Information AboutAbortion |
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An abortion is the removal or expulsion of an . Throughout History , abortion has been induced by various methods and the Moral and Legal aspects of abortion are subject to intense Debate in many parts of the world. DEFINITIONS The following medical terms are used to categorize abortion:
In common parlance, the term "abortion" is synonymous with induced abortion. However, in medical texts, the word 'abortion' might exclusively refer to, or may also refer to, ''spontaneous abortion'' (miscarriage). INCIDENCE The incidence and reasons for induced abortion vary regionally. It has been estimated that approximately 46 million abortions are performed worldwide every year. Of these, 26 million are said to occur in . By gestational age and method of abortions by Gestational Development in England And Wales during 2004.]] Abortion rates also vary depending on the stage of . Similarly, in England and Wales in 2005, 90% of terminations occurred at or under 12 weeks, 9% between 13 to 19 weeks, and 1% at or over 20 weeks. 71% of those reported were by vacuum aspiration, 5% by D&E, and 24% were medical.Government Statistical Service for the Department of Health. (July 4, 2006). Abortion statistics, England and Wales: 2005 . Retrieved May 10, 2007. By personal and social factors depicting selected data from the 1998 AGI Meta-study on the reasons women stated for having an abortion.]] A 1998 aggregated study, from 27 countries, on the reasons women seek to terminate their pregnancies concluded that common factors cited to have influenced the abortion decision were; desire to delay or end , 2006 . Some abortions are undergone as the result of societal pressures. These might include the stigmatization of . See Social Issues for more information on these subjects. FORMS OF ABORTION Spontaneous abortion See Also: Miscarriage Spontaneous abortions, generally referred to as miscarriages, occur when an Embryo or Fetus is lost due to natural causes before the 20th week of Gestation . A pregnancy that ends earlier than 37 weeks of gestation, if it results in a Live-born Infant , is known as a " Premature Birth ". When a fetus dies in the uterus at some point late in gestation, beginning at about 20 weeks, or during Delivery , it is termed a " Stillbirth ". Premature births and stillbirths are generally not considered to be miscarriages although usage of these terms can sometimes overlap. Most miscarriages occur very early in pregnancy. Between 10% and 50% of pregnancies end in miscarriage, depending upon the age and health of the pregnant woman." Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility: Recurrent Pregnancy Loss (Recurrent Miscarriage) ." (n.d.) Retrieved 2006-01-18 from Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology web site. In most cases, they occur so early in the pregnancy that the woman is not even aware that she was pregnant. The risk of spontaneous abortion decreases sharply after the 8th week. - Q&A: Miscarriage . (August 6 , 2002). ''BBC News.'' Retrieved January 10, 2007. - Lennart Nilsson . (1990) ''A Child is Born.'' This risk is greater in those with a known history of several spontaneous abortions or an induced abortion, those with systemic diseases, and those over age 35. Other causes can be infection (of either the woman or fetus), immune response, or serious systemic disease. A spontaneous abortion can also be caused by accidental Trauma ; intentional trauma to cause miscarriage is considered induced abortion or Feticide . Induced abortion A pregnancy can be intentionally aborted in many ways. The manner selected depends chiefly upon the Gestational Age of the Fetus , in addition to the legality, regional availability, and doctor-patient preference for specific procedures. Surgical abortion may determine which abortion methods are practiced.]] In the first twelve weeks, (D & E) is used. D & E consists of opening the Cervix of the Uterus and emptying it using surgical instruments and suction. ''. The term "D and C", or sometimes ''suction curette'', is used as a euphemism for the first trimester abortion procedure, whichever the method used. Other techniques must be used to induce abortion in the third Trimester . Premature delivery can be induced with Prostaglandin ; this can be coupled with injecting the Amniotic Fluid with caustic solutions containing Saline or Urea . Very late abortions can be induced by Intact Dilation And Extraction (IDX) (also called intrauterine cranial decompression), which requires surgical decompression of the fetus's head before evacuation. IDX is sometimes termed "partial-birth abortion". A Hysterotomy Abortion is an abortion procedure similar to a Caesarean Section , and is performed under General Anesthesia because it is considered major abdominal surgery. The procedure requires a smaller incision than a caesarean section and is used during later stages of pregnancy. Abortion . (2007). ''MSN Encarta.'' Retrieved July 1, 2007. From the 20th to 23rd week of gestation, an . Medical abortion See Also: Medical abortion Effective in the first trimester of pregnancy, medical (sometimes called ''chemical abortion''), or non-surgical abortions comprise 10% of all abortions in the United States and Europe. Combined regimens include Methotrexate or Mifepristone , followed by a Prostaglandin (either Misoprostol or Gemeprost : misoprostol is used in the U.S.; gemeprost is used in the UK and Sweden.) When used within 49 days gestation, approximately 92% of women undergoing medical abortion with a combined regimen completed it without surgical intervention.1 Misoprostol can be used alone, but has a lower efficacy rate than combined regimens. In cases of failure of medical abortion, vacuum or manual aspiration is used to complete the abortion surgically. Other means of abortion at . Abortion is sometimes attempted by causing trauma to the . Reported methods of unsafe, Self-induced Abortion include misuse of Misoprostol , and insertion of non-surgical implements such as Knitting Needle s and Clothes Hanger s into the Uterus . HEALTH EFFECTS Early-term surgical abortion is a simple procedure. When performed before the 16th week by competent , 2006 . Abortion methods, like most surgical procedures, carry a small potential for serious complications, including perforated Uterus ,Legarth, J., Peen, U.B., & Michelsen, J.W. (1991). Mifepristone or vacuum aspiration in termination of early pregnancy . ''European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, 41 (2),'' 91-6. Retrieved , 2006 . perforated Bowel WHO Health Organization. Medical Methods for termination of pregnancy. WHO Technical Report Series 871, 1997 or Bladder ,2 Septic Shock ,Dzhavakhadze, M.V., & Daraselia, M.I. (2005). Mortality case analyses of obstetric-gynecologic sepsis . ''Georgian Medical News, 127,'' 26-9. Retrieved , 2006 . The risk of complications can increase depending on how far Pregnancy has progressed,Pauli, E., Haller, U., Zimmermann, R. (2005). Morbidity of dilatation and evacuation in the second trimester: an analysis . ''Gynakol Geburtshilfliche Rundsch, 45 (2)'', 107-15. Retrieved , 2006 . but remains less than Complications that may occur from carrying pregnancy to term. Assessing the risks of induced abortion depends on a number of factors. First, there are relative health risks of induced abortion and pregnancy, which are both affected by wide variation in the quality of health services in different Societies and among different Socio-economic groups, a lack of uniform Definition s of terms, and difficulties in patient follow-up and after-care. The degree of risk is also dependent upon the skill and experience of the practitioner; maternal age, health, and Parity ; Gestational Age ; pre-existing conditions; methods and instruments used; Medication s used; the skill and experience of those assisting the practitioner; and the quality of recovery and follow-up care. In the . Some practitioners advocate using minimal Anaesthesia so the patient can alert them to possible complications. Others recommend General Anaesthesia , to prevent patient movement, which might cause a perforation. General anaesthesia carries its own risks, including death, which is why public health officials recommend against its routine use. Dilation of the Cervix carries the risk of cervical tears or perforations, including small tears that might not be apparent and might cause Cervical Incompetence in future pregnancies. Most practitioners recommend using the smallest possible dilators, and using Osmotic rather than Mechanical dilators after the first Trimester . Instruments that are placed within the uterus can, on rare occasions, cause Perforation or Laceration of the uterus, and damage structures surrounding the uterus. Laceration or perforation of the uterus or cervix can, again on rare occasions, lead to more serious complications. Incomplete emptying of the uterus can cause Hemorrhage and infection. Use of Ultrasound verification of the location and duration of the pregnancy prior to abortion, with immediate follow-up of patients reporting continuing pregnancy symptoms after the procedure, will virtually eliminate this risk. The sooner a complication is noted and properly treated, the lower the risk of permanent injury or death. In rare cases, abortion will be unsuccessful and pregnancy will continue. An unsuccessful abortion can result in delivery of a live . Unsafe Abortion methods (e.g. use of certain drugs, herbs, or insertion of non-surgical objects into the Uterus ) are potentially dangerous, carrying a significantly elevated risk for permanent injury or death, as compared to abortions done by Physician s. Suggested effects There is controversy over a number of proposed risks and effects of abortion. Evidence, whether in support of or against such claims, might be influenced by the political and religious beliefs of the parties behind it. Breast cancer See Also: Abortion-breast cancer hypothesis Breast cancer The abortion-breast cancer (ABC) hypothesis (also referred to by supporters as the ABC link) posits a Causal Relationship between induced abortion and an increased risk of developing Breast Cancer . In early Pregnancy the level of Estrogen s increases, leading to Breast Growth in preparation for Lactation . The abortion-breast cancer hypothesis proposes that if this process is interrupted with an abortion – before full differentiation in the third Trimester – then more relatively vulnerable undifferentiated cells could be left than there were prior to the pregnancy, resulting in a greater potential risk of breast cancer. The hypothesis garnered renewed interest from Rat studies conducted in the 1980s,Russo J., Russo I.H. (1980) PubMed ''Susceptibility of the mammary gland to carcinogenesis. II. Pregnancy interruption as a risk factor in tumor incidence.'' Am J Pathol. 1980 Aug;100(2):497-512.Russo J. ''et al.'' (1982) PubMed ''Differentiation of the mammary gland and susceptibility to carcinogenesis.'' Breast Cancer Res Treat. 1982;2(1):5-73.Russo J., Russo I.H. (1987) PubMed ''Biological and molecular bases of mammary carcinogenesis.'' Lab Invest. 1987 Aug;57(2):112-37. however, it has not been scientifically verified in humans, and abortion is not considered a breast cancer risk by any major cancer organization. A large . In 2004, Beral ''et al.'' published a Collaborative Reanalysis of 53 epidemiological studies and concluded that abortion does "not increase a woman's risk of developing breast cancer."4 Critics of these studies argue they are subject to "women-centered" strategy against abortion.Arthur, Joyce. (2002) ProChoiceActionNetwork-Canada.org – ''Abortion and Breast Cancer — A Forged Link'' Nevertheless, the subject continues to be one of mostly political but some scientific contention.7 Fetal pain See Also: Fetal pain The existence or absence of fetal sensation during abortion is a matter of medical, ethical and public policy interest. Evidence conflicts, with some authorities holding that the fetus is capable of feeling . . Researchers have observed changes in heart rates and , 2006 . Mental health See Also: Post-abortion syndrome Mental health Post-abortion Syndrome (PAS) is a term used to describe a set of Mental Health characteristics which some people claim to have observed in women following an abortion. According to Spanish researcher Carmen Gomez Lavin, symptoms attributed to PAS are "dreams and Nightmare s related with the abortion," and "feelings of Guilt ". Lavin and company examined ways to categorize PAS under the assumption that it exists and is related to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder .9 Abortion is illegal in Spain except in cases of rape or incest.10 Researchers at the Department of Psychiatry at the University Of Chicago Medical Center in the United States have found that the existence of PAS to be a Myth .11''Journal of the American Medical Association, 268 (15),'' 2078-9. Retrieved December 7 , 2006 PAS is listed in neither the DSM-IV-TR nor the ICD-10 , and not considered a medical condition by the American Psychiatric Association . Some studies have shown abortion to have neutral or positive effects on the mental well-being of some patients. A 1989 study of . Two studies, one done in FinlandGissler, M., Hemminki, E., & Lonnqvist, J. (1996). Suicides after pregnancy in Finland, 1987-94: register linkage study Electronic version . ''British Medical Journal, 313,'' 1431-4. Retrieved 2006-01-11 . and the other in New Zealand,13 found links between abortion and depression. However, both studies were unable to establish a causal relationship between abortion and depression because it is not clear if abortion causes depression in women, or if women who are depressed are more likely to elect to have an abortion as the result of an unplanned pregnancy. ). Retrieved 2006-01-11 . Childbirth can also sometimes result in Maternity Blues or Postpartum Depression . HISTORY OF ABORTION See Also: History of abortion Induced abortion, according to some , 2006 . There is evidence to suggest that, historically, pregnancies were terminated through a number of methods, including the administration of Abortifacient herbs, the use of sharpened implements, the application of abdominal pressure, and other techniques. The . It is also believed that, in addition to using it as a Contraceptive , the ancient Greeks relied upon Silphium as an Abortifacient . Such folk remedies, however, varied in effectiveness and were not without risk. Tansy and Pennyroyal , for example, are two Poison ous Herbs with serious Side Effects that have at times been used to terminate pregnancy. Abortion in the 19th century continued, despite bans in both the . SOCIAL ISSUES A number of complex issues exist in the debate over abortion. These, like the suggested effects upon health listed above, are a focus of research and a fixture of discussion among members on all sides of the controversy. Effect upon crime rate See Also: Legalized abortion and crime effect A controversial theory attempts to draw a Correlation between the United States' unprecedented nationwide decline of the overall Crime Rate during the 1990s and the decriminalization of abortion 20 years prior. The suggestion was brought to widespread attention by a 1999 . Fellow economists Christopher Foote and Christopher Goetz criticized the , from University of Chicago, Initiative on Chicago Price Theory web site: ResponseToFooteGoetz2006.pdf . Such research has been criticized by some as being . Levitt states in his book, '' Freakonomics '', that they are neither promoting nor negating any course of action — merely reporting data as economists. Sex-selective abortion See Also: Sex-selective abortion and infanticide The advent of both Sonography and Amniocentesis has allowed parents to determine Sex before Birth . This has led to the occurrence of Sex-selective Abortion or the targeted termination of a Fetus based upon its sex. It is suggested that sex-selective abortion might be partially responsible for the noticeable disparities between the . In . In the ). ''Xinhua News Agency.'' Retrieved 2006-01-12 . Unsafe abortion See Also: Unsafe abortion Where and when access to safe abortion has been barred, due to explicit sanctions or general unavailability, women seeking to terminate their pregnancies have sometimes resorted to unsafe methods. " Back-alley Abortion " is a Slang term for any abortion not practiced under generally accepted standards of Sanitation and Professional ism. The World Health Organization defines an unsafe abortion as being, "a procedure...carried out by persons lacking the necessary skills or in an environment that does not conform to minimal medical standards, or both." This can include a person without medical training, a professional health provider operating in sub-standard conditions, or the woman herself. Unsafe abortion remains a . ABORTION DEBATE at the March For Women's Lives .]] in 2002. The rally is held annually in Washington, DC .]] See Also: Abortion debate Pro-choice Pro-life Over the course of the History Of Abortion , induced abortion has been the source of considerable Debate , Controversy , and Activism . An Individual's Position on the complex Ethical , Moral , Philosophical , Biological , and Legal issues is often related to his or her Value System . Opinions of abortion may be best described as being a combination of beliefs on its morality, and beliefs on the responsibility, ethical scope, and proper extent of Government al Authorities in Public Policy . Religious Ethics also has an influence upon both personal opinion and the greater debate over abortion (see Religion And Abortion ). Abortion debates, especially pertaining to Abortion Law s, are often spearheaded by Advocacy Groups belonging to one of two camps. In the United States , most often those in favor of legal prohibition of abortion describe themselves as Pro-life while those against legal restrictions on abortion describe themselves as Pro-choice . Both are used to indicate the central principles in arguments for and against abortion: "Is the fetus a human being with a fundamental right to ''life''?" for pro-life advocates, and, for those who are pro-choice, "Does a woman have the right to ''choose'' whether or not to continue a pregnancy?" In both public and private debate, arguments presented in favor of or against abortion focus on either the moral permissibility of an induced abortion, or justification of Laws permitting or restricting abortion. Arguments on morality and legality tend to collide and combine, complicating the issue at hand. Debate also focuses on whether the . Public opinion See Also: Societal attitudes towards abortion A number of Opinion Poll s around the world have explored Public Opinion regarding the issue of abortion. Results have varied from poll to poll, country to country, and region to region, while varying with regard to different aspects of the issue. A May 2005 survey examined attitudes toward abortion in 10 Europe an countries, asking polltakers whether they agreed with the statement, "If a woman doesn't want children, she should be allowed to have an abortion". The highest level of approval was 81% in the Czech Republic and the highest level of disapproval was 48% in Poland .TNS Sofres. (May 2005). European Values . Retrieved January 11, 2007. In . A November 2005 poll in Mexico found that 73.4% think abortion should not be legalized while 11.2% think it should." Mexicans Support Status Quo on Social Issues ." (December 1, 2005). ''Angus Reid Global Monitor.'' Retrieved January 10, 2006. Of attitudes in found that 65.6% said they thought that abortion should remain illegal, 26.9% that it should be made legal, and 7.5% that they were unsure." Colombians Reject Legalizing Abortion . (August 2, 2005). ''Angus Reid Global Monitor''. Retrieved January 10, 2006. ABORTION LAW See Also: Abortion law History of abortion )]] George W. Bush signs the '' Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003'']] Before the scientific discovery that human development begins at fertilization, , with legislation in 1920, and Iceland , with legislation in 1935, were two of the first countries to generally allow abortion. The second half of the 20th century saw the liberalization of abortion laws in other countries. The '' Abortion Act 1967 '' allowed abortion for limited reasons in the United Kingdom . In the 1973 case, '' Roe V. Wade '', the United States Supreme Court struck down state laws banning abortion, ruling that such laws violated an implied Right To Privacy in the United States Constitution . The Supreme Court Of Canada , similarly, in the case of '' R. V. Morgentaler '', discarded its criminal code regarding abortion in 1988, after ruling that such restrictions violated the security of person guaranteed to women under the '' Canadian Charter Of Rights And Freedoms ''. Canada later struck down provincial regulations of abortion in the case of '' R. V. Morgentaler (1993) .'' By contrast, Abortion In Ireland was affected by the addition of an Amendment to the Irish Constitution in 1983 by popular Referendum , recognizing "the right to life of the unborn". Current laws pertaining to abortion are diverse. Religious, moral, and cultural sensibilities continue to influence abortion laws throughout the world. The Right To Life , the right to Liberty , and the right to Security Of Person are major issues of Human Rights that are sometimes used as justification for the existence or absence of laws controlling abortion. Many countries in which abortion is legal require that certain criteria be met in order for an abortion to be obtained, often, but not always, using a Trimester -based system to regulate the window of legality:
Other countries, in which abortion is normally illegal, will allow one to be performed in the case of , abortion is illegal, but the government has long supported a network of "menstrual regulation clinics", where Menstrual Extraction ( Manual Vacuum Aspiration ) can be performed as menstrual hygiene.14 SEE ALSO REFERENCES EXTERNAL LINKS
The following information resources may be created by those with a non-neutral position in the abortion debate:
The following links are to groups which advocate a specific position:
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