Abortion- a challenging decision for women to terminate their pregnancy. From the moment a woman comes to know about her pregnancy, the world seems to be a new place to her. She knows nothing is going to be the same anymore. Most of the women seem unsure about how to decide upon the pregnancy- whether to continue with a fetus in the womb or abort the pregnancy. A lot crosses their mind after the first revelation of pregnancy.
In medical terms, Abortion means the repulsion of the fetus from the uterus before it has reached the stage of viability. More generally, abortion is a way to end your unplanned or unwanted pregnancy.
The stigma around the concept of abortion shames and silences women seeking abortions, and it plays a significant role in the prevalence of unsafe abortions. According to WHO, “Developing countries bear the burden of 97% of all unsafe abortions. More than half of all unsafe abortions occur in Asia, most of them in the south and central Asia.” In India, overall 12.7 million (81%) abortions were medication abortions and 0.8% are unsafe, according to a 2017 report. Recently in 2021, India has amended the MTP Act to give safer and legal services for abortion.
Bursting myths surrounding Abortion
There is a huge chunk of myths surrounding abortion. When it comes to health, these myths can prove highly affecting and dangerous. Before believing in any myths, one should do enough research and trust only reliable resources. Bursting some of the myths here which are not only prevalent in India but also around the world.
- Abortion is Dangerous: There was a time when abortion was dangerous because it was illegal. Then, women used to try various harmful ways to abort the pregnancy on their own without taking help from any medical staff or experienced ones.
Truth: If the abortion is taken following proper medical steps with the help of medical personnel, it becomes totally safe. Moreover, the risk of death from abortion is much less than that of giving birth to children.
- The fetus will feel pain: This is one of the ways to make women feel guilty about their decision to abort. This misconception is built upon the debate that says that a fetus is a baby.
Truth: Pain mainly happens because of the neocortex, which is a part of our nervous system that isn’t developed until at least 24 weeks of gestation. The pain receptors are not built till 29 -30 weeks of gestation and most of the abortions happen during the first trimester.
- Women are selfish to have an abortion: It is a very common myth.
Truth: There are many reasons for which women go for abortion which are described in the section “Why do women choose to go for Abortion?”
- Abortion cause Infertility: It’s only normal to be concerned about fertility when many women considering abortions plan to conceive in the future. Women typically regard abortion as an uncomfortable operation because it is classified as surgery. The widespread misperception that abortion causes suffering or is a dangerous operation that requires tearing out the uterus only serves to perpetuate this lie.
Truth: the truth is there is no connection between infertility and abortion.
There are many other myths surrounding abortion that are creating confusion for people who are considering abortion. Read them here: https://eastsidegynecology.com/blog/10-abortion-myths-no-one-should-believe/
Why do women choose to go for Abortion?
Sometimes it is not simply a choice to go for an abortion because there are health hazards that must be taken care of. But other times, it is a decision taken because of many other reasons apart from physical ones. Before deciding on this, individuals should consider talking to their doctor and discuss the reason and aftereffects of the abortion as carefully as possible.
The reasons to have an abortion vary widely and everyone has different reasons. Some reasons could be:
• Medical reasons: It may be possible that you might be having some bad health issues that can affect your health seriously if you have a baby or it may trouble your child from the beginning of birth for which you might choose not to give birth. It is also not about physical health only. Often we face mental issues which are ignored or not so discussed with others. So for the sake of your mental health also you can choose abortion.
• Disruptive to career and education: Many girls become unwantedly pregnant at a very young age or at the time of their career building. It won’t make you selfish if you choose abortion for the sake of your better education or career growth.
• Not ready to give proper care to the child: Many a time, women do not have a proper house or stay in such a place where they are not even able to take care of themselves let alone a child. Moreover, the financial burden can also keep away a woman from having a child.
• Simply don’t want to have children: It is not always that you need a proper justification for not giving birth. If you just do not want to have child-free life, that is fine and you should not feel ashamed of that.
• Not in the right relationship or not having the right partner: Women sometimes become pregnant because of being in an abusive relationship where their consent does not matter at all. In such cases, abortion can be a choice.
There are many other common reasons to get an abortion with which you may resonate such as - https://www.verywellhealth.com/reasons-for-abortion-906589
Different Types of Abortion
Types of abortion depend mainly on the pregnancy week, state of the mother’s health and laws in the region you stay.
- Medical abortion: A medical abortion is done through two medications in pill form. Mifepristone and misoprostol – these two drugs are used to end the pregnancy. This is suitable until 10 weeks of pregnancy.
- Vacuum aspiration: Vacuum aspiration is performed during the first trimester (the first 12 weeks of pregnancy) or the early second trimester (12 to 16 weeks). It’s also called suction aspiration. The fetus and placenta are extracted from the uterus using gentle suction.
- Dilation and Evacuation: Dilation and evacuation (D&E) abortions are performed in the second trimester, generally after the 14th week of pregnancy. It’s typically advised for people who have put off having an abortion or who want to terminate the pregnancy because the fetus has a grave abnormality or medical problem. D&E incorporates elements of vacuum aspiration, forceps, dilation and curettage, and other techniques.
- Induction: This abortion procedure is done in the 2nd trimester of pregnancy. It is an option when you’re already 24 weeks pregnant and can no longer get a D&E procedure.
Whichever procedure you choose, you should be advised of it beforehand by your doctor. And, remember each of the procedure has its effect, cost and style to terminate the pregnancy and it might be possible that not all of them is available.
How can Abortion affect physically and mentally?
The side effects and the risk of the abortion depend on the procedure and the physical health of the pregnant woman. Thus, it can vary from one to one.
Some natural effects of abortion:
- Vaginal bleeding
- Sore breasts
- Abdominal cramps
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
Apart from these natural side effects, which do not stay longer, there are some other long-term effects that should be kept in mind while taking this crucial decision of abortion.
Possible long term complications:
- Before 14 weeks of pregnancy-
a. If you have taken a medical abortion or a surgical one, there may be a risk of needing another procedure to remove some parts that are remaining in the womb.
b. You may face some serious complications like heavy bleeding, cervix damage - From 14 weeks of pregnancy-
a. Need of another procedure to remove the remaining part
b. Infection or injury to the cervix. - If abortion causes weakening of the cervix, there can be a chance of pre-term deliveries.
- Scarring of the inside of the uterus can be another immediate effect.
- Abortion can also cause septic shock.
The medical staff and the clinic will let you know how you should take care of yourself before and after the abortion. The procedure for care can vary from patient to patient. So, stick to your doctor’s suggestions.
Emotional side effects of Abortion:
The decision of abortion is rarely an easy decision. Whether planned or unplanned, generally, abortion can affect the mental health of a woman. Reasons for the termination of a pregnancy are varied. The emotion after abortion can vary from relief to regret depending on the situation of the individual. Some negative feelings include:
- Anger
- Shame
- Regret
- Guilt
- Low self-esteem
- Relationship issues
- Suicidal thoughts etc.
There are several ways to cope with this emotional turbulence during and after abortion. You can read them here: https://www.gynchoicesofcentraljersey.com/blog/how-abortion-can-impact-your-mental-health/
Conclusion
As abortion is stigmatized immensely, sometimes women even after knowing that they should go for an abortion, do not choose it and eventually either leave their child after birth or continue bearing the effect of their decisions for their whole life.
Know how women feel about abortion: https://youtu.be/XOcNaVk5FF0 ( Women Tell Their Abortion Stories | Feminism in India )
The most important thing is each person’s situation and emotions are different and we should not judge them and make them feel guilty depending on their decision to have an abortion or the reasons behind it.
