Continuation of "Common Questions for Patients:"
What if I am already bleeding? Am I having a miscarriage?
Bleeding and clotting can be signs of a
miscarriage or “spontaneous abortion” but sometimes
a D&C is necessary to avoid the risk of
heavy bleeding. It may not be possible to tell if a miscarriage
is happening or whether it is complete.
However, the same procedure is used to treat a miscarriage and
for an abortion. Dr. Cousins will
assess each situation individually, taking into account your history
of bleeding, the ultrasound
findings, lab work, and the results of the examination. She will
advise whether she thinks a surgical
procedure or a medication will be best for you.
Should
I take it easy? We ask that you avoid heavy lifting
or strenuous activity for 1-2 weeks. If you
need a note for school or work, please let us know. However, you
can return to your normal routine
as soon as you feel up to it, probably tomorrow.
How long will I continue to have nausea or breast
tenderness? Nausea and other symptoms will begin
to go away quickly. In a few days you should start to feel back
to normal. Call if nausea continues.
When will I get my period?
The date can’t be predicted exactly because your cycle has
been
interrupted, but you should expect your period in 4-6 weeks, unless
you are using hormonal birth
control. Your period may be a little heavier than usual. Please
call if you don’t get your period after
6 weeks.
How
will I feel emotionally after the abortion? Most women
feel relieved, some feel sad, as well as
various other emotions. How you feel afterwards is mostly determined
by how you feel about your
decision now and how much support you have. Please be sure you
have considered your
decision--and your feelings--carefully. If you feel especially
ambivalent or very upset, please tell us.
The Pregnancy Options Workbook (www.pregnancyoptions.info) may
be helpful to you, and a
counselor is available to help. If you need more time to think
about your decision, we will reschedule
your appointment. We want you to make the best decision you can
and have as much support as
possible.
Can
anyone find out about my visit here? Protecting your
confidentiality is of utmost importance to us.
We will call you from the waiting room using your first name only.
If someone calls to ask about you,
we will speak with you first before saying anything. Your records
will be released only at your signed
request, except as permitted by federal HIPAA guidelines. A copy
of our Privacy Policy is available
to you at the front office.
What
about birth control? We want you to leave here with
a good birth control plan. There are a lot of considerations in
choosing the best method for you, so learn all you can about birth
control while you
are here. We can also give you information about AIDS prevention
and “safer sex” guidelines.
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