Abortion classifications
Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy before the completion of the gestation term. A spontaneous abortion results in the death of the fetus or expulsion of the conception material before the twentieth week. Abortions are classified in two, early abortion which occurs before the twelfth week and late abortion occurring between the twelfth to twentieth week. There are four classifications of spontaneous abortion: the inevitable abortion where the uterus rupture, prompting vaginal bleeding and the dilation of the cervix, causing expelling the pregnancy. The difference between complete and incomplete abortion is that incomplete abortion, all the conception products are discharged while an incomplete abortion retains some of the productions. There are also recurrent abortions whereby, a person experiences three or more spontaneous abortions.
Abortions can occur without the intervention of a doctor especially if the mother has medical illnesses such as hypertension, malnutrition or is using drugs contraindicated in pregnancy. In some instances, the pregnant lady may choose to have an abortion if the case of unplanned or unwanted pregnancy and she feels that she should not have the baby. Tight schedules at work, school or even family, unsupportive partner, religious beliefs and also the economic capabilities of a person are some of the reasons given by women seeking abortion services.
Causes of abortions
Abortions can occur spontaneously or medically, through the use of drugs (abortion pills) and surgical abortions, and aspiration. Abortions that occur spontaneously do not require intervention. Instead, the body passes out the conception and fetal material through vaginal bleeding. One may have underlying health conditions that prompt the abortion. Also, one may use drugs such as cigarettes and alcohol, which are harmful to the pregnant women and the fetus, hence causing the abortion.
However, there are women, who despite being healthy and able to carry pregnancy term, seek to terminate the pregnancies. These are known as induced abortions, and they occur for many reasons; such as fear of being pregnancy at an early age or not wanting a baby. Some people also abort upon learning the baby’s sex, especially if they preferred a different sex. The abortion pills are used in early pregnancies. Most people aborting before the ninth week use these pills. The tablets are also given to women whose pregnancies are less than twenty-four weeks. If the pregnancy is beyond ten weeks, the abortion pills are used together with another drug that induces labor, subsequently causing the abortion.
In some states and countries, induced abortion is allowed while it is illegal in others. Countries where abortion is legal record better health rates among women and girls. That is because the women are empowered and given a choice on what to do should they fall pregnant. Those that support abortion argue that abortion is mainly done in the first trimester, the baby is not fully formed and hence it is not a human life that is taken away. However, groups that do not support argue that life begins at conception, hence aborting is similar to killing a person and the law makes it clear that human life ought to be protected.
Also, groups that do not support abortion argue that it is better to give away the child for adoption instead of aborting. However, many times the issue is not about raising the child but rather cultural and religious shame associated with a person who gets pregnant before getting married. People choose to abort so that they can lead a normal stigma-free life.
Additionally, groups opposing the practice argue that abortion is likely to cause medical complication and even infertility in women. However, even though it is illegal, girls and females living in these places abort using crude methods, which expose them to illnesses and infections that would have otherwise, be prevented by a safe medically supervised abortion. Scientific data show that medical abortions do not affect a woman’s fertility or result in health complications unless there are underlying medical conditions, and even so, doctors and paramedics work to ensure that the woman regains her health.
Besides, abortions ought to be allowed especially on rape and incest grounds. That is because keeping a pregnancy that results from these activities is a psychological torture to the women. Also, the woman may not realize that is pregnant after a rape. Additionally, she may not speak or report due to the stigma associated with both rape and incest. Therefore, upon the realization that she is pregnant, she should be allowed to make a decision whether to carry the pregnancy or abort.
In addition, those for abortion argue that women do not use abortion as a contraceptive (Lowen, 2012). Additionally, it is possible for a woman to fall pregnant even when safe using contraceptives. One uses contraceptives because they do not want a baby, therefore, should a person all pregnant after taking the necessary precaution, one should be allowed to make a choice. Women should be empowered and accorded the chance to make decisions regarding their bodies.
Abortion also reduces stress on teenagers who fall pregnant as they are likely to lose hope if they keep the pregnancy, hence live a mediocre life in future (Lowen, 2012). People argue that many regret in future, but there is no evidence of that happening.
References
Lowen, L. (2012). 0 Abortion Arguments: 10 Arguments For Abortion, 10 Arguments Against Abortion. About-Women's Health.
Sheldon, S. (2015). The Decriminalisation of abortion: an Argument for Modernisation. The Decriminalisation of abortion: an Argument for Modernisation, 24.
Siegel, N. S. (2012). Equality Arguments for Abortion Rights. UCLA L. Rev Discourse, 60, 160.
Wexler, B. (2014). Abortion. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Gale, Cengage Learning.
