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New page: An abortion is the medical process of ending a pregnancy so that it does not result in the birth of a baby<sup>1</sup>. It can also be referred to as a termination of pregnancy or simply a...
An abortion is the medical process of ending a pregnancy so that it does not result in the birth of a baby<sup>1</sup>. It can also be referred to as a termination of pregnancy or simply as a termination.
Abortion procedures are either medically or surgically, depending on the gestation of the pregnancy.
'''Medical Abortion'''
Early medical abortion can be performed up until the 9th week of pregnancy. It involves the use of two drugs. The first is mifepristone (also known as RU 486) which is taken orally. This is a progesterone antagonist. Progesterone is produced by the corpus luteum in early pregancy and is responsible for maintaining the supporting uterine lining. Between 36-48 hours after ingestion of mifepristone, prostaglandin vaginal pessaries are given which cause dilation of the neck of the womb. The lining of the womb, along with the pregnancy, are lost through the cervix.
Later medical abortions, performed after the 9th week, take longer and require more doses of prostaglandin. Very late medical abortions, performed with fetacidal procedures as described below, involve the use of prostaglandins injected directly into the womb to ensure strong contractions and the passage of the pregnancy.
'''Suction Abortion'''
This is a surgical procedure which can be performed under local or general anaesthetic. It involves dilating the cervix and passing a suction curette into the womb. In order to dilate the cervix, prostaglandin may be used as in early medical abortion described above. The suction curette is used to remove the pregnancy. After the 15th week of pregnancy, dilatation and evacuation is performed in addition to suction. It is carried out under a general anaesthetic. It differs from purely suction termination in that larger fetal parts may need forceps for removal.
'''Fetacide'''
Fetacidal procedures are required in late abortions, when there is a risk that a live foetus which could survive outside the uterus may be born. Fetacide involves stopping the fetal heart with an ultrasound guided injection of potassium chloride directly into the fetal heart.
'''Risks of Abortion Procedures'''
The risks of an abortion procedure include procedure failure, haemorrhage, performation, damage to the cervix, infections and psychiatric morbidity.
<sup>1</sup> NHS Direct Health Encylopaedia [http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/articles/article.aspx?articleId=1§ionId=31760]
Abortion procedures are either medically or surgically, depending on the gestation of the pregnancy.
'''Medical Abortion'''
Early medical abortion can be performed up until the 9th week of pregnancy. It involves the use of two drugs. The first is mifepristone (also known as RU 486) which is taken orally. This is a progesterone antagonist. Progesterone is produced by the corpus luteum in early pregancy and is responsible for maintaining the supporting uterine lining. Between 36-48 hours after ingestion of mifepristone, prostaglandin vaginal pessaries are given which cause dilation of the neck of the womb. The lining of the womb, along with the pregnancy, are lost through the cervix.
Later medical abortions, performed after the 9th week, take longer and require more doses of prostaglandin. Very late medical abortions, performed with fetacidal procedures as described below, involve the use of prostaglandins injected directly into the womb to ensure strong contractions and the passage of the pregnancy.
'''Suction Abortion'''
This is a surgical procedure which can be performed under local or general anaesthetic. It involves dilating the cervix and passing a suction curette into the womb. In order to dilate the cervix, prostaglandin may be used as in early medical abortion described above. The suction curette is used to remove the pregnancy. After the 15th week of pregnancy, dilatation and evacuation is performed in addition to suction. It is carried out under a general anaesthetic. It differs from purely suction termination in that larger fetal parts may need forceps for removal.
'''Fetacide'''
Fetacidal procedures are required in late abortions, when there is a risk that a live foetus which could survive outside the uterus may be born. Fetacide involves stopping the fetal heart with an ultrasound guided injection of potassium chloride directly into the fetal heart.
'''Risks of Abortion Procedures'''
The risks of an abortion procedure include procedure failure, haemorrhage, performation, damage to the cervix, infections and psychiatric morbidity.
<sup>1</sup> NHS Direct Health Encylopaedia [http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/articles/article.aspx?articleId=1§ionId=31760]