INTRODUCTION
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Abortion
is a controversial and sensitive topic. We believe that
the following honest discussion will help answer questions
and clarify misconceptions about abortion. As you read
this guide, please keep in mind that our perspective is
purely medical – not political.
Abortion is a subject wrought with political and religious controversy. This guide in no way aims to be political in its discussion, but it will briefly outline the debate. Abortion is presented here as one of three options a woman has when she experiences an unplanned pregnancy: she can have the baby, put the baby up for adoption, or terminate the pregnancy with an abortion.
Abortion
is a term that embraces a number of meanings. In its broadest
sense, an abortion ends a pregnancy before birth. In more
precise and legal language, abortion is the termination
of pregnancy before viability. Viability refers to the
ability of the fetus to live outside the woman’s uterus.
Most experts agree that a fetus cannot survive apart from
the womb prior to 20 weeks of gestation.
To
understand it more fully, we classify abortions into two
general groups: spontaneous
and induced. A spontaneous
abortion is commonly known as a “miscarriage.”
In comparison, induced abortion involves some sort of medical
intervention or procedure. An induced abortion may be elective
or it may be performed under medical advisement.
Here
are some definitions of terms used in this guide:
- Abortifacients - an agent or drug which causes abortion
- Cervix
-“neck” or opening to the uterus or womb
- Ectopic
– pregnancies that occur outside the uterus
- Embryo
- the developing human organism from two weeks after conception
to the eighth week
- Fetus
- the developing human organism from nine weeks after
conception to birth
- Gestation
- describes pregnancy or the period of development from
conception to birth
- POC
- (Products Of Conception) this is a technical term that
describes what is expelled from the uterus following an
abortion. It may include an embryo or fetus, the placental
tissue, and uterine lining.
- Trimester
- a pregnancy is commonly divided into three periods of
three months each called trimesters
- Uterus
- pear shaped female reproductive organ in which the fetus
develops, also called the "womb."
