Here’s what happens when you get an abortion

According to statistics supplied by the Guttmacher Institute – largely viewed as the most comprehensive source of research and policy analysis on abortion in the United States – 862,000 abortions were performed in the U.S. in 2017, the most recent year for which data is available.

Of course, abortion is one of the most controversial topics in the United States, and indeed, the world. But, while many people focus on the ethical and moral concerns surrounding abortion, there are also many practical health risks and side effects associated with the procedure which are often overlooked. (Related: Abortion is big business: Nearly $1 billion a year generated from murdering human babies.)

The medical risks of abortion

As reported by Medical News Today, there are three different types of abortions available in the United States. Let’s consider each type, along with its potential risks and side effects.

Medical abortion

When a woman who has been pregnant for up to 10 weeks, takes two pills – mifepristone and misoprostol – to end her pregnancy by causing the fetus to stop developing and then expelling it from the womb, this is known as a medical abortion.

Women experience different levels of discomfort with this procedure, with some comparing it to a heavy period with cramps, while others experience more intense pain. Some women will also experience bleeding or spotting for several weeks after taking the pills.

Side effects of medical abortions include:

• Nausea and vomiting;
• Fever and chills;
• Diarrhea;
• Headaches; and
• Dizziness.

In some cases – about 3 in every 100 procedures – a medical abortion fails to work, resulting in an incomplete abortion. In such cases the procedure will have to be repeated or the woman will have to undergo a surgical procedure in which a doctor removes the remaining pregnancy tissue.

Vacuum aspiration

In this procedure, a doctor will give the patient medication or an injection to numb the cervix, and then use suction to remove the fetus. A woman will not usually experience pain during this procedure but may experience a pulling or dragging sensation. However, many women report feeling cramps for a day or two after the procedure and it can cause bleeding for a further two weeks.

Possible risks and side effects of this procedure include:

• Nausea and vomiting;
• Sweating;
• Fever;
• Blood clots;
• Dizziness;
• Incomplete removal of the fetus;
• Infections;
• Heavy bleeding; and
• Injury to the uterus, cervix or other organs (which could render the woman infertile).

Dilation and evacuation

This type of surgical evacuation is normally performed on women who have been pregnant for more than 13 weeks. The woman is first put to sleep with a general anesthetic so that she cannot feel any pain, and then the doctor uses thin rods known as dilators to open the cervix so that the fetus can be removed. Women who undergo this procedure usually experience cramping for a day or two afterwards and can expect spotting or bleeding for upwards of two weeks thereafter.

This procedure carries the same risks and side effects as vacuum aspiration. (Related: Abortion is the greatest genocide in human history.)

A rollercoaster of emotions

In addition to the increased risk of physical side effects, abortion can also cause a woman to experience a rollercoaster of emotions, even if she was initially very comfortable with her decision to abort.

As reported by the BBC, a study published in the journal BMC Medicine, found that an abortion can result in “five years of mental anguish, anxiety, guilt and even shame.”

Clearly, although medical professionals and the media generally portray abortion as a safe, virtually painless and emotionally freeing decision, the reality is very different. Abortion carries serious risks of side effects and complications, and can leave a woman emotionally devastated for years.

Learn more about the risks of abortion at Abortions.news.

Sources include:

MedicalNewsToday.com

Guttmacher.org

News.BBC.co.uk