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An [[abortion]] is the medical process of ending a pregnancy so that it does not result in the birth of a baby¹. It can also be referred to as a termination of pregnancy or simply as a termination.  

An [[abortion]] is the medical process of ending a pregnancy so that it does not result in the birth of a baby¹. 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.

Either medical or surgical methods can be used.  

==Medical Abortion==

==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. This lining is the source of nutrition and protection for the developing baby. The tiny boy or girl is starved to death and then a second drug, misoprostol, causes contractions so that the dead baby is expelled from the womb.

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.  

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.

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.  

This is a highly toxic chemical that directly attacks and breaks down the baby's fast-growing cells. It also attacks the life-support systems the baby needs to survive. When the systems fail, the baby dies. Misoprostol is then used to cause contractions and push the dead baby out of the womb.

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 initiate premature labour.

==Prostaglandins==

==Surgical Procedures==

 

 

==Suction Aspiration==

      

      

This is a surgical procedure which can be performed under local or general anaesthetic. It most often used in the first trimester of pregnancy (the first three months).

The type of surgical procedure varies with the gestation of the pregnancy.

 

Suction aspiration involves dilating the cervix and passing a suction curette (similar to a vacuum hose with an extremely sharp end) 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. The suction and cutting edge dismembers the baby while the hose sucks the body parts into a collection bottle. 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.

 

In this procedure, the abortionist uses a loop shaped knife to cut the baby into pieces and scrape the uterine wall. The baby's body parts are then removed and checked to make sure that no pieces were left in the mother's womb.

Suction aspiration is a surgical procedure which can be performed under local or general anaesthetic. It most often used in the first trimester of pregnancy (the first three months). Suction aspiration involves dilating the cervix and passing a suction curette (similar to a vacuum hose with an extremely sharp end) 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. The suction and cutting edge dismembers the baby while the hose sucks the body parts into a collection bottle.  

==Dilation and Evacuation==

After the 15th week of pregnancy, dilatation, curettage and evacuation are performed in addition to suction. This procedure is carried out under a general anaesthetic. A wire loop is used to break the fetus apart and parts which cannot be removed by suction are removed piecemeal by forceps.

Used to kill babies well into the third trimester (as late as 32 weeks old), the abortionist reaches into the mother's womb, grabs the baby's feet with a forceps and pulls the baby out of the mother, except for the head. The abortionist then jams a pair of scissors into the back of the baby's head and spreads the scissors apart to make a hole in the baby's skull. The abortionist removes the scissors and sticks a suction tube into the skull to suck the baby's brain out. The forceps are then used to crush the baby's head and the abortionist pulls the baby's body out the rest of the way.

This involves the dilation of the cervix to allow the passage of forceps. Under ultrasound guidance, the fetus is turned to a breech position. The fetus is then partially extracted, with the head remaining in the uterus. The fetal skull is then punctured and the brain removed by suction. This allows the head to pass through the cervix.  

==Salt Poisoning==

==Saline Instillation==

This technique is used in the second and third trimester. The abortionist sticks a long needle into the mother's womb. The needle contains salt which is then injected into the amniotic fluid surrounding the baby. The baby breathes in, swallows the salt and dies from salt poisoning, dehydration, brain hemorrhage and convulsions. Taking nearly an hour to die, the baby's skin is completely burned, turns red and deteriorates. The baby is in pain the entire time. The mother goes into labor 24 - 48 hours later and delivers a dead baby.

This technique is used in the second and third trimester. Under ultrasound guidance, saline is instilled into the amnion in order to induce premature labour, which occurs 24-28 hours later. Fetacide occurs because the fetus swallows the instilled saline and dies of salt poisoning. The saline solution is also caustic and burns the fetal skin during the process.

==Fetacide==

==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.

Fetacidal procedures are required in late abortions, when there is a risk that a live fetus 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==

==Risks of Abortion Procedures==