What is Abortion?
"An abortion is a procedure to end a pregnancy. It uses medicine or surgery to remove the embryo or fetus and placenta from the uterus. The procedure is done by a licensed physician or someone acting under the supervision of a licensed physician."
-Medline Plus, 2012
-Medline Plus, 2012
Methods
1st Trimester:
2nd Trimester:
3rd Trimester:
- Methotrexate & Misoprostol (MTX): a medical abortion procedure used up to the first seven weeks of pregnancy. This medication combination is not as commonly used in the U.S. with the availability of mifepristone, which works more effectively for this use.
- Mifepristone and Misoprostol: a medical abortion procedure used up to the first seven to nine weeks of pregnancy. It can also be referred to as RU-486, the abortion pill and Mifeprex.
- Manual Vacuum Aspiration (MVA): a procedure used as early as 3 -12 weeks since the last period. Considered less invasive with only a local anesthesia being used on the cervix.
- Aspiration: a surgical abortion procedure used to terminate pregnancy up to 16 weeks from the last period. It can also be referred to as suction curettage, dilation and curettage (D & C) or vacuum aspiration.
2nd Trimester:
- Dilation & Curettage (D & C): a surgical abortion procedure used to terminate a pregnancy up to 16 weeks gestation. It is also referred to as suction curettage or vacuum aspiration.
- Dilation & Evacuation (D & E): a surgical abortion procedure used to terminate a pregnancy after 16 weeks gestation.
- Induction Abortion: a rarely performed surgical procedure where salt water, urea, or potassium chloride is injected into the amniotic sac; prostaglandins are inserted into the vagina and pitocin is injected intravenously.
3rd Trimester:
- Induction Abortion: surgical procedure where salt water, urea, or potassium chloride is injected into the amniotic sac; prostaglandins are inserted into the vagina and pitocin is injected intravenously.
- Dilation and Extraction: a surgical abortion procedure used to terminate a pregnancy after 21 weeks of gestation. This procedure is also known as D & X, Intact D & X, Intrauterine Cranial Decompression and Partial Birth Abortion. *This procedure is now considered against the law in the U.S. according to the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act of 1995*
Possible Side Effects (up to 2-4 weeks after the procedure)
Anticipated side effects following an abortion:
These risks are rare and some are associated with child birth. However, it is important for a mother to be aware of the risks so that she can make an informed decision (APA, 2006).
- Abdominal pain and cramping
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Spotting and Bleeding
- Heavy or persistent bleeding
- Infection or sepsis
- Damage to the cervix
- Scarring of the uterine lining
- Perforation of the uterus
- Damage to other organs
- Death
These risks are rare and some are associated with child birth. However, it is important for a mother to be aware of the risks so that she can make an informed decision (APA, 2006).
A Short History of Abortion in the U.S.: Roe Vs. Wade (1973) and the Pro-Life and Pro-Choice Movements
Roe vs. Wade was a landmark Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion. Prior to 1973, there were few laws to regulate abortion and many states declared it illegal. As a result, many women's activist groups sought clarification from the Supreme Court. Conflicts within different states came to a head when an anonymous "Jane Roe" challenged the state of Texas because of a law that made abortion illegal in all cases except ones that endangered the life of the mother.
After two years of hearing evidence, the Court invalidated the Texas law by a 7-2 vote. Using the same reasoning as the Griswold v. Connecticut decision, the majority of the justices maintained that a right to privacy was implied by the Ninth and Fourteenth Amendments. No state could restrict abortions during the first three months, or trimester, of a pregnancy (ushistory.org, 2013).
Since then, abortion legislation has polarized between pro-life (those who favor outlawing abortion completely) and pro-choice advocates (those in favor of making abortion legal in all cases). However, these two platforms are over-simplified in the previous sentence; the vast majority of Americans exist somewhere in the middle, believing abortion should be legal in some cases and illegal in others making it difficult for legislators to make decisions.
After two years of hearing evidence, the Court invalidated the Texas law by a 7-2 vote. Using the same reasoning as the Griswold v. Connecticut decision, the majority of the justices maintained that a right to privacy was implied by the Ninth and Fourteenth Amendments. No state could restrict abortions during the first three months, or trimester, of a pregnancy (ushistory.org, 2013).
Since then, abortion legislation has polarized between pro-life (those who favor outlawing abortion completely) and pro-choice advocates (those in favor of making abortion legal in all cases). However, these two platforms are over-simplified in the previous sentence; the vast majority of Americans exist somewhere in the middle, believing abortion should be legal in some cases and illegal in others making it difficult for legislators to make decisions.
The Hyde Amendment (1976)
The Hyde Amendment ensures that abortion cannot be covered by comprehensive health care services provided by the federal government through Medicaid. However, coverage is mandated in cases of rape or incest, as well as when a pregnant woman's life is at risk (NCHLA, 2013).