Do you think there’s anything wrong with having sex too soon after an abortion?
There are two main reasons why women choose to get abortions. One reason is that they don’t want to become pregnant at all. Another reason is that they don’t want to carry their baby to term.
However, if you decide to abort, it doesn’t mean you won’t ever be able to have sex again. In fact, you might even find yourself wanting to have sex sooner than normal.
So, if you just had one, you’ll surely want to get answers to questions like;
- How long do you need to wait before having sex again?
- Do you need birth control pills before you engage in sex again?
- Is it harmful?
There are different opinions on whether or not it’s okay to have sex after an abortion. Some say that it’s okay to have intercourse within 2 weeks of an abortion.
Others say that it’s fine to wait until 3 months after the procedure. This blog post will tell you exactly how long you should wait before having sex again.
The Right Time to have Sex After an Abortion
Several leading healthcare websites like the NHS will advise you to wait for up to two weeks before you resume your normal sexual life.
However, you should note that the theory has no medical or scientific backings at the moment. The majority of hospitals and clinics recommend it because of the occurrence of normal bleeding after an abortion.
Abortion differs which affects the aftermath bleeding and because the bleeding rate differs, the right time to have sex differs.
Different Abortion Aftermath Effects
There are two types of abortion you can have. The medication abortion where you took a few drugs to flush the embryo during the early stage of pregnancy.
While surgical abortion is where the doctor opens the cervix to remove the embryo before it becomes a new baby.
Surgical abortion is advisable in the later stage of pregnancy or after several failed abortion medications. You’re less likely to have much bleeding and cramping if you have a surgical abortion.
As a result of the higher risk of bleeding in medication abortion, waiting for two weeks maximum before resuming sex is heedful advice.
Furthermore, you shouldn’t forget to check your emotional state. People have abortions for different reasons, this is why how it’ll affect each person differently.
So make sure you’re emotionally ready as well before you start having sex.
Sex After Abortion
Pregnancy even for a short period before the abortion takes a toll on a woman’s body which makes a few specific sex positions more palatable than others.
This is because your uterus stretches during pregnancy and this causes cramping in the pelvis, making specific sex positions more painful.
Always remember it’s your body and your health, so exercise care and take things slow. Don’t engage in any sexual practice if you don’t feel like it.
However, if you must have sex and you’re worried about bleeding, placing a towel to mitigate the sheets stains is okay and it’ll make you feel more secure and relaxed during sex.
Make sure to discuss it with your sex partner, ensuring you’re on the same page.
Should you use contraceptives when you have sex after an abortion?
Now that you’re ready physically, emotionally, and mentally to have sex, you’ll want to prevent further unwanted pregnancies. So how do you prevent it and is it okay to use contraceptives?
Every woman’s cycle starts immediately after an abortion you should consider taking contraceptives after sex if you’re not ready to have a child.
At this junction, seeking your doctor’s advice is the best. He/she knows your medical history and can help you decide the best contraceptives for you.
For instance, if you have an infection in the uterus, using the “Intrauterine device” IUD or the “Intrauterine system”, IUS is not recommended option for you.
The absence of any infection or medical risk means you can use any contraceptive of your choice, however, the body differs so check which suits your body with your doctor.
Types of Contraceptives You can Use
There are many contraceptive methods available today. The most common methods include:
- Birth Control Pills – Birth control pills work by preventing ovulation. When you miss a pill, your body will start producing more eggs. If you continue missing pills, you could end up getting pregnant.
- Condoms – Condoms can help prevent pregnancy by blocking sperm from reaching the egg. They also protect against sexually transmitted infections.
- Diaphragms – A diaphragm is a thin piece of latex used to stop sperm from entering the uterus. It works well for those who have experienced difficulty using condoms.
- Spermicides – Spermicides are used to kill sperm so that they cannot enter the vagina. These products come in liquid form and can be applied directly onto the genitals.
- Injectable Contraceptives – An injectable contraceptive is a hormone shot given under the skin. It prevents ovulation and stops sperm from entering the womb.
- Implants – Implants contain hormones that keep the lining of the uterus thick and make it difficult for sperm to reach the egg.
- Intrauterine Devices – IUDs are small devices placed inside the uterus where they release hormones that prevent fertilization.
Which contraceptive is right for me after an abortion?
Now that your body is okay and the worry of how long to wait before sex is out of the way, you can start hormonal contraception if it suits you.
Nevertheless, starting certain hormonal contraception six days after treatment means you’ll have to use other kinds of contraception such as condoms alongside or abstain from sex for a certain period.
The right time to resume sexual activities will be determined by your doctor because it depends on the kind of hormonal contraceptives you’re using.
In addition, if it’s medical abortion you had, you can get a contraceptive injection or implant after taking the first hormonal contraceptive pill. However, be aware that this may lead to the failure of the abortion.
Are you wondering if using emergency contraception is okay after abortion? The answer is yes. As long as you didn’t experience complications in the abortion aftermath, emergency contraception such as an emergency pill, IUS and IUD are perfect.
However, Using emergency contraception is uncalled for if the abortion is less than five days.
Conclusion
While there are several recommendations out there, the answer to how long can you have sex after an abortion depends largely on you.
Your health comes first, this may mean loss of customers as a sex worker but when there’s life, there’s hope and there are opportunities to work more so take care of your health first.
You’ll take care of your health first by consulting your doctor or any reputable doctor around and explaining everything to them so they’ll know what is best for you.
