abortion contractions vs birth?

Question

I'm not even going to try posting this under my name because I know the witch hunt that comes up from any post mentioning the word abortion... but anyway:

I had an unmedicated abortion years ago when I was 20 and now I am pregnant again at 35. I was just wondering if those contractions are anything like real labor? All I remember is having very strong cramps that felt like my stomach was going to rip in half. They were non stop and extremely painful. I could hardly breathe and remember almost passing out from the pain. Afterwards I kept having pretty strong cramping and it slowly went away the next day.

Does that sound anything like labor contractions? Or are they more intense?

Answer

I know what you're referring to, and I would say labor is different-similar, but different. That in the moment cramping you feel is a forced dilation so it's not a natural process (and no judgement, I've been there too). Those cramps have a quick onset and are very intense and lessen over the hours or days. Labor happens naturally, it's triggered by hormones and it's a gradual process that gets more intense as you go and once you birth the baby the contractions are over and then following you'll have period like cramps as your uterus contracts in the days after birth. It's kind of a reverse experience bc it's a gradual onset working up in intensity before it's over for labor vs quick intense onset gradually settling down. But I'd say at its worst the intensity of cramps is the same. GOODLUCK and don't ever let anybody make you feel bad about your choices. We are no less or worse women or mothers for the paths we've paved for ourselves.

Answer

I think it depends on how far along you were with the abortion (and I think this would apply for any miscarriage or D & C regardless of if it was an abortion or not.)
I had an abortion at 8 weeks a few years ago and honestly did not experience much pain just normal period cramping but maybe that was because it was so early. I'm now 39 weeks pregnant and the contractions I have felt have felt more intense. So like I said probably depends on far along you were.

Answer

I was on patocin so I don't know how much more it affects compared to regular birth but it was alot worse then abortion cramping but we'll worth it I got the epidural once I was curled over crying from pain. But I would say the abortion cramps is like the begging/middle cramping in labor

abortion contractions vs birth?

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