Types Of Abortion
There are different types of abortions and different methods of abortion. In every country there is a corresponding legislation that regulates the respective legal situation, indications and deadlines. Find out everything you need to know about this topic in our article!
Termination of pregnancy is generally understood to mean the premature termination of a pregnancy by removing the abortion. So such an intervention comes out of a decision and there are different methods of performing such an abortion. In addition, every country has special legislation regulating everything to do with this topic.
In addition to this type of abortion , it can also lead to an unwanted miscarriage. Then one speaks of a natural spontaneous abortion. Strictly speaking, this is a term that must be distinguished from abortion. You can find out more about all of these questions below. So just read on!
What types of abortion are there?
Miscarriage or natural spontaneous abortion
As mentioned above, strictly speaking, a miscarriage does not count as an abortion. Because, unlike an abortion, a miscarriage is not a question of a decision or a desire. Such a natural spontaneous abortion usually occurs in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. In many cases, however, no medical or surgical intervention is required.
Miscarriages can have many causes. This includes, for example, chromosomal disorders and abnormalities in the uterine artery. Certain diseases can also cause a miscarriage. For example fibroids and endometriosis. On the other hand, certain unhealthy habits also increase the likelihood of a miscarriage. These include smoking, alcohol and drug use. Traumatic experiences can also be a cause.
Limited abortions on request
In these cases , the woman concerned decides to terminate the pregnancy and so the pregnancy is prematurely terminated by removing the abortion.
Medical abortions
Medical abortions involve issues relating to the health of the pregnant woman and / or the fetus. Such abortions remain unpunished (in Germany) if, for example, pregnancy poses a threat to the life of the pregnant woman. Or even if there is a risk of serious impairment of the physical or emotional state of health of the pregnant woman.
What is the legal situation for abortions?
Illegal abortions
Abortions are considered illegal if they violate the legal regulations of the country concerned. When abortions are forbidden by law, it usually leads to the following situation: The women perform the abortion in poor and unhealthy conditions. For this reason, the statistics on sickness and death rates among pregnant women are higher in these countries than in countries where it is legal to have abortions.
Legal abortions
Even the most progressive legislation punishes pregnant women and doctors who perform abortions outside of the time allowed with fines or imprisonment.
However, in almost every country in the world , abortion is legal, at least under certain circumstances. The following countries are among the few exceptions:
- The vatican
- El Salvador
- Malta
- Nicaragua
- Honduras
- The Dominican Republic
So-called deadline regulations apply in many countries . These consist of setting a period of a certain number of weeks or days of pregnancy during which an abortion is legal. For example, in Spain this period is 14 weeks. The woman must allow a three-day reflection period to pass after the medical consultation.
In other countries, abortions are only considered legal under very specific circumstances. And in the case of Spain, the following applies in addition to the regulation mentioned above: From the 14th to the 22nd week of pregnancy, abortions are only legal if the fetus is severely malformed or if there is a serious risk to the mother’s health.
What are the different methods of abortion?
1. Drug termination
Abortions with pills are performed until about the 7th week of pregnancy. The woman first takes a mifepristone tablet and after 24 to 48 hours her misoprostol is given. This causes the uterus to contract and the fruit is expelled as a result. These drugs are only available in hospitals or other approved facilities.
2. Termination by surgical intervention
There are again different ways of doing this. This includes:
- Suction method / aspiration: First, the cervix is gradually expanded. Then the contents are sucked off. There are no incisions and there is no surgery. Appropriate medical facilities and equipment as well as medical personnel are required for this procedure. It is carried out by the 17th week of pregnancy at the latest and usually lasts between 5 and 10 minutes.
- Abortion through surgery: this is performed by a gynecologist or surgeon.
- Enlargement and Evacuation Abortion: This is a type of abortion that occurs around weeks 16-19. It is associated with a higher risk. Because the pregnancy is more advanced. It always requires general anesthesia or sedation because it is a surgical procedure. First of all, the cervix is widened. The tissue is then cleared out with the appropriate surgical instruments. This process takes between 10 and 30 minutes. But the subsequent recovery phase can take several hours.
- Scraping (curettage): In this procedure, the walls of the uterus are scraped off. However, curettages are usually only performed today if, after an abortion, remains of the embryo or other tissue remnants have to be removed from the uterus using other methods. Because on the recommendation of the WHO, this method is only used in special cases.
For late-stage abortions
- Late termination: Both medication and surgical methods are used in these cases. Since such an abortion is carried out in extreme cases only from the 19th to 20th week of pregnancy, it carries certain risks. Therefore, medical personnel must make an appropriate medical assessment and the woman must be admitted to hospital. Such an operation also takes place under general anesthesia. In some cases, another intervention may be necessary.
