The deliberate termination of pregnancy, leading to temporary infertility is called induced abortion. But there is also unintended abortion. This miscarriage occurs without any interference from the outside. It may occur in some diseases, such as disorders of the endocrine glands, heart disease, kidney disease, toxemia of pregnancy, brucellosis, listeriosis, sometimes in the flu, syphilis, tuberculosis, typhoid fever, rheumatic disease, and other infectious diseases. From the toxins produced by these diseases’ microbes, the fetus dies and is expelled spontaneously from the uterus.
High temperatures during the same diseases can cause uterine contractions; in this case, a healthy fetus sometimes can be expelled. It was found that 12% of spontaneous abortions and 8% of stillbirths occur as the result of such diseases as toxoplasmosis, which affects mainly the brain and the eyes of the fetus. In the past days, the pregnancy of malaria patients ended with miscarriage very often.
Spontaneous abortion may occur in conditions of maldevelopment of the uterus, of its incorrect position, of physical and mental traumas, of various intoxications, of inflammatory processes of the genitals, as well as oxygen starvation, lack of vitamins A, B, C, D and E, some hormones, and so on.
For example, a lack of the hormone of the corpus luteum of the ovary progesterone and vitamin E often causes miscarriage.
Not so long ago it was found that in 28% of spontaneous abortions occurring in the period up to three months of pregnancy, there are changes in the chromosome apparatus which are not compatible with life (malformations of the fetal egg and the trophoblast). Improper fetal development and its destruction, for example in the case of poisoning, and other causes, also lead to spontaneous abortion, as in this case the fetus becomes an alien body to the uterine and annoying it.
During the spontaneous abortion, regardless of its cause, uterine contractions lead to rejection, detachment of fetal egg, attached to the uterine wall. At the same time, the blood vessels of the uterus open and the bleeding starts, sometimes so abundant that it threatens a woman’s life.
A Few Words About Surgical Abortion
A surgical induced abortion is performed by a doctor in a hospital environment at the request of the pregnant woman or according to medical reasons. The best time for an abortion is the period between 7 and 10 weeks. At this time, the cervix is already softened significantly and the cervical canal expands with fewer traumas, and the ovum is big enough and easier to be removed completely with the least blood loss. Abortion can’t be made if the pregnant woman has infectious diseases and inflammatory processes of the genitals.
After an abortion, a woman is required to comply with a strict hygienic regime. The sexual life can be resumed no earlier than a month and a half after the prior consultation with the specialist.
Why is Abortion Not So Healthy?
Abortion in the later stages (13-24 weeks) is generally taken hard by the woman, it can’t be compared with natural birth. It is known that the uterus and birth canal are preparing for nine months for the birth act. By the end of pregnancy, the cervix itself softens and expands significantly in the natural order.
The opening of the cervix under the influence of labor contractions and under the pressure of the fetal bladder happens slowly and gradually, therefore, carefully. In the course of labor fetal membranes get separated in a natural layer and without the slightest damage to the uterine muscle.
Quite different is the case of surgical abortion, which is an act of interruption into a woman’s nature. No matter how carefully was the operation expanded with the tool, yet small cracks may be formed, after which the scars may remain in the cervix. It is particularly hard to expand the cervixes of women who have never given birth. The removal of the fetus by means of scraping is always in higher or lower degree violates the integrity of the uterine muscle.
After an abortion, produced even by the skilled hand of a specialist, the uterus may still be damaged, which in the future could lead to various diseases. During dilatation and scraping it is very easy to inflict significant damage to the uterus and nearby organs (intestine, bladder, major blood vessels, etc.).
Surgical abortion is a complicated and responsible operation, as the doctor has to work without eye control (“blind operation”), relying only on the sense of touch. However, it’s said about a particular professional tactility of gynecologists: “they have eyes on the fingers. Still, the increased fingertip sensitivity is still no substitute for eyes control. The separation of a living embryo from the uterus – is not just the removal of an alien body.
Inflammation Risk
A woman must always remember that abortion, especially the recurrent, may lead to harmful consequences. Ovarian disorders, obesity, weakening of libido, and so on may often occur after the surgical abortion. Multiple abortions often lead to premature aging of a woman: the tissue loses elasticity, the wrinkles appear on the face, the hair starts to turn gray, and menopause comes early.
Even when the abortion operation passes without complications, in 20% of cases another remote harmful to women’s health effects are reported. Abortion is more dangerous in the late terms of pregnancy – between 10-20 weeks. By this term, the fetus seat is already firmly attached to the uterine wall and the removal of it causes severe traumas.
Women need to know that abortion may be great harm to their health. From the first days of the pregnancy, there is a big adaptive restructuring in a woman’s body, primarily associated with the central nervous system, metabolism, respiratory and circulatory systems, as well as the endocrine glands system. This restructuring improves the general tonus. At the same time, the beneficial effect of the restructuring is saved for a long time.
Repetitive childbirth (though it’s also stress) is less harmful to reproductive function than repetitive abortions. New pregnancy brings with it a new “charge” of energy for a woman’s body and keeps the optimal rhythm of all organs and body systems. A late-term abortion also violates the physiological restructuring, often causing irreparable disorder in the female body, interrupting roughly her natural preparation for motherhood.
The conditions of the operation may be sterile, but there is always a risk of infection transmission from the vagina into the uterus, into the tubes, ovaries, the threat of blood poisoning (septicemia). It’s especially dangerous if a woman has gonorrhea in a latent form. Gonorrhea (like any other infection) can be accessed from the lower genital apparatus to the upper and cause inflammation of the fallopian tubes and ovaries.
It happens that after the abortion the cervical canal of the uterus becomes impassable because of an imperforate uterine throat. In these cases, menses, finding no natural outlet, can get into the fallopian tubes and close their lumen. As a result, the woman may get persistent infertility even after one abortion. Today the risks of getting an inflammation during abortion are very low, but it is still a surgery.
Physical Damage
If a woman has a certain immaturity of internal genital organs – they may ripen during pregnancy and the risk for the nulliparous to remain infantile for life is quite high. Thus, the abortion of the early pregnancy in the late stages may lead to infertility, and sometimes to the cessation of menstruation, decreasing sexual feelings.
Thousands of women have paid for abortions with their health. However, in the hospital environment, abortion is less dangerous and rarely gives any noticeable complications. Often, an abortion passes, as people usually say, “quite well” with a slight increase of the basal temperature (37, 2-37, 4 °). But still, come of the complications may be revealed later and require additional treatment.
Infertility Risk
The infertility risk is normally related to the inflammation in most women, who had abortion complications. Abortion and the choice of the clinic may not be done carelessly, considering the risks. The influence of even mild inflammation may result in blockage of tubes or lining of the uterus and its muscle may change so that if the next pregnancy occurs it wouldn’t develop normally. Specialists noted repeatedly that even after the “uncomplicated” medical abortion 3-6% of women, trying to conceive later, remained infertile.
When scraping, especially repeated, the deep layers of the uterine mucosa may be damaged together with numerous glands (“over scraping “). In these cases, the mucosa recovers slowly and incompletely. In addition, blood vessels and nerve elements laid down in the deeper layers of the uterus damage, and its nutrition is disrupted. Because of this fact, the uterus gradually becomes underdeveloped. In its modified and partially atrophied mucous a fertilized egg can’t strengthen and pregnancy does not develop.
Repeated Miscarriages Risk
However, after some time when pregnancy occurs, the defective uterus is not able to sustain the pregnancy to the end – it turns into a spontaneous miscarriage. This phenomenon can be repeated in a certain period of pregnancy. This disease is called a habitual miscarriage. It usually takes place within the first three months of pregnancy when the formation of the placenta is not yet finished. The statistics show that habitual miscarriage is much more common among women who made an abortion of the first pregnancy or multiple abortions.
Often, after repeated abortion menstrual cycle disturbs. Menstruation becomes too abundant, long, and painful. Exhausting pains may appear.
Ectopic Pregnancy Risk
Sometimes abortions are a predisposing factor for ectopic pregnancy. They often cause inflammation of the tubes (commissural processes), after the tube becomes impassable or passable only for the sperm. In the latter case, the fertilized egg can’t move into the uterus in a certain period and is retained in the tube so long that it takes root in the place of its location; as a result, an ectopic (tubal) pregnancy develops.
Growing fetus expands the tube strongly, the blood vessels that pass through it, can be ruptured, and blood can pour out into the abdominal cavity, and a woman may die from loss of blood if she will not be operated on in time. Ectopic pregnancy may occur with the delay of a fertilized egg in the winding and narrow tubes in case of a sexual woman’s infantilism.
Among women who had an abortion earlier, toxemia is observed often in the 2nd half of pregnancy, and childbirth is usually tightened and occurs with complications. They have weakened uterine contractility, the amniotic fluid departs prematurely, and the placenta can’t be separated on its own (in this case it is separated manually under anesthesia). These women have to bleed during childbirth 5 times more often than women who haven’t had an abortion before.
Nervous System May Be Affected
Surgical abortion is harmful not only to the functions of the genital organs of the woman but also throughout her body and primarily for the nervous system. The disturbing feeling after the surgical abortion, especially the multiple, may turn into an oppressive feeling of fear of getting pregnant again and of being subjected to an abortion.
This has a negative impact on sexual activity, reduces sexual feelings. Restrained attitude to sexual intercourse may gradually lead to the development of sexual coldness, which violates the neuro-psychological state of a woman. If the physical consequences of abortion can be prevented to some extent, the psychological trauma of women can’t be prevented even in the best clinic.
Abortion of the First Pregnancy is More Harmful
Considering the facts – abortion is definitely a harmful surgery. It is especially not recommended to interrupt the first pregnancy because after this persistent infertility may occur. An abortion for nulliparous women is connected with more severe consequences than for women who have given birth previously. That is why it is imperative to finish the first pregnancy.
According to many doctors, about a third of gynecological patients are women who have made abortions earlier. Abortions with complications lead to infertility in a certain amount of women.
Abortion – Is an Operation, that Should be Carried by the Doctor
If medical abortion produced in a hospital environment and by the experienced hand of a specialist is dangerous may still damage the health of the woman, it is clear that criminal abortions which are made by ignorant people are simply disastrous. And no wonder that sometimes after such an abortion a bleeding woman with severe uterine lesions is brought to the hospital.
There are many cases when women, after these “secret” abortions made by clandestine “expellers” of pregnancies, died of blood poisoning, many women remain disabled for all life after abortion.
The USA authorities, that brought the woman’s health care on a higher level, took a decisive struggle against clandestine abortions. Our legislation recognized women’s right to decide by themselves the question of motherhood and to terminate the pregnancy if she is forced with her unfavorable conditions and the necessity.
However, allowing the doctor to perform this operation in a hospital, health authorities don’t consider abortions are harmless. The legalization of abortion – is a measure to fight against clandestine abortions, which destroy the health of women risking sometimes their lives.
Before You Make Up Your Mind
Before you decide to abort the pregnancy, you and your partner should think twice, considering all the pros and cons. Moreover, not only physical but also moral imperfections should be taken into account. In the United States, you may still consider the option of abortion up to week 24 of pregnancy. The number comes from the ability of the fetus to survive on its own outside the womb.
However, as previously mentioned, the later you go for the abortion – the bigger is the risk of complications. As for the fetus itself – it’s not a bean-size creature anymore. By the 11th week, it has the whole set of human features including the nervous system, responsible for the pain. Abortion is not a birth control measure, because it does not prevent the pregnancy, but terminates it.
Surely – the fetus is a part of our body and we may decide whether to let it grow or not. But the civilized society should learn how to control the basic instincts and reduce the risks of pregnancy by means of contraception. When one violates the own nature to terminate the consequences of low self-control – it’s a drawback of education, but not the attribute of the civilized society.
Born in Belarus, 1985, a pedagogue and family psychologist, mother. Taking part in procedures of social adaptation of the foster children in new families. Since 2015 is a chief editor of the motherhow.com project, selecting the best and up-to-date material for those, who are planning, expecting, and already having babies.