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ABORTIO N

46 million Performed abortion every year worldwide

• An abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by the removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus from the uterus, resulting in or caused by its death • can occur spontaneously due to complications during pregnancy or can be induced

TYPES OF ABORTION SPONTANEOUS ABORTION  also known as miscarriage  is the expulsion of an embryo or fetus due to accidental trauma or natural causes before the 20th week of gestation  premature birth - A pregnancy that ends between 20 and 37 weeks of gestation, if it results in a live-born infant  stillborn - When a fetus dies in utero after about 20 weeks, or during delivery  Premature births and stillbirths are generally not considered to be miscarriages

spontaneous abortion can also be caused by

accidental trauma; intentional trauma or stress to cause miscarriage is considered induced abortion or feticide.

INDUCED ABORTION  A pregnancy can be intentionally aborted in many ways. Reasons for procuring induced abortions are typically characterized as either therapeutic or elective. Therapeutic when it is performed to:  save the life of the pregnant woman;  preserve the woman's physical or mental health;  terminate pregnancy that would result in a child

born with a congenital disorder that would be fatal or associated with significant morbidity; or  selectively reduce the number of fetuses to lessen health risks associated with multiple pregnancy.

ABORTION METHODS SURGICAL  In the first 12 weeks, suction-aspiration or

vacuum abortion

a. Manual Vacuum Aspiration (MVA) Abortion - "mini-suction" and "menstrual extraction“, removing the fetus or embryo by suction using a manual syringe b. Electric Vacuum Aspiration (EVA) Abortion - uses an electric pump

From the 15th week until approximately

the 26th, D&E is used. a. Dilation and evacuation D&E consists of opening the cervix of the uterus and emptying it using surgical instruments and suction. b. Dilation and curettage (D&C), the second most common method of abortion, examination of the uterine lining for possible malignancy, investigation of abnormal bleeding, and abortion. Curettage refers to cleaning the walls of the

prostaglandin for premature delivery this can

be coupled with injecting the amniotic fluid with caustic solutions containing saline or urea

After the 16th week of gestation

a. intact dilation and extraction (IDX) (also called intrauterine cranial decompression), which requires surgical decompression of the fetus' head before evacuation. partial-birth abortion b. hysterotomy abortion is a procedure similar to a caesarean section, and is performed under general anesthesia because it is considered major abdominal surgery.

MEDICAL non-surgical abortions Combined regimens include methotrexate or mifepristone, followed by a prostaglandin (either misoprostol or gemeprost: misoprostol is used in the U.S.; gemeprost is used in the UK and Sweden.)

OTHER METHODS Herbs possess abortifacient properties have been used in folk medicine: tansy, pennyroyal, black cohosh, and the now-extinct silphium. but not recommended by physicians because of its side effects such as multiple organ failure, causing trauma to the abdomen. The degree of force, if severe, can cause serious internal injuries without necessarily succeeding in inducing miscarriage. In Burma, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand, there is an ancient tradition of attempting abortion through forceful

Reported methods of unsafe, self-induced

abortion include: misuse of misoprostol, and insertion of non-surgical implements such as knitting needles and clothes hangers into the uterus.

HEALTH CONSIDERATION Women typically experience minor pain during

first-trimester abortion procedures. In a 1979 study of 2,299 patients, 97% reported experiencing some degree of pain. MENTAL HEALTH No scientific research has demonstrated a direct causal relationship between abortion and poor mental health

INCIDENCE OF INDUCED ABORTION BY GESTATIONAL AGE AND METHOD

BY PERSONAL AND SOCIAL FACTORS Common factors cited to have influenced the abortion decision were: desire to delay or end childbearing, concern over the interruption of work or education, issues of financial or relationship stability, and perceived immaturity.

Some abortions are undergone as the result of societal pressures. These might include: the stigmatization of disabled persons, preference for children of a specific sex, disapproval of single motherhood, insufficient economic support for families, lack of access to or rejection of contraceptive methods, efforts toward population control (such as China's one-child policy). These factors can sometimes result in compulsory abortion or sex-selective abortion

VIEWS ON ABORTION  God is indeed the Creator of life in general, of

human life in particular and of both the body and the soul of the human being.

 God the Creator is omniscient and personal;

God’s name is Love.

 Men and women are procreators with God.  This human creature and every one of the

billions of human creatures who have ever lived, can be said to have been made “in the image of God”

Christianity The Bible condemns the shedding of innocent life. Genesis 9:6 - Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man. Exodus 20:13 - You shall not murder. Deuteronomy 27:25a - Cursed is he who accepts a bribe to strike down an innocent person. Proverbs 6:16-19 - There are six things which the LORD hates, yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood...

A child is a "person" whether born or unborn. The Bible consistently uses the same word for a "born" or "unborn" baby.1 Rather, he or she is a person from the beginning who goes through growth and development both inside and outside of the womb. According to the Bible, God knew you before you were born. Jeremiah. 1:5. Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you

SOCIAL ISSUES SEX-SELECTIVE ABORTION  The advent of both sonography and amniocentesis

has allowed parents to determine sex before birth. This has led to the occurrence of sex-selective abortion or the targeted termination of a fetus based upon its sex.  It is suggested that sex-selective abortion might be

partially responsible for the noticeable disparities between the birth rates of male and female children in some places

 In India, the economic role of men, the costs

associated with dowries, and a Hindu tradition which dictates that funeral rites must be performed by a male relative have led to a cultural preference for sons.  In the People's Republic of China, there is also a

historic son preference. The implementation of the one-child policy in 1979, in response to population concerns, led to an increased disparity in the sex ratio as parents attempted to circumvent the law through sex-selective abortion or the abandonment of unwanted daughters.

UNSAFE ABORTION  Women seeking to terminate their pregnancies

sometimes resort to unsafe methods, particularly where and when access to legal abortion is being barred.  The World Health Organization (WHO) defines an unsafe abortion as being "a procedure...carried out by persons lacking the necessary skills or in an environment that does not conform to minimal medical standards, or both  Unsafe abortion remains a public health concern today due to the higher incidence and severity of its associated complications, such as incomplete abortion, sepsis, hemorrhage, and damage to internal organs.  WHO estimates that 19 million unsafe abortions occur around the world annually and that 68,000 of these result in the woman's death.

ABORTION LAW

CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATIO N