Can you eat after taking the abortion pill

• Please note that as some of our centres may be within a GP practice there may be babies/children in shared waiting rooms. 

If you’re under 16, we strongly recommend that an adult (someone 18 or over) accompanies you home after your treatment.

We have a dedicated page that your partner, friend or family member can read to find out how to support you.

Arranging travel

It's important to arrange your return travel before you come to your appointment as you won’t be able to drive yourself home if you have had medical abortion treatment or a surgical abortion with sedation or general anaesthetic. We advise against using public transport after your abortion treatment.

We strongly recommend that you have someone available to travel home with you after your appointment, and stay with you for the next 24 hours.

For clients traveling from overseas, we know you will have travelled some way to get to your appointment. You will want to return home as soon as you can, but we strongly recommend you stay overnight locally with friends or family if possible.

By contacting us ahead of travelling we can answer any questions you might have on treatment options, prices, travel, how long you should stay in England, and if you should be accompanied on your trip. Call us on 0345 300 8090 to speak with one of our advisors.

When it comes to self-managed abortion, myths are never ending (trust us when we say we've heard just about everything). It's vital that you have accurate medical information, and that includes knowing how to take care of yourself once you've taken abortion pills. What should be super high on that list? Hydration!

Let's review: If you've chosen to take the mifepristone/misoprostol combination, you should swallow the mifepristone first, with a glass of water. 24 hours later, you'll put 2 misoprostol pills between your cheek and gum on the left side of your mouth, and 2 in the same place on the right side of your mouth. It will take about 30 minutes for the pills to dissolve, and during that time, you should definitely not eat or drink. After 30 minutes, you can swallow what's in your mouth, and then, you may eat or drink normally.  If you're going the misoprostol on its own route, you'll take 12 pills in total, in 3 hour intervals, and the same applies: you'll wait for the pills to dissolve, swallow your saliva while doing so, and then you can swallow everything that's in your mouth after 30 minutes, followed by eating and drinking as normal.

In case you've heard the rumor that drinking cold water during or after your abortion has a negative impact on the efficacy of the procedure, it's definitely not true. Drinking water is a huge part of taking care of your body in your daily life, and it's crucial that you do it when you're having an abortion. Diarrhea and vomiting, which both cause dehydration, are common symptoms associated with the use of misoprostol, so keeping on top of your hydration game is even more important. It's normal to feel crappy after taking abortion pills, so prioritize your self-care as much as is humanly possible. In addition to eating and drinking water, make sure that you have time and a safe space to rest, as well as access to painkillers, knowledge of where the closest medical facility, and  someone you feel comfortable calling for emotional support and/or emergency transportation.

Selected from data included with permission and copyrighted by First Databank, Inc. This copyrighted material has been downloaded from a licensed data provider and is not for distribution, except as may be authorized by the applicable terms of use.

CONDITIONS OF USE: The information in this database is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgment of healthcare professionals. The information is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, drug interactions or adverse effects, nor should it be construed to indicate that use of a particular drug is safe, appropriate or effective for you or anyone else. A healthcare professional should be consulted before taking any drug, changing any diet or commencing or discontinuing any course of treatment.

When you’ve just had an abortion, your body will be working hard. You need plenty of good nutrition to heal yourself. You’ll be losing some blood and re-growing your womb lining, so you’ll need some extra energy, just like during your period. Your body will still be feeling the effects of pregnancy hormones too, so it will need some extra vitamins and minerals to stay healthy.

Another reason why it’s important to eat well after an abortion is that it will help you to feel better. Food can be just as powerful when it comes to our mental wellbeing as our physical health. Eating some good meals will boost your energy levels and mood while you are taking time off to recover physically and mentally.

5 Tips for Eating After an Abortion

So, what should you be eating or avoiding after an abortion? Here are our top tips for eating well during your recovery.

1. Watch Out for Digestive Side Effects:

Some women can experience side effects such as nausea, constipation or diarrhoea after an abortion. This happens because of all the hormonal changes that your body is going through. If you’re affected then you can use your diet to relieve the symptoms, for example by eating more fibre if you are constipated or avoiding foods that make you feel sick.

2. Get Plenty of Energy:

Even if you don’t feel like eating much, it’s important to ensure your body is getting enough energy to recover. You’ll probably need a few more calories than usual as your body is working hard to heal, even though you’re spending a lot of time resting.

3. Eat the Right Nutrients:

Eating a balanced diet is always good for your health, but it is even more important when you’re healing. Make sure that your diet includes plenty of protein, iron, B vitamins and calcium after an abortion as your body will need lots of these to recover. Fruits and vegetables, wholegrains, and foods enriched with calcium and iron can be particularly good for you.

4. Enjoy Some Comfort Food:

Since you need a little extra energy anyway, you might as well use this excuse to enjoy some of your favourite comfort foods. You need to rest and take care of yourself as much as possible, so don’t feel bad about making the easy choices. Eat something that’s simple to prepare or order and have some meals that make you feel better, even if they aren’t the healthiest. As long as you’re getting all the right nutrients from your other meals, it won’t hurt to enjoy some treats too.

5. Drink Plenty of Water:

Staying hydrated is essential for your health, especially when your body is recovering from an abortion. Make sure that you’re drinking plenty of fluids such as water. When you’re well hydrated, your urine should be a pale yellow colour. If it’s too dark, you should be drinking more water.