Things That I Was Terrified About During My Abortion

 

Summary: I literally spent several sleepless nights, leading up to the abortion surgery that I needed to have in early 2011. Over here, I will take you through the main factors that really got me tensed.

All my confidence of being a free-spirited, independent, rebel of a girl came crashing down two years back – when I tested positive for pregnancy. I was in the final year of my post-graduate course, had a stable boyfriend (we hitched up this year, in April), and had never been shy of a physically intimate session or two with him. Using protection was not something I was really attentive about though – and the unwanted pregnancy was a direct result. I knew that embryo-removal was a relatively commonplace medical process, but was still mighty apprehensive about the following factors:

1. To tell or not to tell – My mom is my best friend, but I had a notion that, if I informed her about my rash act, she would be unquestionably disappointed. Of course, I had confided in my boyfriend, but it took me several weeks to summon up the courage to tell my mother. Thank goodness I did though, for she was the one who gave me all the required emotional support during the stage.
2. Looking for the best abortion center – Thanks to my lengthy procrastinations, my pregnancy was in its 14^th week, when I started to look for an abortion clinic in Kolkata. I no longer had the option of avoiding a surgical procedure – and was really petrified about making a mistake while choosing the right pregnancy termination center. It took me a further three weeks to zero in upon one.
3. Effect on my natural fertility – My gynecologist in Kolkata had assured me that an abortion procedure generally had no effects whatsoever on natural reproductive capabilities – but I was still ill at ease. That was one of the main reasons why I chose a pregnancy abortion clinic, where infertility treatment facilities were available too. I did not need such treatments (thank God!) – but it was prudent to be on the safe side!
4. What were the ways to tackle infertility problems (if they did crop up)? – This is basically an extension of the earlier apprehension of mine. Since I was terrified of being rendered infertile by the abortion operation – I inquired in detail about the provisions for IUI and IVF treatment in India at the clinic I had selected. I surely felt a lot safer after acquiring in-depth knowledge on the topic.
5. Confidentiality norms at the clinic – Well, I had told practically no one about my untimely pregnancy, but would the professionals at the abortion and infertility center in Kolkata respect my need for privacy? To my utter relief, I found that maintaining complete confidentiality of the patient records was something that the clinic staff took very seriously. I did not have to fear about having a loss of face in the society.
6. Probable damages during the operation – It was a more or less major surgical process, and I could not quite rule out the chances of my cervix or uterine walls getting accidentally scarred – adversely affecting my child-bearing capabilities in future. My mother too seemed rather worried on this count, and she actually looked into the credentials of the gynaecologist in Kolkata, who would be helming the operation. An experienced surgeon – he ensured that the operation went ahead without any glitch, and there were hardly any post-surgical complications.
7. Would the risks of miscarriages be enhanced? – I was pretty much convinced that the embryo-removal process would make future miscarriages a much bigger threat than usual – until the consultants at my chosen abortion and IVF center in Kolkata told me otherwise. They explained that, only if a woman has to undergo two or more abortions within a span of five years or less, such risks become more pronounced.
8. Post-operative pains – This is where I made a fool of myself. A week or so after the operation, I started experiencing a dull pain in the abdominal area. I immediately believed that the problems were being generated by a serious infection attack – and rushed to the abortion center in Kolkata, for medical help. As it turned out, it was only a case of acidity and heartburn, and a couple of antacid pills set things right!
9. When could I resume my normal sex life? – There was a bit of bleeding for about 5-6 days following the abortion surgery, and I was really in a quandary about when I could safely get back to my normal sex life. I and my boyfriend met a professional sexology expert, who advised us to stay away from having intercourses for about three weeks. Sure enough, all my discomforts disappeared well within that period, and I could happily look forward to get close to my partner again.

Like any young girl, the prospect of having to undergo an abortion had seemed to be an overtly daunting one to me at first. However, all of my fears turned out to be unfounded – and I managed to get married to my long-standing boyfriend within a year of the operation. We are planning to welcome a new member in our family some time next year – and my doctor tells me there would be no problems in that!