An unplanned pregnancy can be traumatic. The offer of a safe, quick, inexpensive way to become unpregnant is obviously attractive. But abortion is not a time machine. Like childbirth, it carries consequences that can last a lifetime.

Resist the pressure to make a quick, hasty decision. Take a few days to make sure you understand the potential consequences of abortion and that you are willing and able to accept them.

The following information contains facts about abortion techniques and abortion risks. It addresses common concerns of woman who are considering abortion.

Abortion Procedures

Before 14 Weeks

• MEDICAL ABORTIONS
  RU-486
  RU-486 is a medical abortion that is used very early in pregnancy, 4 – 7 weeks after your last period. The doctor either administers an injection or an oral dose of Mifepristone. This drug stops the natural function of your body. The lining of your uterus softens and breaks down. Two days later, you would return to the clinic for a check-up. If the fetus has not been expelled, you would be given another drug (Cytotec or Misoprostol) to make the cervix dilate and your uterus contract to push the fetus from your body, similar to labor. This procedure can cause cramping, bleeding, nausea, and diarrhea. In some cases, this procedure results in a failed abortion. If so, the doctor will want to surgically extract the fetus. A third appointment, about twelve days later, is critical to make sure there have been no complications from the procedure and that you are no longer pregnant.
  
  
• METHOTREXATE (MTX)
  This drug was invented to fight cancer. It attacks cells that are growing rapidly and prevents them from multiplying, including a human embryo. Methotrexate is usually given as an injection. About a week later a vaginal suppository of Misoprostol is inserted which causes contractions. This method is used up to seven weeks from the date of your last period. The Food and Drug Administration have not approved this drug for abortions. The procedure can cause excessive bleeding and cramping. If the abortion is not complete, you will be scheduled for a surgical abortion.
  
  
• SURGICAL ABORTION/SUCTION ABORTION
  For this procedure you lie on your back with your feet in stirrups, and the doctor applies a shot of anesthetic to your cervix to reduce pain. Your cervical muscle is stretched with metal dilators, graduated in width, until the opening is wide enough to allow the abortion tools to pass into your uterus. The doctor guides the suction device through the cervix and into your uterus. When the suction machine is turned on you feel the strong force of the vacuum, which is used to pull the placenta and fetus into parts small enough to pass out of your body through the suction tube.
  
  
• DILATION AND CURETTAGE (D & C)
  The doctor opens your cervix, as described above, however in this case the abortion is done with a loop-shaped knife, which is used to scrape the wall of your uterus. This instrument cuts the fetus and placenta into smaller parts pulling them out of your body through the cervix. There is a higher risk of perforating your uterus with this procedure. A general anesthesia is usually required.

After 14 Weeks

• DIALATION AND EVACUATION
  Because the bones of the fetus are larger and stronger by this time, the doctor uses a medical instrument resembling pliers to pull the fetus into smaller parts and removes those parts from your body through the dilated cervix. This procedure requires that your cervix is opened wider than was required with the ‘Suction’ or “D and C” methods. This procedure may involve a greater risk of harm to your reproductive organs.

After 22 Weeks

• PARTIAL BIRTH ABORTION
  Laminaria (a type of seaweed that expands when moist) is used to dilate the cervix over a two-day period. On the third day, the membranes are ruptured. An ultrasound is used to locate the lower extremities. The doctor then uses large forceps to grasp a leg, and pull it down into the vagina. After the body is delivered, the skull is lodged at the cervical opening. The doctor makes an incision in the base of the fetal skull. Damage may occur due to extensive stretching of the cervix during the procedure.
  

Physical Risks of Abortion Procedures

• HEMORRAGE
  Sometimes women bleed heavily during an abortion or a few days afterwards due to scraping, suction or perforation of the uterus. With a medical abortion (RU-486) bleeding lasts 13-15 days more. Occasionally it is necessary to receive a transfusion to replace the lost blood. Sometimes a second curettage procedure or a hysterectomy is needed to stop the bleeding.
  
  
• INFECTION
  The uterus is susceptible to infection right after an abortion especially if part of the fetus or placenta is accidentally left inside you. Infections are even more of a risk if you have Chlamydia or Gonorrhea. Symptoms are pain and fever. This type of infection is generally treated with antibiotics but sometimes another curettage procedure must be used. If untreated, a very serious infection may develop resulting in possible scarring and even infertility.
  
  
• PERFORATION
  Sometimes the tools used during an abortion are accidentally pushed through the wall of the uterus during the abortion procedure. If the instrument damages one of your internal organs, it may be necessary to do major surgery to repair the damage. Though rare, this complication can cause extensive damage.
  
  
• FUTURE PREGNANCY
  Injury or weakness of the cervix due to dilation techniques may cause the early loss of a later pregnancy. The cervix may become compromised in a future pregnancy and may not be able to withstand the weight of the growing fetus. If this occurs, the cervix dilates prematurely thus causing a subsequent miscarriage. The risk of miscarriage in later pregnancies is greater if a woman has had two or more abortions. Additionally, scarring in a woman’s fallopian tubes or uterus may also occur as a result of an infection contracted from an abortion experience. If scarring occurs in the uterus, it may prevent the fertilized egg from attaching to the uterine wall, thus the egg is expelled at the normal time of a woman’s expected period. Conversely, the fertilized egg may grow in a woman’s fallopian tube rather than in her uterus because it cannot maneuver its way around tubal scar tissue to appropriately implant in the uterus. The continued growth of a fetus in the fallopian tube is dangerous and potentially fatal.
  
  
• BREAST CANCER
  A number of scientific studies show a link between abortion and breast cancer.
  
  
• DEATH
  Although very rare, death can occur as a result of an abortion. When abortion is done after the first three months of pregnancy, the risk of death increases. The cause of death by abortion is usually from heavy bleeding, infection, perforation, or from complications with the drugs used for pain and anesthesia.

Emotional Risks of Abortion Procedures

• Most women experience an immediate feeling of relief following an abortion. However, many of these women later find themselves coping with feelings they did not expect. They may have a difficult time talking about these feelings. Some psychologists have labeled these problems as Post Abortion Syndrome (PAS). The following symptoms of PAS span a wide range of emotions and can affect men who have been part of an abortion experience as well as their partners. PAS symptoms can include, but are not limited to the following:
  • Anger
  • Sadness
  • Long-term grief reactions
  • Guilt
  • Flashbacks
  • Memory repression
  • Sexual dysfunction
  • Anniversary reactions
  • Hallucinations
  • Suicidal thoughts
  • Increased alcohol and drug use; and/or
  • Difficulty maintaining close relationships

Unlike many decisions in life, the decision to abort is permanent and may carry serious consequences. Women who abort are seldom warned of the possible consequences — a serious violation of medical ethics.

You may be asked to sign a consent form at a clinic before having an abortion. Read the form carefully, by signing the form, you will be accepting the risks that may result.

If, after weighing the risks, you decide to have an abortion, ask the doctor to explain the possible risks discussed above. Don’t be intimidated. It’s your body, and you are the one who will suffer the risks if anything goes wrong.

Post Abortion Counseling & Education (PACE)
www.afterabortion.com
www.pregnancyresource.org/pass.html
www.abortionfacts.com/PAS/PAS.asp

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