Some abortion methods are quite harmless, while others carry the risk of complications, even death. How can you terminate a pregnancy without harming your health? In this article, we’ll explore various answers to the question of how abortion is performed.
AT WHAT AGE CAN I HAVE AN ABORTION?
Until what point can an abortion be performed? The answer to this question is provided by law.
Thus, if there are special medical indications, it is performed regardless of the gestational age. If the fetus is already more than twelve weeks along, or simply if necessary, surgical intervention is performed. Here are the main situations in which termination of pregnancy is possible at any stage:
- the child is not viable
- risk to the mother’s life
- the fetus has genetic pathologies, etc.
Until the twenty-second week of pregnancy, abortion is possible for social reasons. Previously, the law considered such reasons to be the death of the father and pregnancy resulting from rape. Today, only the latter reason is legal. That is, if a woman becomes pregnant after being assaulted and forced into sexual intercourse, she has the right to terminate the unwanted fetus, which is also the child of the rapist.
A woman may terminate a pregnancy at her own request, without disclosing the reasons for her decision, within twelve weeks of conception. Subsequent terminations, if based solely on the desire to not have a child, will be considered illegal.
When is it safest to have an abortion for a woman’s health? Doctors advise that the least dangerous time to terminate a pregnancy is in the first trimester, when the fetus is not yet fully developed. This means it is safest to perform an abortion up to ten weeks. However, it should be remembered that terminating a pregnancy, even in the first weeks after conception, is always risky. The harm to the body caused by intentional removal of the fetus can be enormous. The risk of serious health problems remains, and this must be taken into account when making a decision.
Medical termination of pregnancy
This type of abortion is performed early in pregnancy, approximately before the seventh week. Medical termination of pregnancy does not require surgical intervention and is considered one of the least dangerous methods of removing an unwanted fetus. It is performed using special chemicals that cause the shedding of decidual tissue. As a result, the woman begins bleeding similar to menstruation and miscarries.
In most cases, a medical abortion does not cause severe pain for the woman and is also considered the least psychologically distressing. However, even this early method of pregnancy termination can be fraught with complications. If fetal particles remain inside the woman’s body after a miscarriage, infection can occur. In this case, immediate surgical intervention is required.
MINI ABORTION (VACUUM)
Vacuum abortion is performed using a special instrument – a vacuum pump — and, unlike surgical abortion, does not carry any serious risks of uterine injury, infection, or other complications.
During this mini-abortion, the fertilized egg is separated from the uterine wall using a vacuum. The risk of pain is minimized, as anesthesia is used during the procedure. Postoperative pain, similar to menstrual cramps, may occur, but these quickly subside without causing more serious complications.
Surgical abortion
A surgical procedure involves removing the fertilized egg piecemeal using special tweezers and scraping the uterine walls. This type of curettage is possible from the earliest stages of pregnancy up to the twenty-second week.
Surgical abortion carries significant risks to a woman’s health and can cause damage to the uterine wall and even infertility.
LATE-PREGNANCY ABORTIONS
A late-term abortion is the termination of a pregnancy between the twelfth and twenty-second weeks. It cannot be performed voluntarily, but only for medical or social reasons. In most cases, abortions at this late stage, when the fetus is already sufficiently developed, are performed using a technique called induction of labor. Amniotic fluid is removed from the uterus through a special needle and replaced with a saline solution that kills the fetus. Special medications then induce labor. If necessary, a curettage (D&C) is performed some time after the procedure to clear the uterus of any remaining fetus and placenta. Late-term abortions can be very difficult for women to cope with psychologically, as the fetus at this stage of pregnancy is already a fully formed, new person. Psychological support from a specialist after a late-term abortion is essential.
Traditional methods of terminating pregnancy
In addition to medical abortions, there are also folk remedies. These carry enormous risks to a woman’s health. These abortion methods actually result in statistically significant fatalities.
Tansy decoction
Tansy is a plant that contains the toxic substance thujone. Drinking a decoction of this plant is recommended to induce pregnancy termination. Thujone has a lethal effect on the fetus, causing the fertilized egg to be separated from the uterine wall and expelled from the body.
The main danger of this method of terminating an unwanted pregnancy is, of course, poisoning. The poison, fatal to the fetus, can ultimately lead to the death of the woman.
OVERVOLTAGE
High-intensity exercise with a focus on abdominal exercises can trigger miscarriage and the termination of an unwanted pregnancy. However, such termination of the fetus carries the risk of complications such as bleeding, which can result in death from blood loss.
UNDERGROUND TECHNIQUES THAT SHOULD NOT BE REPEATED
Sometimes, for various reasons, women are unable to visit a hospital and have an abortion under a doctor’s supervision. In the past, clandestine abortions were often used in such cases. Lack of anesthesia, unsanitary conditions, and a complete lack of understanding of how the female body works led to dire consequences. Women died as a result of these clandestine abortions due to infection, uterine rupture, and other serious injuries.
Knitting needles, hangers, hooks
Long, sharp objects, such as knitting needles or hangers, were used to clean out the uterus and remove the fetus. The risk of uterine injury with hanger-assisted abortions is always high.
BULB IN THE UTERUS
The bulb was placed inside the body, where it was sprouted in a warm, moist environment, and its roots became attached to the fetus. After this, the bulb was pulled out along with the fertilized egg. Naturally, bleeding and infection were almost inevitable.
Bay Leaf in the Vagina
Another method of illegal abortion involved inserting bay leaves into the vagina like a tampon. The fetus died, but often the fertilized egg did not separate or exit. Sepsis was the most common consequence of such actions on one’s own body.
CATAPULT
Sudden movements and jerks contributed to the detachment of the fertilized egg from the uterus. The most dire consequences are profuse bleeding and death.
IODINE WITH MILK
When taken orally, iodine and milk could cause miscarriage.
FICUS
Sharp shoots of ficus were inserted into the uterus to induce a miscarriage. This procedure could result in gangrene.
The procedure of terminating a fetus always carries a certain risk to a woman’s health. The decision to terminate a pregnancy and a new, nascent life at its very beginning must be considered and deliberate, not spontaneous. The procedure itself must be performed under medical supervision to avoid any unpleasant consequences. It’s important to remember that illegal abortions, as well as terminations using folk remedies, are more likely to result in the woman’s death than in the safe removal of the fetus. In such cases, surgical intervention under the supervision of a specialist is preferable. Hoping for luck in this matter is inappropriate – the wrong choice can lead to irreversible health problems, infertility, or even death.
PS This article is for informational purposes only. If you experience an unwanted pregnancy, it’s best to consult a doctor!
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