The abortion essay below will be discussed in depth below.
Abortion is the termination of pregnancy by the removal of foetus and embryo (at an early age or before the 20th week of the gestation period) along with the placenta. If the same is done without any intervention then this is called, ‘’miscarriage” and in other words, it is also called,” spontaneous miscarriage”. But if it is done with deliberate actions it is called, “induced abortion” or lesser-known as ‘’induced miscarriage’’.
It is the safest procedure in medical history. But if the procedure is practiced with unsafe methods it can be the cause of maternal deaths.
According to the first national study on incidence and unintended pregnancy in India, there is an estimated value of 15.6 million abortion cases. This can be converted into easier words that are the rate in India is 47 per 1000 women aged between 15-49, likely the rate of neighboring South Asian Countries.
Around 45% of all the abortions reported are done by unsafe practices or methods.
Here in the essay, we will be discussing the following points:
- Types of Abortion
- Methods
- Laws implemented.
- Society and Culture
- Myths
What Happens Before Abortion?
Missing Periods and Pregnancy Test
If you tend to have a regular menstruation cycle, then you can evidently process the missing of your menstruation cycle. Pregnancy tests work when the uterus releases high levels of HCG hormones after the beginning of a pregnancy. It can be taken after a few days of your ovulation for detecting your pregnancy. Majorly, the test will show up as positive in the first week after when your menstruation cycle is missed.
If you tend to have an irregular menstruation cycle (or ovulated a few days later than usual), then it will take quite a long time to show your pregnancy test positive. The reason behind this that our body may take a longer time to produce the HCG hormone to be adequate amount so that it can be helpful in detecting the test.
Early Pregnancy Symptoms
Hormonal changes can be seen within the few days or weeks after your menstruation is missed but also it may take a month after your missed menstruation.
In some cases, light spotting of blood may occur, but it is quite different from menstruation bleeding. Also, heavier spotting of blood may happen which is not typically as same as menstruation.
If you have menstruation for a while and the menstruation remains the same, and if you can distinguish between pregnancy spotting and menstruation heavy bleeding may occur which can be a sign of a miscarriage.
During Abortion: What to expect?
Before doing an abortion, doctors ask you to get and perform some tests, many times a blood test also. An ultrasound test to confirm how long is the pregnancy has reached. They will provide you written instructions and whom to call when having a query after going home. Also, tell you about what to have along with you like – menstrual pads, a hot water bottle, and a friend or relative to accompany you back home.
After Abortion
Feeling of tiredness, soreness and always wanted to rest. It is very important to avoid inserting anything into the vagina for 2-3 weeks after it, including – tampons, menstrual cups, sex toys, penises. This is just to avoid any infection in the cervix.
Types of Abortion
Mainly there are many types of abortion, the types are discussed below briefly:
Early: It is was primarily done before the 12th week of pregnancy.
Late: It is performed between the 12th and 20th week of the gestation period.
Threatened: It is when vaginal bleeding occurs before completing the time period of 20th week of gestation period. This may be a cause for the miscarriage, which is why it is termed as ‘’threatened abortion’’ or ‘’threatened miscarriage’’.
Complete: It is typically having a history of vaginal bleeding, abdominal pain, and passage of tissue exist. After the tissue passes, there is no pain felt by the patient, and bleeding stops. The ultrasound sound shows some blood in the vaginal vault, closed cervix, no cervix tenderness, uterus, adnexa, or abdomen an empty uterus is demonstrated.
Incomplete: It is a pregnancy involving vaginal bleeding, dilatation of the cervical canal and, the passage of products of conception.
Induced: Most of them occurred due to unwanted pregnancies at any early or postage. Many of them are done due to genetic problems in the foetus. Pregnancy can be terminated in many ways. And the choice of the procedure is of the mother or the doctor.
- Therapeutic: Therapeutic is done when there is a life threat to the mother or any medical emergency. Also, when the foetus is unable to grow properly or is dead in the womb.
- Elective: An elective or voluntary abortion is performed at the request of the mother due to some non – medical reasons.
Inevitable: In early pregnancy, with vaginal bleeding and dilation of the cervix. The bleeding does not stop and maybe worse than the ‘’threatened abortion’’
Also Read: Best Women Empowerment Essay
Methods
There are the following methods for terminating pregnancy which is listed below:
1st-trimester medical abortion:
Medical abortions during the period of 4 – 6th week are performed by using drugs and pills.
Abortion Pill and Mifepristone (approximately 4 – 7 weeks from the last menstrual period)
The drug is given only up to the 49th day from the last menstrual period. This procedure requires three calls in the clinic. In the first call, the patient is given the pills which cause the death of the embryo. In the second visit which is 2 days later, if the abortion is not done then the second drug is given which gives contraction to expel the embryo from the body. In the last visit, it is to determine the procedure is completed.
1st-trimester surgical abortion:
It is done between the 6th – 12th week of the gestation period. Unless like medical abortion which requires drugs, surgical abortion requires surgery.
Dilatation and Curettage (approximately 7-12 week from last menstrual period)
The surgery is done early, until the 12th week of pregnancy. The cervix is dilated, and curettage tool is inserted, and the developing foetus is scraped out of the uterus.
Suction Curettage (approximately 6-14 week from last menstrual period)
The most common method of abortion. In this procedure, the cervix is opened with the help of metal rods which may be painful which is why mild anesthesia is given. After this, a tube is inserted inside and then it is connected to a suction pump and the suction pump pulls the foetus out of the uterus or the body.
2nd-trimester surgical abortion:
2nd-trimester abortion is performed between the 12th and 24th weeks.
Dilation and Evacuation (approximately 13th– 24th week from last menstrual period)
The surgical abortion is done in the second trimester of the gestation period. At this point, foetus is very large and cannot be pulled from the suction pump. Therefore, in this procedure, the cervix must be opened wider than the first trimester. Once it’s done doctor pulls out the fetal part and scrapes the head for easy removal and by use of curette other remaining tissues are removed properly.
3rd-trimester surgical abortion:
3rd-trimester abortion is performed after the 24th week to a full month.
Late-term (after 24th week up to full term)
It takes 3 days; anesthesia is used with increased risk to the life of the mother. Firstly, ultrasound is done and the foetal is injected with medicine that stops the heart and causes its death. On the 2nd day, the cervix is stretched using laminaria. On the 3rd, the sac is burst and drained. The remaining is the same as the D&E procedure.
Society and Culture
Abortion has always been a debatable topic in society. Ethical, philosophical, biological, moral, religious, and legal issues related to it. Opinion on having an abortion or not should be the mother’s right.
Although in many countries on women request abortion is legal but in India, the picture is not the same. In India, the abortion cases are restricted to the cases when:
The life of the mother is in danger,
Mother’s health
Rape
Foetal Impairment
Socio-economic factors
In India, there is sex-selective abortion. With the developing medical sciences from the help of Sonography and amniocentesis test, parents can know the sex of the child before birth. And most selective termination is of the female foetus.
Because of the noticeable termination of the female foetus, it has led to known differentiation on the birth of male and female birth in some countries. Preference for the male child in society for leading the hierarchy of the family has led to more abortions related to sex.
Even to stop the discrimination and male preferences, China has opted for the one–child policy which was enacted in 1979.
Myths Related
People use abortion as a means of birth control: Everyone makes decisions on the information accessible to them. One of them is choosing a method of birth control. Although using a contraceptive is cheaper and easier than accessing abortion services. Though people use contraceptives but still due to some reasons (may include – condom breaking, getting pregnant despite being on birth control pills), lack of access to information about accurate reproductive and sexual health information, lack of access to affordable birth control methods.
Abortion is dangerous for psychological health: This is false that abortion is dangerous for psychological health. But on the contrary, studies show that abortion at an early age is safer though it may cause some damage due to uterine scarring, and cervical damage. These are just minor complications and are curable.
There is no need for abortion as contraceptives are present: This ignores the fact that contraceptives, even when used properly still it may fail. There may be many reasons for the failure of contraceptives. Sexual health education is lacking in our schools, colleges, which educate us about it.
Although abortion is a debatable topic, it must be the right of women for giving birth to a child or not. It is related to women’s rights.