How Abortions Are Performed.

GCSE Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)

How Abortions Are Performed

Abortion procedures are usually performed during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, the first trimester. Most abortions take place in the second trimester of pregnancy, because the pregnancy was not diagnosed earlier, abortion services were not available, or the pregnancy has become unhealthy or unmanageable. Second trimester abortions are more frequent among women who are teenaged, single, and pregnant for the first time.

An embryo grows and becomes more physically developed with each week that passes. In Canada scientific evidence indicates the stage of pregnancy at which abortions are customarily performed that the embryo or fetus has no awareness of pain. Sometime after 20 weeks' gestation, the fetus develops cognitive awareness or "brain life".

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An abortion today consists of a surgical procedure in which a doctor removes the embryo or fetus and placental tissue from the woman's uterus. A slim piece of dried seaweed called a Laminaria Tent is inserted into the woman's cervix a few hours to one day before the abortion in order to start the process of the widening of the cervix. During the abortion procedure, the woman lies on an examining table with her feet in stirrups. The doctor inserts a speculum into the vagina. The woman's cervix is numbed with an injection of local anesthetic or she is put to sleep briefly with a general anesthetic. The physician gradually widens the cervix; a tube is inserted and is attached to an aspirator machine. The suction is turned on and when the uterus is empty, the suction is stopped. The walls of the uterus are scraped with an instrument to make sure no tissue from the embryo or placenta remains. An abortion usually takes less than ten minutes to perform. Dilation is often uncomfortable. Many women feel menstrual-like cramps both during and after the procedure. The patient is then sent to the recovery room to Recuperate for about 1 hour.

There two other techniques employed. Both are new and non-surgical methods. A Vancouver doctor is testing two drugs, which induce miscarriage in pregnancies of under seven weeks' gestation. Methotrexate, which stops the pregnancy, is given by the doctor's office. Five days later, a vaginal suppository of the drug Misoprostol causes the uterus to expel the embryonic tissue.

The more tested means of non-surgical abortion is the French pill Mifepristone. This method of early abortion is widely used in France, Britain, Sweden and China, and has now been tested for use in the United States. RU 486 is not available in Canada, apparently because of the manufacturer's concerns about anti-abortion opposition

After the abortion procedure many women experience bleeding. The length of time bleeding occurs varies greatly with each patient. While others experience spotting, staining, or menstrual type bleeding on and off for several weeks.

Most women are able to return to normal activities after the abortion. Three weeks after the abortion, the patient has an exam. The doctor encourages the patient to obtain birth control.