Is breastfeeding possible after an abortion? Pentcroft Pharma - the latest medical technologies in obstetrics and gynecology Termination of pregnancy during breastfeeding


A woman who is breastfeeding cannot be completely protected from unwanted pregnancy. When making a decision to terminate, it is important to know whether abortion is possible with gw.

For infant The quality of mother's milk is of great importance. But it is influenced by many factors, including medications and surgical interventions. This is why it is so important to understand whether breastfeeding and abortion are compatible.

The female body recovers differently after childbirth. It may take several weeks to several months to resume normal sex life. Doctors usually recommend starting sex life 4-6 weeks after the baby is born.

Many women believe that breastfeeding itself protects against unwanted pregnancy. Therefore, when having intimacy with your partner, they don’t think about additional methods contraception. This often leads to fertilization.

Can lactation be a reliable method of contraception? Indeed, there is a so-called lactational amenorrhea method. It lies in the fact that hormonal background a woman's body does not allow her to become pregnant. However, it works under certain conditions, which not all women take into account:

  • The method works for the first 6 months after birth;
  • The child should only eat breast milk, without supplementary feeding or formula feeding;
  • if you don’t have your period yet;
  • feeding during the day should be at least 10 times;
  • The break between feedings should not exceed 3 hours, including at night.

If at least one of the points is violated, the effectiveness of the lactation method is sharply reduced. This leads to unwanted pregnancy. Then the question arises, is it possible to have an abortion if you are breastfeeding?

Yes, you can. But keep in mind that it hurts both the mother and (indirectly) the baby. And perhaps, in a few years, when you have not one child, but already two (or three, if you now have a third in your belly), you will remember with horror: “Was I really going to terminate the pregnancy? What a blessing that I changed my mind..."

How to terminate a pregnancy

If a woman decides to terminate her pregnancy, it is important not to blame herself. Depression has never helped anyone cope with the problem. The quantity and quality of breastfeeding milk are affected not only by medical manipulations, but also the psycho-emotional state of the nursing mother.

Termination of pregnancy is carried out in two main ways:

  1. medical abortion is a non-contact method that is based on the effects of chemicals;
  2. instrumental abortion - can be performed by curettage or using the vacuum method.

The choice of method depends on the specific case. All details must be discussed with your doctor. The specialist will recommend a regimen in which you can perform a medical abortion and maintain lactation.

Medical abortion and breastfeeding

Medical abortion for breastfeeding involves the use of several types medicines. A woman should be prepared for the fact that she will have to give up breastfeeding for a certain time. The period depends on the regimen chosen by the doctor.

Information about the effect of drugs on milk and the child’s body is not enough to talk about absolute harm or complete harmlessness of the procedure. Abstaining from breastfeeding during an abortion is a reasonable precaution. After all, with a baby it’s always better to be on the safe side.

If a woman chooses medicinal method, she can breastfeed, but not immediately, but when the drug is completely removed from the body.

Medical termination of pregnancy involves stopping breastfeeding for 3-14 days. Therefore, the timing depends on what medicine is used. Perhaps the doctor will take into account your circumstances and prescribe a remedy that is eliminated from the body faster. For example: when using Mifepristone, it is enough to stop breastfeeding for three days. Pencrofton, Mifolian and some other medications require abstinence from breastfeeding for 14 days.

Ideally, at this time, the child is switched to bottle milk, which the mother has expressed in advance (it can be stored in the refrigerator or frozen). Or, if there was no opportunity to express, the baby will “last” for several days on artificial formula.

Reception chemical substance occurs only in a clinic under the supervision of a specialist. Drug manufacturers indicate different durations of abortion. On average, the procedure takes 1.5-3 days.

During this time active substance enters the woman’s bloodstream and disperses throughout the body. It passes into breast milk in minimal quantities. Soon the medicine is eliminated from the body.

Medical abortion is performed at the earliest stage, up to the 49th day of pregnancy. After taking the medication, the patient must undergo an ultrasound scan within two weeks. Diagnostics will confirm the release of the fertilized egg and prevent the development of complications.

Surgical abortion and breastfeeding

Instrumental termination of pregnancy also affects the ability to maintain breastfeeding. We are talking about the use of anesthesia. The specialist can choose the anesthesia that is most suitable for the patient.

On early stages worked well during pregnancy vacuum method, which is often called a mini-abortion. Obstetricians and gynecologists tend to perform the vacuum procedure. Such an abortion has less negative consequences and in most cases does not require cessation of lactation.

It is carried out under local anesthesia. Most likely, the procedure will require interruption of breastfeeding for only a few hours. For example, Lidocaine and Propofol pass into milk, but in minimal quantities. After them, it is better to pause breastfeeding for several hours and during this time express a couple of times.

Be sure to ask your doctor what kind of anesthesia was used and whether it is allowed for breastfeeding!

When can breastfeeding be resumed after surgery and use? general anesthesia? It all depends on what kind of anesthesia was used. Nitrous oxide and other inhalational anesthetics are safe for your baby. But, for example, Fentanyl is harmful during breastfeeding; it penetrates into milk and is excreted for several days.

What to do if GW had to be suspended

In some cases, a pause in breastfeeding during an abortion will range from three to 14 days.

To prevent mother’s milk from disappearing, it must be expressed and poured out regularly (at least once every three hours) all this time.

Be prepared for the fact that after an abortion there will be less milk. After all, pregnancy hormones are present in the body before and immediately after an abortion, which “inhibit” lactation. In addition, termination of pregnancy is a hormonal explosion that cannot but affect milk production. But if you do everything correctly (immediately after the operation, express, and then put the baby to the breast more often, do not skip night feedings, etc.), then lactation will inevitably be restored.

If a woman cannot breastfeed her child, she must take care of his nutrition. If breastfeeding is interrupted for several hours, it is enough to express milk before the procedure. The child will be able to get enough of it until the mother returns home. But what should you feed your child if the period of abstinence lasts several days or weeks?

Modern doctors insist that babies should not be accustomed to objects that imitate female breast, more precisely, a nipple. These include pacifiers and pacifiers. If the child's age allows, it is better to feed him with a spoon or drinking bowl. This way he won’t get weaned from his mother’s breast.

Drinking formula from a bottle is much easier than sucking milk from the breast. And if the child is still unaccustomed to natural feeding, you can use special ones. At correct use they will allow you to transfer the baby from the bottle to the mother's breast. When lactation is fully restored, the pads can be removed.

A mother of a baby should know that abortion while breastfeeding is a very real procedure. Its implementation will require preliminary consultation with a gynecologist and pediatrician. It is important to adjust yourself to the fact that a break in natural feeding does not mean stopping it.

Medicines are eliminated from the body over time. During this time, it is important for the mother to take care of rational nutrition child, about his psychological state and about maintaining lactation. After an abortion in mandatory you need to find it for yourself the best way contraception.

In this case, the woman will find herself in a situation where she needs to terminate an unplanned pregnancy and continue breastfeeding. There are two options - surgical and medical abortion.

When conducting surgical abortion a woman can continue to breastfeed, but if medical abortion this is not possible, you should take a break from breastfeeding at least for a few days. This is due to the fact that misoprostol ( active substance abortion pills) will pass into milk. Misoprostol can cause diarrhea in a child.

There are several reasons why women choose medical rather than surgical abortion. For example, the fact that medical abortion does not involve surgical intervention, is less invasive and does not require anesthesia. It is not even necessary to go to hospital; the process can be completed at home.

While there are some reasons why one might choose to have a medical abortion, there are certain medical conditions that preclude this option. Therefore, you should obtain all possible information before making a decision.

How to use RU486

What is RU486

RU486 (sold as Mifeprex or Mifegin) is widespread, effectively and safely used for many years in France, Sweden, and the UK.

For a medical abortion, please contact medical institution and visit it three times. The first part is taking the abortifacient RU486. Then, if necessary, another drug, misoprostol, will be taken to permanently end the pregnancy.

Time required: three visits to the doctor (in 17 days).

How it's done

  • First visit. At your first visit, your doctor will make sure that you are actually pregnant (through a pregnancy test or pelvic examination). If you are pregnant, your doctor may also order an ultrasound test.

To have a medical abortion, your doctor will give you three tablets (200 mg each) of mifepristone (RU486) to take right there. This dose is usually enough for the fertilized egg to separate from the uterine wall.

You will then have a second appointment 2 days later.

  • Second visit. At your second visit (should be 48 hours after taking mifepristone), your doctor will examine you to see if the pregnancy was successfully terminated. If not, you will be given a second remedy, misoprostol, in two tablets or vaginal suppository. Misoprostol should also be taken in the presence of a doctor. It will cause the pregnancy to end soon - from 6 hours to 1 week.

Misoprostol causes the uterus to contract, so you may experience cramping and bleeding. The doctor will prescribe pain medications for you and give you instructions on what to do if there are complications.

  • Last visit. You must visit your doctor two weeks after taking misoprostol. The doctor must confirm that the pregnancy was successfully terminated and make sure that there are no problems (bleeding, inflammation). If the pregnancy is found to be ongoing, surgical abortion is recommended. According to the instructions for mifepristone, patients whose pregnancy has not been terminated are at risk of fetal malformations. Surgical termination of pregnancy is recommended.

The first six months after the birth of a child, a woman’s body experiences difficult stage recovery after enormous stress during pregnancy and childbirth. At the same time, there is a myth among women that during breastfeeding a young mother cannot become pregnant. In fact, the lactation method of contraception cannot be called reliable, since in some women the first ovulation occurs as early as 6 weeks after birth.

Against the background of hormonal changes menstrual cycle long time may not be restored, which also does not allow a woman to fully control the likelihood of conception. As a result, unwanted pregnancy during breastfeeding is not uncommon.

Making a decision to continue pregnancy immediately after childbirth is not easy. In some cases, a woman is not yet ready for the birth of a second baby, and in others repeated births during this period, they are contraindicated for health reasons (for example, after a cesarean section). This raises the question of having an abortion during breastfeeding. The safest and least traumatic method of abortion in modern gynecology is considered a medical abortion, but can it be performed while breastfeeding? Let's figure it out together with experienced specialists medical center Diana.

Which method of abortion should I choose while breastfeeding?

Many women categorically refuse medical abortion while breastfeeding, due to the risk of penetration pharmacological drugs into breast milk. In this case, the young mother chooses something that is more traumatic and dangerous to her health. surgical technique curettage to continue lactation. However, is such a risk justified? Gynecologists assure that this is not always the case.

The first thing that is important to understand is that medical abortion can be performed during breastfeeding, provided that the child’s feeding pattern is changed. Depending on the drug chosen for pharmacological abortion, the woman will have to stop breastfeeding for a period of 3 days to two weeks. During this time, breast milk should be expressed regularly and the baby should be fed formula. At the same time, of course, there is a risk of the baby further refusing to breastfeed, which is undesirable, because no formula can replace a baby’s mother’s milk.

However, this is not a reason to choose surgical method termination of pregnancy, because contrary to the misconception of many women, in this case you will also have to stop feeding for several days. This is due to the use of anesthetic drugs for surgical abortion. As a result, both methods will require the woman to temporarily interrupt breastfeeding, but medical abortion is accompanied by significantly lower risks for the woman’s body.

New research into the impact of medical abortion on breast milk quality

In any case, it is permissible only under the supervision of a specialist who will first carry out the entire range of necessary diagnostic measures. Moreover, if the patient is breastfeeding at the time of termination of pregnancy, the doctor will recommend a plan for temporarily stopping breastfeeding. It is important to understand that such a measure is only insurance against possible risks, since research into the effect of drugs for medical abortion on the quality of breast milk is still ongoing.

So, quite recently, regular research was carried out by famous world scientists on this topic. The experiment proved that only minimal doses of the drug used for pharmacological interruption pregnancy, can pass into breast milk. Maximum concentration chemical agent in a woman's milk was 1.5%, which is considered a negligible dose that cannot harm the baby.

Doctors conducting this study concluded that it is enough to stop breastfeeding for a period of 4 to 10 hours to completely eliminate the possibility of harmful effects chemicals for medical abortion on the baby's body. However, before completing all stages clinical assessment, these results cannot be considered reliable and final, and therefore you should listen to the feeding cessation plan that the doctor will select.

When contacting a doctor to terminate a pregnancy during breastfeeding, it is very important to inform the specialist about the fact of lactation and recent childbirth. Having knowledge and experience in this field, the doctor will choose the optimal drug and dosage in order to ensure guaranteed safety of the baby and increase the likelihood of continued breastfeeding.

Website - medical portal online consultations with pediatric and adult doctors of all specialties. You can ask a question on the topic "abortion while breastfeeding" and get it for free online consultation doctor

Ask your question

Questions and answers on: abortion while breastfeeding

2009-03-22 10:19:51

Lesya asks:

Hello, please tell me, is it possible to have a medical abortion while breastfeeding?

Answers:

Hello! After taking the drug for medical abortion, it is not recommended to breastfeed for 2 weeks. Express your milk during this time so that you can return to feeding later. All the best!

2013-02-01 16:00:54

Anastasia asks:

Hello. While breastfeeding (1 year 4 months) she became pregnant. I had a medical abortion with misoprostol and mifepristone and immediately quit breastfeeding. After the abortion, my breasts began to ache - discovered fibrocystic mastopathy. As I understand it, due to hormonal imbalance. The mammologist initially prescribed me a drug that increases progesterone, but it does not help, now he has prescribed a drug that lowers prolactin. Tell me what should I do with my hormones? What happens to hormones after honey. abortion? After all, treatment must be selected based on the cause.

Answers Wild Nadezhda Ivanovna:

It is necessary to determine the level of hormones: FSH, LH, Prolactin, estriol, progesterone - in the 1st phase of MC and in the second phase of MC. During feeding, the level of prolactin is increased, but medical abortion provoked a greater increase in the level of prolactin. You need to know its level in this moment. Mastopathy most likely existed before pregnancy, and after medical abortion it manifested itself to a greater extent. Treatment and control of fibrocystic mastopathy is long-term and requires regular monitoring.

2011-05-24 00:38:02

Nat asks:

Hello. I am 30 years old, I am a woman who has given birth, but not without problems. I hope you can help me and answer my question regarding postpartum recovery. The explanation of my situation will be lengthy, but I will try to make it understandable. However, please be patient, read it to the end and give the desired answer. Thank you in advance. On January 25, 2011, she gave birth to her second child. The birth was normal, but the contractions of the uterus were very painful. The doctor said that this is normal, because after each birth the uterus contracts more and more painfully. Four days after giving birth, I was discharged, despite complaints about severe pain, especially during breastfeeding. The ultrasound showed some fluid accumulation, but the doctor said that everything would come out over time. (But later it turned into clumps large sizes and endometriosis.) In the evening of the same day (01/29/2011) I felt very bad. Body temperature increased to 38.2. I was taken by an ambulance and admitted to the hospital: a drip with oxytocin, injections with an antibiotic, oxytocin and manual cleaning of the uterine cavity - that was all the treatment. Breast milk almost disappeared, but after actively applying the baby to the breast, it more or less recovered, but not for long. First it disappeared in the right breast, then in the left. Since 05/04/2011 the child is already fully artificial feeding. But on April 12, 2011, some strange smears began to appear brown discharge, then pale pink. Lasted about a week. They resumed on May 14, 2011, exactly the same, but lasted approximately 10 days. There was no particular pain, it didn’t look like normal periods. What could it be??? Third pregnancy, second birth. (the first pregnancy was ectopic and ended with surgery to remove the left fallopian tube. A year later, the second pregnancy, a boy weighing 4.040 kg was born. After 11 months - an unplanned pregnancy, an abortion was not allowed, because an ultrasound detected fibroid nodes approximately 2.5 cm in size. As a result, a girl was born weighing 3.850 kg.) What could you advise in my situation?

Answers Serpeninova Irina Viktorovna:

Hello. The reason for the slow contraction of the uterus could be myomatous nodes discovered in you during the third pregnancy. You need to have an ultrasound with a vaginal probe, colposcopy (to exclude cervical pathology) and donate blood for sex hormones: FSH, LH, prolactin, estradiol, progesterone and Depending on the results, decide on the prescription of treatment.

2010-01-24 09:19:17

Alena asks:

Hello, please tell me! What is the probability of getting pregnant while breastfeeding? If you do a test, how can you trust it? Is breastfeeding possible after an abortion?

Answers Medical consultant of the website portal:

Hello, Alena! Lactational amenorrhea, as a method of contraception, is one of the least effective methods. On average, the degree of protection when using this method is about 60%. That is, pregnancy in the absence of other contraceptive methods is quite likely. A pregnancy test shows fairly reliable results, including during breastfeeding. Lactation does not affect test results in any way. You can breastfeed your baby during the post-abortion period, unless you are prescribed medications that make breastfeeding temporarily contraindicated (for example, antibiotics). Take care of your health!

2012-06-27 15:26:20

Asks Evgenia Sirobaba:

Good afternoon. two years ago I gave birth to a daughter ( C-section). She breastfed until she was 1.5 years old. It so happened that at the same time I became pregnant again. I had an abortion. About two weeks ago I noticed discharge from the breasts (the color looks like colostrum). Sometimes there are only a few drops, and sometimes there is a small trickle. I don't feel any discomfort. Only now they appeared before menstruation pulling sensations in the breasts. And after stopping feeding, I took a course of complex vitamins. Now I don’t know if I should worry or if this is the norm.

Answers Demisheva Inna Vladimirovna:

Good evening, there is no need to worry, but contact your mammologist, he will prescribe medications that will bring everything back to normal.

2012-05-07 20:32:56

Larisa asks:

I’m 40 years old. I have a second child, 1.5 years old, I’m still breastfeeding and no periods after giving birth. I had a cesarean section. There’s a long break between births. My first daughter is 18 years old. I’m thinking about whether to put in an IUD and which one... After the first birth I put in an IUD - as far as I remember, the simplest T-shaped one, and a year later I became pregnant with it. I had an abortion without removing the IUD, since no doctors in those years warned us that it was necessary to remove the IUD. As a result, the fragments were dragged after the abortion with forceps. it hurts terribly. Afterwards, a friend recommended another gynecologist. I went. She said that pills would be better suited to my body, but the IUD is not suitable at all. Considering that a lot of time has passed, is it still possible to get an IUD if I definitely don’t want to give birth anymore? and which one should I choose? My husband and I tried to use birth control and use Pharmatex suppositories - the baby starts to vomit from feedings... but the husband doesn’t want condoms

Answers Serpeninova Irina Viktorovna:

Good afternoon. Do a colposcopy and, if there are no contraindications, administer Mirena. The reliability of this IUD is comparable to the reliability of tubal ligation.

2011-04-24 15:19:05

Inga asks:

Hello!
Very helpful information regarding medical abortion. And not only. One thing is upsetting: moralizing is out of place. In my situation, the condom burst. Postinor was immediately taken within 30 minutes. But the result was not long in coming. Unfortunately, this is an unwanted pregnancy. I want to say a big thank you to my doctor. Which at one time cured my infertility at the age of 30 and thanks to which I have a Daughter. He also helped in this difficult situation for me. Women do not take the lives of their children out of a good life. And talking about the dangers of abortion is not always appropriate. Okay, these are lyrics.
And now the question.
The child was breastfed until 2 years 2 months. 14.02. At the same time there was a medical abortion. After time has passed, I can say that I feel like everything is fine. I would like to know the opinions of doctors, after what time you can think about normal pregnancy. My doctor and I had different opinions on this matter. And what is needed to restore hormonal balance, and also after prolonged feeding. My age is 33 years old.

Answers Medical consultant of the website portal:

Hello, Inga! You can think about pregnancy no earlier than 6 months after a medical abortion. In order to restore hormonal balance, you need to know exactly the nature of its disturbance - a consultation with a gynecologist-endocrinologist and examination of the hormonal profile will help you with this. Your thoughts on abortion and the situations that push women to terminate their pregnancies are worthy of respect. However, in our responses we express our opinions, which do not have to coincide with the opinions of our visitors. Take care of your health!

2011-04-11 11:59:00

Mary asks:

Hello! I’m 34, I have 3 children, the youngest is 5 months old, I’m breastfeeding! I became pregnant. Please tell me how I can have a medical abortion and after what period of time I can return to breastfeeding after taking medication! Once I took Cytotec, 5 tablets under the tongue, every hour, and the next day 3 tablets! Please tell me how to do it correctly should I take it and what dose! Thanks a LOT in advance!

Ask your question

Popular articles on the topic: abortion during breastfeeding

Iodine deficiency – current problem for every third inhabitant of the planet. How much iodine should you consume? And if you - future mom? Find out how iodine deficiency affects pregnant women and how much iodine is recommended to consume during pregnancy.

Protection against unwanted pregnancy - every woman who does not want to go through an abortion and its complications should take care of it. Learn more about the arsenal of contraceptives, how to choose the most suitable one - for reliable protection and preservation of women's health.

If you have a baby you are breastfeeding and you decide to have an abortion, waiting can be an added stress possible problems with feeding your baby. Many people believe that if you have an abortion, you need to say goodbye to breastfeeding, and they give examples of their friends or acquaintances; in fact, this is most often not the case.

There are two main types of abortion - medical and surgical. Below is information you can discuss with your doctor. It may be necessary to interrupt feeding for a period of time; and someone will continue to feed on the same day. It all depends on the specific situation; Each time, you should discuss with your doctor the risks and benefits of delaying breastfeeding for a period of time. If breastfeeding is important to you, your best bet is to find a doctor who understands this, values ​​breastfeeding, and is willing to weigh all the factors and work with you to choose a regimen that's right for you. The actions after testing the drug are described in detail in the article? You may find the links below the article useful.

Additionally, if you decide to stop feeding for a period of time (from a few hours to a few days), you can continue feeding by continuing to express milk during this period, if necessary. You may find the advice from . Perhaps some of the tips from this section will be useful - for example, about night feedings.

Medical abortion and breastfeeding

  • The use of drugs such as mifepristone, misoprostol and gemeprost. There are no detailed studies on the effects of mifepristone, misoprostol and gemeprost on lactation and on the breastfeeding child. According to some data (3), the level of mifepristone in the blood is quite low, which makes it possible to maintain breastfeeding in a continuous mode during medical abortion, and preference should be given to regimens including 200 rather than 600 mg of the drug. (At the same time, the manufacturer's recommendation to interrupt breastfeeding for 26 days actually means stopping lactation; study (3) concludes that there is no need to follow this recommendation).
  • Misoprostol is excreted into milk in small quantities and is quickly eliminated. The mother can interrupt breastfeeding for 5 hours after oral administration drug to exclude all possible risks. Research: (4), (5). Conclusions: (1)
  • Gemeprost is presumably (no data available) excreted into breast milk, with a half-life after intravenous administration is 24 hours. Interrupting breastfeeding for 24 hours after intravaginal administration seems sufficient. Source (1) recommends interruption for at least 6 hours after intravaginal administration.

Surgical abortion and breastfeeding. When can you breastfeed?

  • As for the compatibility of anesthesia with breastfeeding, it all depends on the type of anesthesia. However, usually the mother can feed after the anesthesia has worn off (as after any other operation performed under anesthesia).
  • Since a mini-abortion, possible in the early stages, is equivalent in safety to a medical abortion (6,7), and when performed under local anesthesia there is no need to interrupt breastfeeding, a mini-abortion may become the method of choice for a nursing mother.

I would like to express my gratitude to obstetrician-gynecologist, AKEV participant O.V. Rudneva for her assistance in developing this article.