POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS OF ABORTION; SURGICAL AND NON-SURGICAL ABORTION.

Hi Steemians and Readers.

Welcome you all to my blog today.

Am going to be discussing with you guys the Complications Of Abortion. The discussion on Abortion is one of the most serious discussion around the world today because of its moral, legal and religious status. Aside its moral, legal and Abortion also have its co

You may see abortion as something normal because it has never been complicated from your end, You do it when you feel like (Females) and you ask her to do it when you like (As a Man). Aside the fact that pregnancy is not an easy task, Getting rid of it on the other hand has its own complications which will be discussed in this post you are about reading.

HAPPY READING.

Wouldn't it be very strange for someone reading this post to say "I don't know what abortion is"?.

WHAT IS ABORTION?

Abortion is bringing the condition of pregnancy to an end; where pregnancy is a period during which another creature of the same specie(Offspring) develops gradually from one stage to another in the womb of the mother(Inside a woman) typically around 40 weeks(Over 9 months) when measured from the last menstrual date and 38 weeks when measured from the date of fertilisation. After fertilisation, EMBRYO is the term used for the offspring in the first 8 weeks of pregnancy while FETUS is used after then till childbirth.

The termination or removal of an Embryo or Fetus before fetal/foetal viability(The ability to survive outside the uterus) is simply the definition of ABORTION

BRIEF HISTORY OF ABORTION

The practice of Abortion has been in existence since the ancient times but the methods and techniques used in performing and attempting abortion can be very harmful to the woman's health. Historically it is done by the followings; Abdominal pressure, Forceful massage, Use of Sharpened implements, Traditional methods, Abortifacient herbs(These are herbal medicines that induces abortion in human, Called Mismating shots for animals) and many other techniques.

During the Premodern Era, the methods used were non-surgical, And the most common ones were climbing, Weight lifting, Paddling, Diving etc.

There is a DEATH penalty made compulsory for Abortion, Found in the Assyrian Law, but this can only be imposed on woman whom carry out an abortion without her husband consent. The first recorded evidence in history for an induced abortion was in 1550 BC by Egyptian Ebers Papyrus.

Around 205 million pregnancies occur every year in the world, 56 million abortions are performed where 45% are not successful but facts remains that most abortions is as a result of unintented pregnancy. Abortion can either be induced or spontaneous.

Reasons for procuring Induced abortions may either be theraupetic(Done in favor of the Mother or Fetus health; Physical or mental well being of the mother) or Elective( Requested by the mothers for non-medical reasons).

Spontaneous abortion also known as Miscarriage or Pregnancy loss is the unintentional or natural death of an embryo or fetus before foetal or fetal viability(Ability to survive alone). Accounting for at least 50% pregnancy loss, Chromosonal abnormalities of the embryo or fetus is the most common cause of spontaneous abortion, other causes include vascular diseases, abnormality of the uterus, hormonal problem and infections.

SURGICAL AND NON SURGICAL ABORTION

SURGICAL ABORTION
This usually require the use of instruments, Carrying out surgical abortion reduces the risk of incomplete procedure, We have MANUAL and ELECTRIC vacuum aspiration(Or Suction aspiration) where the former is done manually with the use of manual syringe to remove fetus or embryo, membranes and placenta while the later requires the use of electric pump.

Note: Cervical dilation(the opening of the cervix) is not required for Manual Vacuum Aspiration

[Vacuum aspiration: Source: Wikimedia Commons. Author: Andrew_C.CC BY-SA 3.0 Licensed]

DILATION & CURETTAGE(D&C) is another method of surgical abortion which requires opening or widening of the cervix(the entrance of the uterus), a standard gynecological procedure including the examination of uterine lining for possible difficulty, investigation for any abnormal bleeding and abortion, while Curettage is the process of cleaning the uterus wall with an instrument called curette. Vacuum aspiration, Dilation and Curettage are done up to the 15th week of gestation. From the 15th week, other techniques should be used, Another techniques is Dilation and Evacuation( Emptying the Cervix of the Uterus with the use of suction or surgical instruments.

[Human fetus 10 weeks with amniotic sac - therapeutic abortion. Source: Wikimedia Commons. Author: Drsuparna. CC BY-SA 2.0 Licensed]

NON-SURGICAL ABORTION OR MEDICAL ABORTION

This is another abortion option available to woman within or up to 63 days of gestation, the use of abortion inducing drugs as an alternative to surgical procedures,Two different Medications Administration(Abortion pills)Working together to terminate the pregnancy, where the first medication is an anti-hormone capable of blocking the effect and activeness of progesterone(The hormone responsible/needed for pregnancy to continue) and the second medication widen/opens the cervix and assists the uterus to expel the embryo. Common medications for non-surgical abortion are;

• Mifepristone
• Methotrexate
• Misoprostol

Note: If it fails then Surgical abortion will be used to complete the Procedure

WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS OF ABORTION(SURGICAL AND NON-SURGICAL)??

According to the Alan Guttmacher Institute; Abortion is 11 times safer than carrying the pregnancy till childbirth. But even at the fact that abortion is safe due to lowered level of serious or minor complication. Abortion, Both Surgical and Non-Surgical Abortion have their complications. See below;

SURGICAL

• Complication of repeating the surgery: Uterus shed excess blood while healing because its thickened lining is never completely removed when carrying out surgical abortion, most especially when the remains in the uterus is a fetal tissue. Removing it may require repeating the whole procedure.

• Early abortion a times may not be successful in terminating the pregnancy, and this unsuccessful abortion may affect the growth of the pregnancy and in this case another abortion process is recommended. Alternatively, this can also be a good signal of a tubal pregnancy which would require special treatment for the patient and performing abdominal surgery.

• Risk of Damaged or Injured Uterus: Although, this is very rare and can only occur once in a thousand cases but in a case where the uterus is injured by an instrument used in carrying out the abortion, there's need to hospitalize the patient and carry out abdominal operation if the damage is critical and this may in turn include hysterectomy(The total removal of the Uterus), As soon as the Uterus is removed then it is impossible to conceive in the future.

We also have the followings as possible complications;

• Cardiac Arrest
• Death
• Anesthesia Reactions.

NON-SURGICAL/MEDICAL
There are lots of risk and complications when you use abortion pills; Few of it are stated below;

• Failed abortion
• Incomplete abortion
• Death
• Blood Clots in the Uterus
• Ectopic pregnancy
• Cervical tears or lacerations
• Allergic or adverse reactions to medications.

Abortion should be done with full consent of a medical doctor or specialist and not done alone at home or with self medications to avoid some irreparable complications that might lead to loss of life in the long run.

Stay calm and cool till i come your way next time.

Thanks For Reading.

REFERENCES FOR MORE RESEARCH

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I remain my humble self @anikys3reasure

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