More Information About Abortion
CDC began conducting abortion surveillance in 1969 to document the number and characteristics of women obtaining legal induced abortions. These statistics are only those of which were voluntarily reported. Various abortion clinics and private doctors from state to state may not have reported any data at all and some may have not submitted every aspect of information that was requested. Also, some states did not participate at all. – CDC Abortion Surveillance Report 2004
The Facts on Abortion*
There are nearly 3,600 abortions per day. That breaks down to 149 per hour, about one every 24 seconds.
Only 7% or less of all abortions is done because of rape, incest or health concerns.
The abortion business is a $400 million a year industry.
By age 45, 44% of all women will have had an abortion.
Nearly 2000 abortions a year are performed after the fifth month.
Since 1973, there have been over 47 million abortions in the United States. More children died of abortion than Americans died in the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, World Wars I and II, the Korean War, Vietnam and Gulf Wars combined.
*Statistics provided by CareNet, (703)478-5661
Health Risks Associated With Abortion
Abortion is not just a simple medical procedure. For many women, men and extended families, abortion is a life changing event with significant physical, emotional and spiritual consequences. Most people who struggle with past abortions say that they wish they had been told all of the facts about abortion.
Anticipated Physical Side Effects of Abortion
Side effects frequently associated with the abortion procedure are:
- Abdominal pain and cramping
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Spotting and bleeding
- More serious complications associated with surgical abortion include, heavy or persistent bleeding, infection, damage to the cervix, scarring of the uterine lining, perforation of the uterus, damage to other organs, and death.
In addition, there is a link between breast cancer and abortion. A 1994 study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found: “Among women who had been pregnant at least once, the risk of breast cancer in those who had experienced an induced abortion was 50% higher than among other women.”
Potential Emotional and Psychological Side Effects of Abortion
For many women, men and extended family members, the emotional pain following an abortion is haunting. The intensity and duration of these effects will vary from person to person, but emotional and psychological side effects following an abortion may include:
- Regret
- Anger
- Guilty feelings
- Shame
- Loneliness or isolation
- Decrease in self-confidence
- Insomnia or nightmares
- Relationship issues
- Suicidal thoughts and feelings
- Eating disorders
- Depression
- Anxiety
Before going through with an abortion procedure, the most important thing a person can do is to get help. Seeking out trained professionals who can answer questions and discuss the situation is very important. Staying connected with family and friends and avoiding the temptation to withdraw from others or keep things a secret can help to put the situation into perspective. Talking to others who have gone through abortion or an unplanned pregnancy situation to find out what it was like for them can bring valuable insight.
The Fetus and Abortion
Does the baby feel pain during the abortion procedure? It has been determined that at about eight weeks a fetus can feel pain. It is at this point in development that the following necessary structures are in place: sensory nerves (which detect pain), the thalamus (the part of the brain that receives pain messages from sensory nerves), and motor nerves (which are directed by the brain to pull away from the hurt). In addition, by 13 1/2 to 14 weeks, the entire body surface, except for the back and the top of the head, are sensitive to pain.
The Abortion Procedure
The type of abortion procedure used is usually determined by how far a woman is into the pregnancy. Abortion procedures are described below and are divided into categories based on the woman’s stage of pregnancy.
Abortion Procedures During the First Trimester (Week 1 through Week 13)
Methotrexate and Misoprostol (MTX)
The pills are given orally or by injection, and the patient returns home. The pills work to start contractions and result in the expulsion of the fetus. This may occur within a few hours or up to a few days. Methotrexate is primarily used in the treatment of cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. In cases of abortion, it causes the fetus to separate from the lining of the uterus. The FDA has not approved Methotrexate for abortion purposes.
Mifepristone and Misoprostol
These drugs are also referred to as RU-486, the abortion pill or Mifeprex. During the first office visit, Mifepristone is given orally. The drug blocks the hormone progesterone, which causes the lining of the uterus to break down and the fetus dies. During a second office visit Misoprostol is given, and the patient returns home. The pills work to start contractions and result in the expulsion of the fetus. The may occur within a few hours or in some cases, up to two weeks.
Suction Aspiration
Also referred to as vacuum aspiration or suction curettage, suction aspiration is the most common kind of abortion procedure. The abortion provider may offer pain medication or misoprostol in preparation for the procedure. A local anesthetic is injected into the cervix. Aspiration is performed by first opening the cervix with a series of increasingly thick rods. Once the cervix is opened wide enough, a cannula, which is a long tube connected to a suction device, is inserted into the uterus. The cannula suctions out the fetus and placenta.
Abortion Procedures During the Second Trimester (Week 14 through Week 26)
Dilation and Curettage (D&C)
Dilation and Curettage is a surgical abortion procedure that is similar to suction aspiration, but includes the use of a curette following the suction procedure. A curette is a long, looped shaped knife that scrapes the lining, placenta and fetus away from the uterus. It may also be used to check that the uterus is empty. Following the use of a curette, a cannula may be inserted for final suctioning.
Dilation and Evacuation (D&E)
In most cases, the abortion provider inserts laminaria or a synthetic dilator inside the cervix 24 hours prior to the procedure. The procedure begins by clamping a tenaculum to the cervix to keep the uterus in place and cone-shaped rods of increasing size are used to continue the dilation of the cervix. The cannula is inserted to begin suctioning away the fetus from the lining. Then, using a curette, the lining, placenta and fetus are scraped away from the uterus. Forceps may also be used to remove larger parts. There is usually a final suctioning to make sure the entire fetus has been removed. When D&E is performed later in the second trimester, the abortion provider may administer a shot through the abdomen to kill the fetus before the procedure begins.
Abortion Procedures During the Third Trimester (Week 27 until Birth)
Dilation and Extraction
Also known as D&X, Intact D&X, Intrauterine Cranial Decompression and Partial Birth Abortion, Dilation and Extraction is the abortion procedure used after 21 weeks gestation. Two days before the scheduled procedure, the abortion provider inserts laminaria to dilate the cervix. The woman returns home, and a couple of days later her water breaks and she returns to the abortion clinic. During the procedure, forceps are used to rotate the fetus, grasp and pull the legs, shoulders and arms through the birth canal. A small incision is made at the base of the skull of the fetus, in order to allow a suction catheter to fit inside. The catheter removes the cerebral material until the skull collapses. Then the fetus is completely removed.
Information Sources for this page:
Planned Parenthood (plannedparenthood.org)
American Pregnancy Association (americanpregnancy.org)