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Introduction

"More than 600,000 women in Europe have had medical abortions using mifepristone. Between 1994 and 1995, 121 women in Planned Parenthood and other United States health centers participated in clinical trials of mifepristone and misoprostol sponsored by the Population Council. The results, published in the New England Journal of Medicine and the Archives of Family Medicine in 1998, demonstrated mifepristone to be effective in terminating 92 percent of pregnancies up to 49 days in duration. Additionally, 95.7 percent of women in the same clinical trial reported that they would recommend mifepristone to others. Even among women for whom the method failed, 85.9 percent would recommend it to others. The most common side effect reported by women using mifepristone plus prostaglandin for early abortion and similar to those of a spontaneous miscarriage: uterine cramps, bleeding, nausea, and fatigue. Mifepristone is as safe as aspiration abortion; additionally, it is a completely noninvasive procedure and does not require anesthesia" (Planned Parenthood). According to the FDA, there are some restrictions that physicians must follow in order to use RU 486. RU 486 must be provided by or under the supervision of a physician who meets the following qualifications: - Ability to assess the duration of pregnancy accurately. ...read more.

Middle

The French Ministry of Health requires that the abortion facility be equipped with an EKG, IV equipment, and a "crash cart" with a defibrillator in the event of a heart attack resulting from the drugs (Life Issues: RU 486 Report). Legal Section "As essential to American freedom as our right to think, vote, worship, work and marry, is our right to privacy. This very basic and necessary right includes having access to safe and legal abortion, effective contraceptive options, and quality reproductive health care. But unlike the other rights we expect as Americans, this is not one we can take for granted" (NARAL.org). "Despite Roe v. Wade, access to abortion is increasingly tenuous. In its 1992 Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey decision, the United States Supreme Court reaffirmed Roe, while at the same time sharply restricting it protections. Anti-choice forces around the nation have accepted Casey's invitation to introduce and enact a cascade of burdensome measures" (NARAL.org). "What's more, legislation passed by Congress does not allow federal funding for abortions for: poor women enrolled in Medicaid, Peace Corps volunteers, Native American women covered by the Indian Health Services, women in federal prisons, women in the military, and federal employees - virtually any woman who relies on the federal government for her healthcare" (NARAL.org). ...read more.

Conclusion

We believe that in certain circumstances we do not have the right to define a woman's right to choose how to manage her health and life. The law clearly suggests that abortion and the use of RU 486 is legal. Current politicians hope to change or revise the Roe v. Wade case that currently allows abortion in the United States. However, if this decision is overturned, according to the surveys of the American people and the authors of this paper, a great disservice will be done not only to women but also to many. Furthermore, the socially responsible section of this paper, we have shown how different groups of people are acting in a responsible manner while dealing with RU 486. The decision to terminate pregnancy is not easy and the ramifications extend to society as a whole. In a perfect world all pregnancies are celebrated; situations arise when this is not the case. It is the hope of all groups socially responsible, to come to a resolution both physically and emotionally to assist those who find themselves in this situation. It is our fear that without the option of RU 486 or other abortion methods, women will be forced to find alternative methods that may result in death to the mother, deformity of the child or the inability of the mother to conceive future children. ...read more.

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