If you are considering the abortion pill or have already taken the drugs, you may be asking how much bleeding is normal and when it points to something serious.
Vaginal bleeding will occur after taking abortion drugs. The harder part is recognizing when it shifts from expected to dangerous, and knowing that difference in advance can protect your health.
At Cherish Women’s Centre, we offer no-cost pregnancy testing, non-diagnostic ultrasounds, and confidential support so you can understand your pregnancy before you decide anything. Book your appointment today.
How the Abortion Pill Works
In Canada, the abortion pill is sold as Mifegymiso and combines two drugs.
Mifepristone blocks progesterone, the hormone a pregnancy needs to continue. Misoprostol, taken 24 to 48 hours later, causes the uterus to contract so the pregnancy passes through the vagina. Vaginal bleeding and abdominal cramping will occur as the drug works to end and expel the pregnancy from the body.
Keep in mind that Health Canada approves Mifegymiso only through 63 days, or 9 weeks, counted from the first day of your last period.
What Bleeding Is Normal
With a medical abortion, bleeding is usually heavier than a period and often includes passing clots and tissue.
Bleeding tends to peak within a few hours and ease over the following day, while lighter bleeding and spotting can continue for several weeks. Cramping, nausea, chills, and a mild fever can come with it.
When Bleeding Is Too Much
Heavy bleeding is a known risk of a medical abortion, and it can become an emergency. Get medical help right away if you:
- Soak through two or more thick pads an hour for two hours in a row
- Pass clots larger than a lemon for several hours
- Feel dizzy, faint, or lightheaded
- Have a fever that lasts more than 24 hours or notice foul-smelling discharge
- Bleed heavier as time goes on instead of tapering off
These signs can signal hemorrhage, infection, or an incomplete abortion, where pregnancy tissue stays behind in the uterus. An incomplete abortion may require a follow-up surgical procedure to stop the bleeding and prevent infection.
You Are Not Alone
Your health and safety come first. If you have had a medical abortion and are experiencing severe bleeding, seek medical care right away.
If you are pregnant and considering your options, we can get your questions answered in a supportive, confidential space. You deserve clear, accurate information that helps you make an accurate decision.
Schedule your no-cost, confidential appointment today. You do not have to face this alone.
The Cherish Women’s Resource Centre does not provide or refer for abortions.
All abortion information sourced in this blog is based on accurate information at the time of writing.
