Took abortion pills without a doctor? Signs to watch for
Lawful, licensed, confidential. Termination of pregnancy at Pai Hospital is carried out lawfully under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971 (as amended), at a licensed facility, by registered medical practitioners, within the limits and the certification that the Act requires. We do not carry out or offer sex determination of any kind, at any stage, for any reason. Your identity and your treatment are confidential.
Watch for very heavy bleeding, large clots, fever or shivering, severe or one-sided pain, feeling faint, a bad-smelling discharge, or bleeding that will not settle. These can mean an incomplete abortion or another problem, so come in quickly for a scan. If bleeding is very heavy or you feel faint, go to the nearest emergency department.
Why might you need a check after taking pills without a doctor?
If you have taken abortion pills without seeing a doctor, you may be frightened, and you may not have told anyone. We want to say this first: we are not here to judge you. Our only concern is that you are safe, and that you get the right care quickly if you need it.
Pills taken without medical supervision sometimes do not finish the job. Part of the pregnancy can stay behind in the womb, which is called an incomplete abortion, and that can cause heavy bleeding or infection. Sometimes the pregnancy simply continues. And because there was no scan beforehand, nobody has checked where the pregnancy was growing. Rarely, a pregnancy grows outside the womb, usually in a tube — an ectopic pregnancy — and pills do not treat that at all. It is an emergency that can be missed without a scan. This guide is by Dr Mayur Pai, MBBS, MS in Obstetrics & Gynaecology.
What are the warning signs to watch for?
Some bleeding and cramping are expected when a pregnancy passes, and our guide to bleeding after an abortion explains what is usually normal. But the following signs mean you should be checked promptly.
Very heavy bleeding, such as soaking through a thick pad in an hour or less, again and again. Large clots that keep coming. A fever, shivering, or feeling as if you have the flu, especially if it starts a day or more after the pills. Severe pain in your tummy that does not settle with rest or ordinary pain relief. Sharp pain on one side, or pain in the tip of your shoulder. Feeling faint, dizzy, breathless or very weak. A discharge that smells bad. And bleeding that will not settle, or keeps going on and on without easing.
What if there has been no bleeding, or you still feel pregnant?
If you have had no bleeding at all, or only very little, or you still feel pregnant — with ongoing sickness or tender breasts — the pregnancy may be continuing. That needs a check too, and soon. Please do not take more pills on your own to try to finish it. Repeating medicines without a scan and a doctor can add to the risks rather than solve the problem.
A home pregnancy test is not a reliable guide straight after pills, because the pregnancy hormone can stay in the body for some time even after a pregnancy has ended. Only a scan can show clearly what is happening.
When is it an emergency?
If you are bleeding very heavily, you feel faint or confused, you have severe pain, or you have a high fever and feel very unwell, go to the nearest hospital emergency department straight away. Do not wait to see whether it settles, and do not worry about what anyone will think. Tell the doctors what you have taken, so that they can help you quickly. Your health comes first, always.
If you are unsure whether what you are feeling counts as an emergency, treat it as one. It is always better to be checked and reassured than to wait at home while things get worse. Once you are safe, we are glad to see you for a follow-up check, and to talk through anything that is still worrying you.
What happens when you come in for a check?
If the signs are milder, or you are simply unsure whether everything is complete, come in quickly. You can come for this check on your own. The doctor will talk with you gently, examine you and do an ultrasound scan. The scan shows exactly what is happening: whether the womb is empty, whether some tissue has stayed behind, whether the pregnancy is continuing, and where it is. It helps if you can tell the doctor roughly when you took the pills and how the bleeding has been since, but do not worry if you are not sure.
Sometimes the answer is simply reassurance, and nothing more is needed. Sometimes medicine given under our care, and followed up properly, is enough. And sometimes a short procedure is the right way to complete it. Whatever is needed will be explained to you clearly before anything is done.
What if a procedure is needed to complete it?
If a procedure is needed, it is usually a short suction procedure, done under anaesthesia so that you are comfortable, and at our hospital it is always done under real-time ultrasound guidance. The doctor watches the womb on a screen throughout, seeing exactly where the instruments are. This lowers the risk of complications such as perforation, a small tear in the wall of the womb. The screen also shows the exact moment the womb is empty, so the procedure stops right there, with no unnecessary scraping. That helps protect the lining of the womb for future pregnancies.
Every instrument that touches you is single-use and disposable, opened fresh for you, so there is no cross-contamination between patients. Because the procedure is done under anaesthesia, please come with a responsible adult who can take you home afterwards. A follow-up check then makes sure that everything has settled well.
Will you be judged, and will it stay private?
No. You will not be judged, questioned about your choices or lectured. What matters to us is that you are safe now. Your visit stays private, between you and your medical team. If you are not married, you are just as welcome, and you will be treated with the same respect as every other woman.
We are a government-licensed hospital, and the care we give is lawful care under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act. We do not send any medicine by post or courier, and no treatment is given by phone. A call, a message or an online consultation can tell you whether treatment is feasible and guide your next step, but the check and any treatment happen in person, at the hospital in Goa.
Getting started
If you have taken pills without a doctor and anything feels wrong, or you are simply unsure, call or message us and come in for a check. If bleeding is very heavy or you feel faint, go to the nearest emergency department straight away. Free patient transport is available from across Goa and nearby areas. This article is for education only and is not personal medical advice; please consult your doctor about your own situation.
What are the warning signs after taking abortion pills without a doctor?
Very heavy bleeding, large clots, fever or shivering, severe or one-sided pain, feeling faint or dizzy, a bad-smelling discharge, or bleeding that will not settle. Any of these needs a prompt check.
How can I tell if the abortion is complete?
Only a scan can show this clearly. It shows whether the womb is empty, whether some tissue has stayed behind, and whether the pregnancy is continuing.
Will I need a procedure?
Not always. The doctor decides after examining you and doing a scan. If a procedure is needed, it is done under real-time ultrasound guidance with single-use instruments, which lowers the risk of complications.
Will you judge me for taking the pills?
No. Our only concern is your safety. Your visit stays private, and you are welcome whether or not you are married.
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This page is for general education and is not personal medical advice. Treatment depends on your own examination and reports, so please speak to a doctor about your situation. We do not carry out or offer sex determination of any kind.