After an abortion, it is important to take care of yourself to ensure a smooth recovery. Here are some general guidelines to follow:

• Rest and Recovery: Resting is important to manage the normal side effects of an abortion. Most people prefer to take it easy for a day or two after an abortion until they are able to return to normal activity levels. Avoid strenuous exercise or any movements that trigger pain for the first few days. Despite how well you may feel, do not exercise strenuously for the first week.

• Pain Management: To relieve cramps, take ibuprofen (up to 800 mg every six hours) or Tylenol (up to 1,000 mg every four hours). Paracetamol and ibuprofen can be used together if the recommended dose of either medicine alone does not control your pain. Take Methergine/Ergotamine to help shrink the uterus to its normal size. Take one tablet every 8 hours. Take Methergine/Ergotamine until gone.

• Bleeding: Often there is no bleeding for the first few days immediately following the abortion, then hormonal changes may cause bleeding as heavy as a period around the third or fifth day and increased cramping. If heavy bleeding (soaking a full-sized maxi-pad in one hour) occurs, then begin deep uterine massaging for 10 minutes, take Ibuprofen, use a heating pad, and decrease activity. If heavy bleeding continues for more than three hours, call your healthcare provider.

• Infection Prevention: There’s a small risk of infection after both a surgical and medical abortion. Your doctor might give you antibiotics to reduce this risk if you had a procedure. To lessen your chances of infection, it’s safest to avoid baths, swimming, douching, and sex while you recover. Your doctor can tell you when it’s OK to resume these activities.

• Birth Control: Immediately after your abortion, your body will begin to prepare for your next menstrual cycle. It is important to know that you can become pregnant at any time before your next period if you have unprotected intercourse. Please take this opportunity to discuss birth control with your partner. Your partner shares in the responsibility to avoid an unwanted pregnancy. Your menstrual period will likely begin 4 to 6 weeks post-abortion. But you can get pregnant before your period returns. You can start many birth control methods right after an abortion or even the same day as the procedure. They include: Intrauterine device (IUD), Implant, Pills, Patch, Shot, Vaginal ring. You can get an IUD or implant immediately after a surgical abortion. If you had a medical abortion, you can get an implant when you take your first pill. You can get an IUD when the abortion is completed[[1]](https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-michigan/healthcare/abortion-services/ca...