Cathy Seapy

Abortion, LivingWell, Medical

What is an Incomplete Abortion?

If you are thinking of having an abortion, it’s important to know all of the potential abortion risks. While these risks aren’t common, being aware of them is beneficial so you can make fully informed choices about your pregnancy. One main risk to be aware of is an incomplete abortion.

What is an incomplete abortion?

An incomplete abortion is, well, an abortion that was incomplete. This means that after an abortion, there is pregnancy tissue left in the uterus that, if left untreated, can cause a serious infection.  This is a risk for both chemical and surgical abortions at any length of your pregnancy.

Incomplete abortions are more common when women take the abortion pill without knowing how far along in their pregnancy they are. If you take the abortion pill past the approved timeline of up to 10 weeks, you have a higher risk of experiencing an incomplete abortion.

If all of the pregnancy tissue hasn’t been expelled or removed during the abortion, this can cause a serious infection that may lead to sepsis, a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical treatment.

What are the symptoms of an incomplete abortion?

Common symptoms of an incomplete abortion are:

  • Fever
  • Abdominal pain
  • Pelvic pain
  • Lower back pain
  • Low heart rate
  • Low blood pressure
  • Vaginal bleeding (small amounts or large)
  • Passing of clots

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms after an abortion, see a medical professional and get emergency care as soon as possible. You deserve the best care and treatment, so be sure to disclose to that medical professional which abortion procedure was performed.

What is the treatment for an incomplete abortion?

Treatment varies depending on how bad the situation looks. If it’s more minor, you may be prescribed with a dose of mifepristone to expel the rest of the tissue. Mifepristone works by relaxing your cervix in order to break down the lining of the uterus. This causes any left over pregnancy tissue to be expelled. Mifepristone is also one of the two pills taken for a chemical abortion.

If your condition is worse and there is an infection in your uterus, you may have to be treated through a surgical procedure to remove the rest of the tissue and clear out the infection.

What should I do first if I’m considering an abortion?

If you are pregnant and considering abortion as your next step, it’s important that you know and understand all of the information regarding that decision. One of the most important pieces of information you need is how far along you are in your pregnancy. Our professional medical staff can help answer that question with an ultrasound, as well as education on your options at no cost to you. Schedule an appointment with us today by clicking here, calling us at (530) 272-6800 or texting us at (530) 802-0858.

Tanya Wonderly, RN

Clinic Nurse

The content on this page has been reviewed and approved by one of our clinic nurses.

LivingWell, Medical, Parenting, Pregnancy

The Rh Factor and Pregnancy

Pregnancy is one of the most wonderful things a woman can experience. Caring for your baby begins as soon as you see your positive pregnancy test. One of the most important things you should be aware of during your pregnancy is the Rh factor.

Why is the Rh factor important?

While your Rh factor doesn’t affect your overall health, it’s important to be aware of your Rh type if you are pregnant.

What is the Rh factor?

The Rh factor is a protein that is found on red blood cells. You can either be Rh positive or Rh negative. If your blood cells have the protein on them, you are Rh positive. If they don’t, you are Rh negative.

While being Rh positive is more common than being negative, being Rh negative does not mean you are ill or there’s something wrong with your blood cells. However, it can affect your pregnancy. “Your pregnancy needs special care if you’re Rh negative and your baby is Rh positive. That’s called Rh incompatibility. A baby can inherit the Rh factor from either parent” (Mayo Clinic).

Taking a blood test can determine if you’re Rh negative or positive, and what that means for your pregnancy going forward. You should take a blood test shortly after you find out that you’re pregnant.

What happens if my baby and I have Rh incompatibility?

If you and your baby are Rh incompatible, this can cause complications if you and your baby’s blood mingle during your pregnancy. Your Rh negative blood will recognize that the baby’s Rh positive blood isn’t yours, and will create antibodies to destroy it. “These antibodies can cross the placenta and attack the fetus’ blood cells. This can lead to serious health problems, even death, for a fetus or newborn” (ACOG).

These antibodies are not a risk during your first pregnancy. However, problems can occur if you get pregnant again.

While Rh incompatibility is serious, it’s preventable by taking blood tests throughout the different terms of your pregnancy. “If you’re Rh negative, you might need to have another blood test — called an antibody screen — several times: during your first trimester, during week 28 of pregnancy and when your baby is born. Some people need the test more often” (Mayo Clinic).

How can my blood mix with my baby’s?

There are a few ways that your blood may come in contact with your baby’s, such as:

  • Miscarriage
  • Ectopic Pregnancy
  • Abortion
  • Birth
  • Bleeding during pregnancy
  • Trauma or injury to your midsection during pregnancy

While there are other ways your blood might mingle, these are the most common occurrences. However, not all of these guarantee that a blood mix will occur. They only increase the chances.

How is Rh incompatibility treated?

Rh incompatibility is treated by a shot called Rh immune globulin (or RhoGAM). This injection prevents your body from creating antibodies while you’re pregnant. If your blood somehow mixes with your baby’s, you may need a second injection as a precaution. If your baby is born Rh positive, you will need another immune globulin shot after birth since your blood mixes with your baby’s during delivery (Mayo Clinic).

Can the father cause Rh incompatibility?

Even if the father of the baby is Rh negative, this doesn’t increase your chances of incompatibility. The only time the risk is present is when the mother is Rh negative. As long as the mother is Rh positive, there won’t be any risk of Rh incompatibility.

How We Can Help

If you think you may be pregnant, we are here to support you with pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, and options consultations at no cost to you. Schedule an appointment with us today by clicking here, calling us at (530) 272-6800 or texting us at (530) 802-0858.

Sources and Links

Mayo Clinic Staff, Rh Factor Overview, Mayo Clinic, 2022

https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/rh-factor/about/pac-20394960

ACOG Staff, The Rh Factor: How It Can Affect Your Pregnancy, ACOG, 2024

https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/the-rh-factor-how-it-can-affect-your-pregnancy#:~:text=How%20can%20Rh%20antibodies%20affect,the%20body%20can%20replace%20them

Eva Fisher

Nursing Director

The content on this page has been reviewed and approved by our Nursing Director.

LivingWell, Medical, Sexual Health, STIs

STI Avoidance

In today’s world, STIs are common. The CDC estimates that over 50% of people living in the U.S. alone will get an STI or STD at least once in their lifetime. Now, where does that leave you? It’s important to be aware of the top ways to avoid getting an STI as you make sexual decisions.

What Are STIs?

According to the CDC, a sexually transmitted infection, or an STI, is a “virus, bacteria, fungus, or parasite people can get through sexual contact”. This sexual contact includes vaginal, anal, and oral sex, along with mutual masturbation. Each category of contact puts you at risk.

There are currently over 30 known infections or viruses that can be spread through sexual contact. While some are more common and easily cured than others, the risks remain the same. “STIs can have important health consequences, including genital symptoms, pregnancy complications, infertility, enhanced HIV transmission, and psychosocial effects” (PAHO). It’s important to be aware of these risks in order to make safe and responsible decisions going forward.

There are three vital ways to avoid getting an STI and to reduce your exposure to them.

1) Getting tested regularly

Getting tested for STIs is an important step to take. Some STIs, including more common ones like gonorrhea and chlamydia, can be asymptomatic, meaning there are no obvious or visible symptoms for you to notice. Even using a condom doesn’t guarantee 100% safety from a STI. Both you and your partner should be tested and open with each other about your results before having sex.

2) Being in a monogamous relationship

Having multiple sex partners increases your chances of getting a STI. If you stay committed to and only have sex with one person, you are way less at risk for an STI. This is because less bacteria or viruses have the chance to be spread. While this does not lower the risk of an STI to zero, it certainly helps bring the number down.

3) Avoiding any sexual contact

Abstaining from any kind of sexual intimacy is “the only way to completely avoid STIs” (CDC). Not having sex is the singular way to never be at risk for any kind of sexual transmitted viruses or bacteria. While this may seem a difficult route to take, it’s the only route that’s guaranteed to be 100% effective.

How We Can Help

If you think you’ve been exposed to a STI or would like more medically accurate information, we are here to help you. We offer STI/STD testing, education, and private consultations at no cost to you. Schedule an appointment with us by clicking here, calling us at (530)-272-6800 or texting us at (530)-802-0858.

Sources and Links

How to Prevent STIs, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024

https://www.cdc.gov/sti/prevention/index.html

Sexually Transmitted Infections, Pan American Health Organization, 2023

https://www.paho.org/en/topics/sexually-transmitted-infections#:~:text=There%20are%20more%20than%2030,syphilis%20and%2For%20trichomoniasis).

Eva Fisher

Nursing Director

The content on this page has been reviewed and approved by our Nursing Director.