As part of routine care, a fetal anatomy scan is performed around 20 weeks, which entails ultrasound imaging of all the developing organs. Many structural anomalies are discovered at this time that would not have been apparent previously. A proportion of these are lethal fetal anomalies , meaning that the fetus will almost certainly die before or shortly after birth, meaning the fetus may be nonviable.
Very often these pregnancies are desired, making this decision exceedingly difficult for parents. Inadequate data exist to know how many abortions later in pregnancy occur due to fetal anomalies, but a study by Washington University Hospital showed almost all women whose fetuses had lethal fetal anomalies chose to terminate their pregnancies. Health Risk to the Pregnant Person: Life threatening conditions may also develop later in pregnancy.
These include conditions like early severe preeclampsia , newly diagnosed cancer requiring prompt treatment, and intrauterine infection chorioamnionitis often in conjunction with premature rupture of the amniotic sac PPROM. If these conditions arise before the fetus is viable, the pregnant individual may pursue termination of pregnancy to preserve their own health.
If these conditions arise after the fetus is considered viable, Roe v. Wade still protects the right for these individuals to obtain an abortion in cases of health or life endangerment, however it may be difficult to find a provider for this service as previously mentioned. Typically every effort is made to save the life of both the pregnant individual and the fetus, pursuing delivery rather than abortion.
A few states have sought to expand access to abortions later in pregnancy. The New York Reproductive Health Act enacted in January expands protections for abortion providers and pregnant individuals who have abortions after 24 weeks in cases of health or life endangerment or lethal fetal anomalies.
Virginia similarly proposed loosening restrictions on abortions later in pregnancy, by reducing the number of physicians who would need to approve an abortion after 28 weeks gestation from three to one, and by broadening maternal exceptions to include more general threats to mental and physical health. This bill failed to pass, but sparked national discussion about regulation of abortions later in pregnancy.
Many states have directed their efforts in the opposite direction, aiming to increase restrictions on abortions later in pregnancy. In discussion of these laws, it is important to note that most policymakers are not clinicians, therefore many of the terms used to discuss abortions later in pregnancy are designed to communicate a political message, not a precise medical concept. In the Appendix, we mention several terms written into policy and the law so that readers may be familiar with their meaning, but they are not medical terms.
Other states seek earlier gestational age limits on abortion. However, some states have enacted abortion bans from weeks gestational age, using the rationale of fetal pain. Many states restrict abortions at 22 weeks gestational age or 20 weeks post-fertilization, arguing the fetus has the ability to feel pain at this point in development, contrary to medical evidence. A systematic review of literature on fetal pain found that pain perception is unlikely before weeks 29 or 30 gestational age.
Despite the medical evidence, policymakers have enacted gestational limits using the rationale that a fetus can feel pain at earlier stages in pregnancy. Some states mandate this information be given to those seeking abortion later in pregnancy, while in others, this counseling is required at any stage of pregnancy. There is, however, no standard practice for how to provide fetal anesthesia during abortions, nor is there adequate safety data on how this would affect pregnant individuals.
This involves dilating the cervix and evacuating the pregnancy tissue using forceps, with or without suction. If the mother is at risk from something such as hypertension, which can become severe to the point of causing a heart attack, an abortion may be recommended by physicians.
During the second trimester, a surgical abortion will be chosen since abortion pills will no longer be considered a viable and effective method of abortion for the stage of development. In the earlier stages of the second trimester, Aspiration will likely be the chosen method.
It is a gentle procedure and can be performed rather quickly, but will require physicians and, depending on the state, may need to be carried out in a hospital. After 16 weeks of gestation, dilation and evacuation will be chosen as the method of abortion. Though it carries more risk than the medical abortion, it is still a safe option for those seeking an abortion under 24 weeks of gestation, and still safer than childbirth.
While it may be illegal in most states to carry out an abortion in the third trimester, the federal law deems it legal to receive an abortion even in the ninth month of pregnancy, and all states will allow this for certain exceptions such as when it is deemed medically necessary for the life of the mother.
Hypertension was mentioned above, but there are other such medical complications that may bring about the need for an abortion at this stage, such as the development of cancer. Older mothers may experience complications that affect them more severely and becomes a risk to their life, and the life of the fetus. The abortion pill is available up to ten weeks of gestation and is a non-surgical option.
The abortion pill is not just one pill, but two separate pills used in coordination to induce a miscarriage and end a pregnancy. It works by blocking progesterone in the body, a hormone necessary to sustain the pregnancy. The embryo will detach from the uterus with the first dose, and the second will cause the lining of the uterus to shed much as it does during your period. To use abortion pills , you will likely take them at home with your full day available for this procedure as well as for rest.
Vacuum Aspiration is available from 10 weeks of gestation up to 16 weeks and is considered a surgical abortion though there are no incisions made. In fact, there are no electronic machines used in this procedure. This procedure involves a gentle suction through a tube that goes through the cervix and empties the uterus without any scraping. The vacuum is operated by hand and takes approximately five to ten minutes.
You have the option of either local or general anesthesia. General anesthesia will put you to sleep for the duration of the procedure. Dilation and curettage are available up to 16 weeks of gestation. It is a procedure similar to vacuum aspiration in that suction will be used to remove the contents of the uterus, but with dilation and curettage, the cervix will be opened dilated and a thin rod will be inserted and the uterus will be lightly scraped to extract all the contents of the uterus.
By emptying the uterus in this way, physicians are reducing the risk of infection from remaining pieces of the lining or aborted fetus. Anesthesia will be used for this method as well. It is a simple and speedy procedure with minimal recovery time. Dilation and evacuation is a surgical procedure used up to 16 weeks of gestation, which involves entering the uterus through the cervix and removing tissue from the lining of the uterus via a scoop-like surgical instrument.
A speculum will be inserted into the cervix to hold it open. Talk with your doctor to see which method would be best for you and how soon you can start it after the abortion. Not all doctors offer this service. Some states have fewer abortion providers than others. A few states, like Kentucky, have only one clinic. Some providers now offer medical abortions over the phone or computer through telemedicine. Yet 19 states require the doctor who performs the abortion to be in the room during the procedure.
You might feel regret, relief, guilt, or shame. Some people may become depressed afterward. Each person reacts differently. An abortion can affect your partner, too. Include them in the discussion or encourage them to also seek support. Everyone's experience is different. Whether an abortion hurts depends a lot on your overall health, how far along the pregnancy is, and the type of….
How to take care of yourself after an abortion and what to expect during recovery. Although medical and surgical abortions are common, you may find that your overall experience is different from someone else's. How it affects your…. At least 19 states have barred the procedure despite a recent 7-year study in which researchers concluded telemedicine abortion is safe.
Surgical abortions are also known as in-clinic abortions. Learn more about the two types of surgical abortions: aspiration and dilation and evacuation…. Later-term abortions typically occur during the 13th and 27th week, or second trimester, of pregnancy.
Planned Parenthood opponents say women could get healthcare elsewhere. Supporters say hundreds of thousands of women would lose access to important…. Some think there's a connection between abortion and breast cancer. Does the research back this up? Learn more here. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. What Are the Different Types of Abortion? Abortion type by trimester. Share on Pinterest. Medical abortion. Methotrexate and misoprostol. Vacuum aspiration. Dilation and evacuation.
Induction abortion. Late-term abortions. Is emergency contraception a type of abortion? Abortion resources. After Abortion Care. Telemedicine Abortion on the Rise. Read this next.
0コメント