After your abortion, we will not forget you. An R.N. and physician are on call 24 hours a day for any patient problems. We have a commitment to respond within 10 minutes to all after-hours calls.

If you do not hear from us within 10 minutes, please call again.

Aftercare Instructions:
1)	Eat a light meal after leaving the clinic.
2)	For the next two weeks avoid:
	• Tampons (use sanitary napkins only)
	• Submerging your body in water (i.e. hot tubs, bathtubs, & swimming). You may shower and wash your hair.
	• Douching
	• Feminine Sprays
	• Intercourse
	• Vibrators
3)	Bleeding may last only a few hours or it may persist for 4-8 weeks. During this time anything from no bleeding to heavy period like bleeding will be normal. If you saturate more than 2 pads an hour for an 8 hour period of time, call us.
4)	It is also normal for women to experience some cramping and clotting. However, the external uterine massage may help relieve this. Uterine massages to relieve cramping: As the nurse instructed, you should complete 10 to 20 hand rotations every 15 minutes for 1 hour. You should press firmly with your hands to your lower abdomen while lying on you back with your knees to your cheese. Massage every 15 minutes for 1 hour. Take the next hour off. If you cramps are continuing, you should repeat the above schedule. If not relieved and cramping becomes excessive, please call the clinic.
5)	Call us if you have not had a menstrual period within 12 weeks after the procedure.
6)	Take your temperature daily-each morning-for the next 3 days. If your temperature is over 101 degrees, call the office.
7)	Be sure to take all your medications. This is to further prevent infection and excessive bleeding.
8)	It is important for you to take a pregnancy test 4 weeks after your procedure. This is to ensure that no problems exist, including continuing pregnancy. It is normal for a pregnancy test to remain positive for 3 weeks.
9)	If you have been given birth control pills take your 1st pill on Sunday following the procedure.

Medication Instructions:
Doxycycline	(antibiotic) Take one now, after eating, and then take on this evening after dinner. Take as directed, with food, one table every 12 hours for 7 days until gone.
Methergine	(to control bleeding for patients beyond 14 weeks) Take one every 8 hours as instructed. Specific times to take medication will be provided by the clinic on the day of your appointment.
Ibuprofen	(for minimum to moderate cramps, Datril, Advil, Motrin, etc.-purchased at your pharmacy) Take 400 mg to 800 mg every four hours.
Vicodin	(prescription pain medication filled at your pharmacy) Take on every four hours as directed for cramping not relieved by Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, Datril, Etc.) As long as severe cramps are present, monitor your temperature, report temp over 101 degrees. Call the clinic if you have cramps not controlled by medication.

Medication Schedule:

You may have some menstrual-like cramping, if so, you can take Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) 800 mg every 4 hours. If 2 hours after taking Ibuprofen, your cramps have not been relieved, take 1⁄2 to 1 Vicodin tablet.

If 2 hours after taking Vicodin, cramping continues (which has been 4 hours since taking Ibuprofen) you may start again with Ibuprofen, repeating the same medication schedule.


Breast Care:

If problems develop, follow instructions listed below:

1) Avoid all stimulation to breast: sleep on back, wear tight bra during day, sleep in sports bra, and no touching of breasts.

2) Ice packs as needed, no heat. Ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil) as needed for pain.

3) If above instructions are followed, symptoms will subside in approximately 72 hours.


We expect to see you again:

We recommend you return in 4 weeks to see our female nurse practitioner for a free exam to ensure that everything has returned to normal after your procedure. You have the option to have a very low cost pap-smear at this visit for $35 (a $60-80 value), that will allow us to continue your birth control method, and you will get 2 more sample packs of pills (up to an $80 value) and a prescription for a year.

Little Rock Family Planning
4 Office Park Drive
Little Rock, Arkansas 72211
Tel. 501.225.3836
Tel. 800.272.2183