| What is an Abortion? |
|
Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by expelling or removing the developing fetus from a woman's uterus. The term includes both induced abortion when a woman chooses to end the pregnancy and spontaneous abortion when the pregnancy is ended naturally before the fetus is viable generally before 20 weeks gestation. Spontaneous abortion is also referred to as miscarriage. Miscarriages, the most common complication of pregnancy can be a result of genetic abnormalities, infection, medication, hormonal effects, structural abnormality of the uterus and immune abnormalities. More information on miscarriages can be found in the pregnancy section.
|
| |
| What Methods are Used to Terminate Pregnancy? |
|
There are two main methods of induced abortion: surgical abortion in which surgical instruments are used to empty the contents of the uterus and medical abortion in which medication(s) are used to terminate the pregnancy. Other than elective termination, induced abortions are also generally considered when the pregnancy places the woman’s health at risk or when there is a chance of an abnormality in the fetus. Before an abortion is performed, a medical professional should confirm that a woman is pregnant and determine how long she has been pregnant. The length of a pregnancy is usually measured by the number of days that have passed since the first day of the woman's last menstrual period (LMP).
|
| |
| How to Choose a Method? |
| The type of abortion chosen depends on a woman’s choice, health, how long she has been pregnant and the methods available in her country. During the first trimester of pregnancy the most common and preferred methods are medical abortion or vacuum aspiration, a surgical method. Dilation and curettage (D&C) is also another, less preferred surgical method performed during the first trimester. |
| |
| Medical Abortion |
| Women undergoing a medical abortion generally take one of two medications, mifepristone or methotrexate, in combination with a third medication, misoprostol. Misoprostol can be administered alone if mifepristone or methotrexate are not available. These medications can be used within 63 days (up to nine weeks) of the last menstrual period. The WHO recommends the combined use of misoprostol and mifepristone as the most effective and safe method in the first 9 weeks of pregnancy (WHO, 2003). Depending on the specific combination and administration of drugs, medical abortion is between 95 to 99% effective. Women can generally expect more than one visit to a health professional to complete the abortion process. |
|
top
|
| Vacuum Aspiration |
|
Vacuum aspiration is a method by which the contents of the uterus are evacuated through a thin, hollow plastic or metal tube that is attached to a vacuum source either a handheld aspirator or an electric pump. According to the World Health Organization, VA can be used throughout the pregnancy first trimester. It can also be used to complete an incomplete or spontaneous abortion. VA successfully ends first trimester pregnancies 99.5% of the time.
|
|
|
| Dilation and Curettage |
|
In dilation and curettage, the cervix is first dilated and then a curved instrument (curette) is used to remove the uterine contents. This procedure can be performed during the first 12 to 15 weeks of pregnancy. It is as effective as vacuum aspiration; however because there is a higher risk of complications and anesthesia is generally required it is recommended that it only be used when neither vacuum aspiration nor medication abortion is available.
|
| |
| Dilation & Evacuation and Induction |
| After the first trimester dilation and evacuation (D&E), a surgical method, is usually performed. Dilation and evacuation combines techniques used in vacuum aspiration and dilation and curettage as well as other surgical instruments (such as forceps). After the cervix is dilated, uterine contents are first removed using an aspirator; any remaining contents are removed with surgical instruments. Dilation and evacuation (D&E) is the most common and safest procedure used (95% of the time) for an abortion in the second trimester. A less common method during the second trimester is induction abortion in which medications are usually administered orally or vaginally to induce contractions and expel the fetus from the uterus. This procedure is rarely used, and normally only occurs when there is a medical problem or illness in the fetus or woman. |
| |
| What to Expect |
| It is important to know what to expect after an abortion, what the normal side effects are and what are possible warning signs/complications for which to consult a health-care provider. Following an abortion, a normal recovery may include some bleeding, cramping, and elevation of temperature. Women may also experience physical and emotional changes, including breast tenderness, nausea, tiredness, and sadness. Women should consult their health-care providers if they experience heavy bleeding (generally defined as soaking through more than two maxi pads an hour, for more than two hours in a row), fever, severe cramps that are not responding to pain medication, clots larger in size than a lemon, vomiting for more than six hours, or an unpleasant vaginal discharge. After having an abortion if a woman does not want to get pregnant it is important to begin using birth control immediately. |
|
top
|
|