Medical Abortion Care - Topic Overview
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When a medical abortion fails, a surgical abortion must be done as follow-up to prevent complications or development of a fetus with abnormalities.
Follow-up examination after a medical abortion
A follow-up examination is done about 2 weeks after a medical abortion. The examination may include:
- A physical exam, to check the
cervix and uterus
. - A lab test to check for a low human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) level, which shows the pregnancy has ended.
- A blood test, to check for anemia.
- An ultrasound, to confirm the uterus is empty.
- A discussion of birth control use. If birth control measures were started immediately after the abortion procedure, the proper use of the method can be discussed again. You can choose to have an intrauterine device (IUD) inserted at this time.
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
Last Updated:
September 22, 2010
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