Abortion........?

Question

I am just curious ( I AM NOT GETTING ONE) how far into a pregnancy you can an abortion? I have been reading a lot of controversy on here in regards to this touchy subject. I am 100% against abortion but wanted to know if there is different cut of in different states?

I am not against abortion in cases of rape but I am against it just because someone chooses to be irresponsible and not use protection. Abortion is not birth control.

Answer 1

What is an abortion?

Abortion is the premature ending of a pregnancy.

A spontaneous abortion, or miscarriage, occurs when a natural cause ends a pregnancy. If you have had or may be having a miscarriage, see the topic Miscarriage.
A therapeutic or induced abortion is one resulting from measures taken to intentionally end a pregnancy, using medications (medical abortion) or surgery.
Surgical abortion is most commonly used to end a pregnancy, but medical abortion is becoming more widely used since RU-486 (mifepristone) was approved for use in the United States in 2000. 1 Both medical and surgical methods of abortion require follow-up visits that include a physical and pelvic examination to make sure recovery is going well and birth control planning.

When should I see a doctor?

If you have had unprotected sex in the last 5 days and don't want to become pregnant, see a health professional about emergency contraception in the form of hormone pills (such as Preven or Plan B——also referred to as the morning after pill). If you have had unprotected sex in the past 5 to 7 days, you may be able to use a copper intrauterine device (IUD) for emergency contraception.

If you think you may be pregnant, see a health professional for a pregnancy test and examination as soon as possible. If you are pregnant, this is an important time for learning as much as you can about your options. If you are considering abortion, the earlier you are in your pregnancy, the more options you are likely to have and the lower your risk of complications.

How do I know what decision is right for me?

For your own future well-being, it's important that you make a well-informed decision when you are considering an abortion. Early pregnancy counseling helps you reach a positive outcome, regardless of whether you continue with the pregnancy or choose an abortion. Family planning clinics offer pregnancy counseling. You may also want to discuss your decision with a trusted person close to you who has a realistic view of how a pregnancy and parenthood would impact your life. Take time to think through your choices, which are to:

Have an abortion.
Have a baby and dedicate yourself to supporting and raising your child to adulthood.
Have a baby and place the baby for adoption.
When can an abortion be done?

Depending on how many weeks pregnant you are, you may have a choice between two or more types of abortion procedures. Medical and surgical methods available differ at each stage of pregnancy. As a pregnancy progresses into the second trimester, only surgical abortion can be used. Risks of second-trimester surgical abortion are higher than risks for first-trimester abortion.

Options include the use of medications, manual or mechanical vacuum aspiration, dilation and curettage (D&C), dilation and evacuation (D&E), or inducing labor and delivery with medication (induction).

When
Medical
Surgical

Early first trimester (up to 7 weeks) Mifepristone with misoprostol
Methotrexate with misoprostol
Manual vacuum aspiration, as early as 3 weeks after last menstrual period (uses a tube attached to a handheld syringe that draws all tissue from within the uterus)

Late first trimester (7 to 12 weeks) Mifepristone with misoprostol
Methotrexate with misoprostol
(Medical abortion is less effective beyond 9 weeks.)
Manual vacuum aspiration
Machine vacuum aspiration (uses a tube attached to an electric pump that draws all tissue from within the uterus)
Dilation and curettage (D&C), seldom used

Second trimester (13 to 24 weeks) None
Dilation and evacuation (D&E), a combination of vacuum aspiration, forceps, and D&C
Induction, possibly with D&E, seldom used


How safe is abortion?

Abortion procedures done by health professionals are very safe. To put abortion risk into perspective, childbirth is at least 7 times more risky than an abortion procedure. Less than 1 in 100 women has a serious complication after an abortion. 1 In countries where abortion is legal and safe, maternal death after an abortion is very rare—fewer than 1 in 100,000 (0.001%). However, maternal death after unsafe abortion is still a major health problem in countries where abortion isn't legal. According to the most recent numbers, if abortion were legal worldwide, the 150,000 post-abortion deaths per year would drop to 250 per year. 2

The safest timing for an abortion is between 3 and 10 weeks after your last menstrual period. 1 This is when a low-risk medication or vacuum aspiration procedure can be used, the placenta is still developing, and the embryo is very small. (Medication becomes less effective after 7 weeks.) As a pregnancy progresses into the second trimester and only surgical abortion can be used, risks increase. Complications of surgical abortion can include heavy blood loss, infection, and moderate to severe pain. Cramping pain is more common during a medical abortion than after a surgical abortion. 1

In the past, there has been concern that an abortion might increase a woman's risk of breast cancer. However, more recent, carefully done studies have led experts to conclude that there is no link between having an abortion and breast cancer. 3, 1

Who should I see for an abortion?

Early manual vacuum aspiration and medical abortion are offered by specially trained medical professionals, including some nurse-midwives, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and medical doctors (such as family medicine doctors and gynecologists). Typically, only medical doctors offer machine vacuum aspiration and other types of surgical abortion. Abortion services are most likely to be available in university hospitals and family planning clinics. However, depending on where you live, you may have to travel a long distance to see an abortion specialist.

If you choose to have a medical abortion, make sure that your health professional can also perform a vacuum aspiration (or can refer you to a health professional who does). This is important in case medication doesn't completely remove the pregnancy, which happens after 2% to 5% of medical abortions. 4, 1

What exams or tests will I need to have?

Your health professional will ask about your medical history and will do a physical examination, including a pelvic examination. Lab tests will be done to confirm your pregnancy. An ultrasound may also be done.

Whether you are a teenager or an adult, rest assured that the law protects your privacy. Your gynecological exam and test results are your private information. Your health professional will not share your private information with anyone but you unless you give permission to do so.

Who can have an abortion?

An abortion is legal, with some restrictions, in the United States. Many states require women to wait 24 hours or longer after a first informational appointment. Some states require a parent's consent for women under the age of 18 before they can have an abortion. In these states, however, a minor has the right to seek a court order allowing an abortion without a parent's consent. (Over half of women under the age of 18 who have an abortion have their decision supported by at least one of their parents. 5 ) Contact your closest Planned Parenthood or other family planning clinic for more information about restrictions in your state, as well as neighboring states.

Abortions are rarely done after 24 weeks of pregnancy (during the late second trimester and entire third trimester). Many states in the U.S. have restrictions on abortions after 24 weeks.

Will I be able to have children in the future?

The most widely used methods for abortion do not affect a woman's future ability to become pregnant. 1 In fact, it is possible to become pregnant in the weeks right after an abortion procedure. This is a good time to start a highly effective birth control method that fits your lifestyle. After taking 1 to 3 weeks to recover from an abortion, be sure to also use condoms (to prevent infection) when you start having intercourse again. Continue with this practice for several weeks, or as long as your health professional advises. For more information on birth control choices, see the topic Birth Control.

Having two or more abortions using a sharp instrument (such as dilation and curettage, or D&C, which is rarely used during the first trimester) could create enough scar tissue to affect your future ability to become pregnant as well as your risk of infertility or pregnancy complications. Such complications include implantation of a fertilized egg outside of the uterus (ectopic pregnancy), miscarriage

Answer 2

I am 100% Pro-Choice. It is all about the woman and her current circumstances. When faced with this issue, I am sure it is the most difficult decision a woman will ever make, but the choice should always be hers to make.
That being said, it depends on the size of the fetus, but, generally speaking, abortions are done safely within the first trimester of a pregnancy. There are places that will do it into the fourth month if the fetus is not too large. I believe the medical field considers a fetus 'nonviable' up until the twentieth week of pregnancy, but finding a clinic to do it that far into the pregnancy would be difficult and dangerous.

Answer 3

i am not against abortion if it has to do with rape but i was adopted and i am pregnant and even if the woman is a minor if she has the ability to open her legs and consent to have sex then she is old enough to deal with the fact that she is pregnant as for when you can have an abortion i also think that its before your second trimester... but even then i would never recommend getting one there are plenty of woman out there who want babies who cant have them and i don't think that it is fair to kill a human being that someone else wants to badly to love trust me i wasn't supposed to be able to get pregnant this is mine and my husbands miracle baby and i am only 19.also i am not sure about the diffrent laws in each state i am justs saying what i have read...

Answer 4

It varies from state to state. In my state, it's up to 24 weeks. They will not perform one after the 25th week. The morning after pills are only good here until the 9th or 10 week. If you look in the yellow pages under abortion, they usually state which weeks they will perform the procedure.

Answer 5

I understand you!
Abortion is illegal except for some cases where it's necessary especially if it threatens the mother's health!
The abortion can be during the 3 first months of pregnancy, it's safe during this period but after,I don't think!!!

Answer 6

as far as I know 12 weeks, but for 7 weeks if you are taking the abortion pill... (I'm against abortion too, and I just found out an hour ago my 39 yr old mother is pregnant and keeping it, and I"m 18 yrs old)

Answer 7

Why would someone be against abortion for cases of rape, medical necessity, or when the mother is a minor and unable to raise a child?

I think it is 12 weeks (first trimester).

Answer 8

Forty states and DC have laws prohibiting post-viability abortions. 18 states prohibit "partial-birth" or dilation and extraction abortions.

Answer 9

Iam pretty sure it was signed into law that anything after 5 months is considered murder. Since 20 weeks marks viability outside the womb.

I could be wrong on that, but its just what i seem to remember.

Answer 10

I consider we must supply a risk for child to be born. Human and animals alike.. nature have a approach to manipulate them (certainly for animals). I do not have a puppy atm, however there are a number of stray cats in my tricky that support to manipulate the rat populace (and lizard, they frequently consume them).

Answer 11

http://www.holylamb.com/abortion1.htm

- Check the website and see the crimes that these doctors perfrom on these helpless like fetus (and the do feel the pain) s ome ways they do abortion is they pull the body parts out (rip them from the baby) and pull them out of the mother, also they can burn the baby to death with saline (read all the footnotes in the website) it is a crule and SHOULD NEVER BE ALLOWED!