs below it is important to seek urgent medical advice:
- Feeling dizzy or faint
- Confusion
- Slurred speech
- Extreme shivering
- Severe muscle pain
- Being unable to urinate
- Severe breathlessness
- Loss of consciousness
- Cold, clammy and pale or blotchy skin
Support after your surgical abortion
We are here to support you after your abortion. Find here more information about support available – including our counselling services, contraception services, and abortion stories from our clients.
Abortion counselling
As part of abortion care, counselling services are available any time you need to talk.
Post-abortion contraception
Learn more about contraception as part of your abortion care.
Abortion stories
Read surgical and medical abortion stories from our clients.
Looking for more information about surgical abortion?
You’ll find answers to commonly asked questions about surgical abortion here. If you can’t find the information you need, please call us on 0345 300 8090.