Dr. Marjorie Greenfield
Specializing in pregnancy and birth.
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 Ask Dr. Greenfield
Still Pregnant after an Abortion | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Greenfield,
Is it possible to still be pregnant after receiving an abortion?— Onelife in Detroit, MI USA | | | ANSWER |
January 24, 2002 | | | Dear Onelife,
There are occasionally "failed" abortions, where the pregnancy isn't extracted from the uterus and continues to survive. Usually these eventually miscarry, but there have been cases of pregnancies that went to term after an attempted termination.
Some doctors send the tissue removed from the uterus to a pathologist, for examination under the microscope, to be sure that placental tissue was obtained. But many centers skip this step because it adds a layer of cost for the patient. Those clinics usually examine the tissue visually after the procedure and weigh it. They are checking to see if the right amount of tissue was obtained for that gestational age. Another technique that is sometimes used is to watch with ultrasound as the procedure is being done. This is especially important in second trimester abortions, where the uterus is bigger and the risk of complications is greater.
Most abortion providers will instruct the patient to return to the clinic or office a few weeks after the procedure to be sure that there were no complications and that the abortion was "complete." If you are asking because of your own situation, it is important to go for this follow-up visit. I hope that this answers your question.— by Marjorie Greenfield, M.D. |
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