Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy. There are different ways to accomplish a pregnancy termination, but they all end in the eventual return to fertility for the female. For this reason, it's important to consider post-abortion family planning as soon as possible after an abortion or even when planning the termination. Some women return to fertility faster than others.
In the days and weeks following abortion, women are typically advised to avoid sexual intercourse altogether. According to WebMD, women should abstain from sex for one to three weeks after abortion. This is because inserting anything into the vagina puts the woman at risk for infection of the uterus. Waiting a bit, gives the woman's reproductive organs enough time to heal and return to their normal state, lowering the risk of infection. Additionally, waiting eliminates worries about getting pregnant right after an abortion. There is a risk of conceiving even before a woman has her first post-abortion period.
The Pill
According to FWHC.org, birth control pills provide effective and immediate protection if a woman starts to take them within six days of an abortion. Doctors may advise women to start a new pack of birth control pills on the first Sunday following an abortion procedure, as many birth control packs are marked for a Sunday start. In order to enjoy maximum protection from unplanned pregnancy, women should take the birth control pill around the same time every day. Missing doses or taking them late can result in pregnancy.
The Shot and the Patch
If a woman wants to avoid becoming pregnant for an extended time after an abortion, she may opt for a long-term method of birth control, such as the Depo-Provera shot. The Depo-Provera is an injectable birth control method that prevents pregnancy for about three months. In some cases, doctors may provide this shot before a woman even leaves the hospital or abortion clinic, allowing her to recover without worrying about family planning. Women can also begin using the birth control patch--an adhesive patch that prevents pregnancy--right after an abortion. Women apply a new patch each week.
Insertable Methods
The IUD is a plastic device that is inserted into the uterus to prevent pregnancy. According to Reproductive Health Online, doctors can insert it right after an abortion. However, a woman will probably have to wait if she has a pelvic infection or has any type of serious damage to her uterus, cervix--neck of the uterus or vagina. If a woman has recently had an episode of hemorrhaging--extremely heavy bleeding, she may have to wait as well. A woman may have a diaphragm--a dome-shaped, rubber device that blocks the movement of sperm--fitted right after an abortion that was performed during the first trimester of pregnancy. If the abortion was performed after the second trimester, she may need to wait four weeks to have a diaphragm fitted, allowing her uterus to return to its normal size.
Other Methods
A woman can usually use condoms and spermicides--creams and gels that kill sperm--as soon as she resumes sexual intercourse. Some women and couples may opt for permanent family planning solutions, such as tubal ligation--a type of female sterilization--or vasectomy--a type of male sterilization. Doctors may perform a tubal ligation right after or soon after an abortion. A man can have a vasectomy at any time. Since it does not affect his sexual partner's body, there's no reason to consider the abortion in planning this procedure.
