Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!
Abortion, termination of pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, scraping, surgery … Regardless of the reasons for which an abortion takes place, it affects the woman's he alth - both physically and mentally. Check what complications of abortion can be and what are the consequences of termination of pregnancy.
Althoughabortionstill arouses emotions, still has supporters and opponents, the vast majority of both admit that abortion has negative effectshe alth effects . Medical statistics show that termination of the first pregnancy leads to more frequent spontaneous miscarriages (38% of cases) and premature births (4% of cases), and may also lead to infertility. In less developed countries, abortion is the fourth most common cause of death in women.
Abortion: different methods of pregnancy termination
»Pharmacological termination of pregnancyconsists in taking an abortion pill containing pharmacological agents that force a miscarriage. Usually, the first dose contains a drug that destroys the trophoblast or damages the embryo, and the second one contains an agent that causes the uterus to contract, which expels the embryo along with the uterine lining (in over 95% of cases, complete abortion occurs without surgical intervention).
»Surgical removal of pregnancyconsists in dilation of the cervix and aspiration (suction under pressure); curettage of the fetus.
»Early laparotomy , most often combined with adnexectomy, if a serious uterine disease is diagnosed.
The problem of the permissibility and performance of abortion is still highly controversial in public perception and is the subject of various moral assessments. In Poland, the position of the Catholic Church has a significant impact on the perception of this problem. This controversy is also reflected in the language used to talk about abortion. From "killing the unborn" to "women's right to decide about their body."
The Effects of Abortion on a Woman's Physical He alth
- Always terminating a pregnancy, regardless of the method of carrying out the procedure, carries a risk - says gynecologist Dr. Jacek Tulimowski. - Also those that are performed in the best centers, for medical indications. Following these treatments, maybeinflammation, adhesions, obstruction of the fallopian tubes, Asherman's syndrome, i.e. a set of symptoms occurring after excessive curettage of the uterine cavity, when scarring adhesions are formed inside it, partially or completely closing the lumen of the organ. Adhesions are formed as a result of damage to the mucosa, and its main symptoms are the absence or scanty menstruation, painful bleeding, habitual miscarriages, and even secondary infertility.
The undesirable effects of abortion may occur during the procedure, e.g. when there is perforation of the endometrium, peritonitis, or even years later when it turns out that adhesions have formed preventing motherhood.
- Therefore, treatments that are legally justified should be performed only in well-prepared facilities. Because although the risk cannot be avoided, it will be smaller - advises Dr. Jacek Tulimowski.
The Mental He alth Effects of Abortion
In 1981, psychologist Vincent Rue coined the term "post-abortion syndrome", admitting that abortion could have negative psychological effects. Most psychiatrists, however, are still not sure whether the worse consequences may have possible negative psychological effects, resulting from an unwanted or unconscious pregnancy, or the consequences of its termination.
From a report by the British Royal of Psychiatrics, published in 1994. shows that the risk to mental he alth following abortion in the first trimester is much lower than that resulting from the continuation of pregnancy, where it may clearly cause mental disorders in women.
Research by scientists from New Zealand indicates 30 percent increasing the frequency of mental disorders in women who have had an abortion.
In turn, Finnish studies conducted in 1987 - 1994 show that the percentage of suicides of women who had an abortion was two times higher (34%) than the percentage of suicides after spontaneous abortion (18%) and 6 times higher than suicides after a successful childbirth (5.4%).
According to psychologist Dorota Drozdowska-Szymborska, each abortion leaves a mark on a woman's psyche. And this regardless of the reasons and circumstances surrounding it. - In psychology there is the so-called loss syndrome - also losses after an embryo removed during an abortion. Termination of pregnancy may evoke various emotions - from guilt to anger and aggression. If the decision to abort was made under the pressure of the environment, the partner, too hastily, the feeling of loss will certainly be stronger. This, in turn, can lead to serious mental disorders, including depression. And thiseven after many years. That is why the care of a psychologist in such cases is so important. Preferably both before and after an abortion - explains Dorota Drozdowska-Szymborska.