What is an Abortion?
Abortion is a medical procedure done to end a pregnancy. A legal and safe abortion is almost always within the first trimester of pregnancy and is done in hospitals, clinics, and doctor’s offices. With this new election coming up and lots of talk about abortion, I thought it would be a good idea to do a post on the subject. We live in a society where there is a large, negative stigma around abortion. I personally have never had one, but I have many friends and know many people who have had them. Yet, it is something that is barely talked about and has a lot of judgment surrounding it. Whether you agree with abortion or not, it is important to know what they are and how they are performed.
There is no way around it; abortion is not easy and should not be taken lightly. But it is a fact of life, and women need to have this option available to them. Abortions can be scary and overwhelming, which is why (whenever possible) you should be open with those close to you and look for support. It is incredibly important that if you go through with an abortion, you have a legal one. The only safe abortion can be performed by someone licensed to do so. Unfortunately, in many countries and even in the US, there is an existing lack of facilities and it’s only getting worse as more and more of them are closing down. If you don’t have a local place to get one done, then travel to another town to find one. There are only two abortions that are legal and those are medical abortion and surgical abortion.
Medical Abortion:
A medical abortion is “the abortion pill” also known as RU486. It is a combination of drugs that cause termination of pregnancy similar to inducing a miscarriage. You can have a medical abortion up to two months after your last period or up until ten weeks of pregnancy. Abortions are safe. In fact, they are safer and there are fewer health risks than being pregnant 9 months and having a baby. In a medical abortion, the patient is either injected with one of the drugs by your doctor and then the other one is inserted into your vagina at home a few days later; Or you’re given a pill at the doctor’s and then another dosage at home a few days later. The drugs essentially stop the embryonic cells from growing. They also block the hormones necessary to continue on with pregnancy and they cause contractions to empty the uterus.
The experience of this type of abortion will be similar to a miscarriage. There will be cramping and bleeding and your blood will be thick with parts of your gestational sac. Medical abortions are done earlier than surgical abortions, so you will not see the embryo. It is much too small to be seen at this stage. Medical abortions are painful; similar to more intense menstrual cramps and bleeding.
Abortions are not easy! And you shouldn’t have to go through it alone. Before you have one, communicate to someone close to you what’s going on so they can be there to help you and support you during the time. Also, check in with your doctor if you have any concerns or are having any negative side effects. Although medical abortions might seem less scary or easier than surgical ones, they aren’t as effective. So keep that in mind. Sometimes if the abortion isn’t fully terminated, you might also need a surgical abortion. Just something to keep in mind and talk to your healthcare professional about.
Surgical Abortion:
There are three types of surgical abortions that can be performed, which depend on the individual’s situation and the length of pregnancy. All are legal in the United States and Canada. Surgical abortions are the most effective type of abortion and are mostly done within the first trimester. In rare cases, however, surgical abortions can be done past the first trimester. Below I will list the three different types and explain what they are.
Manual or Machine Vacuum Aspiration (MVA)
This is the most common type of abortion. It can be performed up to thirteen weeks into pregnancy. During this type of abortion, an injection numbs the cervix with a local anesthetic. You can also opt to have general anesthesia, which would mean you’re asleep for the procedure.
After the cervix is numb, it is then dilated. They do this by inserting slim rods that slowly stretch the cervical opening and a flexible tube is inserted. After this, the tube is attached to a machine or a handheld syringe, depending on the length of pregnancy. If the tube is attached to a machine, it will slowly vacuum or suck out the contents of the uterus. This procedure takes between 5 and 10 minutes.
Dilation and Evacuation (D and E)
This type of abortion can be done from six weeks after your last period through the first trimester. In some cases, this can be performed for later-term abortions. A local anesthetic is used on your cervix, and similar to MVA, you can also request general anesthesia. The cervix is dilated and the cervical opening is stretched.
However, they may also use a different type of dilator, which is something that will be inserted into the vagina and will absorb moisture from your body expanding overnight and stretching out the opening to the cervix. You may also be given a drug to soften and ease this. You may have the procedure done right away in the clinic or you may have to go home and return the next day after the dilator has been in place for the second part of the procedure.
After your cervical opening is dilated, a process similar to the vacuum will occur. And the contents of your uterus will be emptied. In some cases, there might be another step.
Dilation and Curettage (D and C)
This is becoming rarer because of the rapid advancement in the technology used in the other types of abortions. This procedure is when the uterus is emptied using a small metal loop or a curette to gently scrape the uterine walls. It’s to make sure after the suction process, nothing remains. This process is likely to take around 10 minutes.
Cost:
All abortions cost around the same: $450 – $800 in the United States. Your best option is to call Planned Parenthood and talk to them about your options. Some insurance policies will cover abortion but most likely will not if the abortion is not necessary (necessary is defined as a scenario in which the pregnancy is putting either the mother or child in danger)
Corinna, Heather. “Abortion/Termination.” S.E.X. Philadelphia: Da Capo, 2007. 284-87. Print.