MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Abortion

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Abortion - incomplete

Contents of this page:
Illustrations Alternative Names Definition	Symptoms Treatment

Illustrations

Early pregnancy

Alternative Names Return to top

Incomplete abortion

Definition Return to top

In an incomplete abortion, parts of the fetus or placental material stay inside the uterus.

See also:

Symptoms Return to top

Typical symptoms include vaginal bleeding and lower abdominal cramping.

Treatment Return to top

In most cases, a surgical procedure called curettage is done to remove the remaining material from the uterus. The goal of this treatment is to prevent prolonged bleeding or infection.

Update Date: 11/8/2006

Updated by: Audra Robertson, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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