Abortion is a major decision for someone to make. In technical terms, an abortion is the removal of a fetus from the uterus before it is mature enough to live on its own. It is legal but many groups are against the procedure itself.
Many women have abortions for a variety of reasons. Some women are too young to care for a baby when they become pregnant so they turn to abortion. Other women may have too little of an income to support a child and abortion is their only choice. In some sad situations, a woman may have been raped and impregnated and would not be able to deal with the emotional stress of caring for that child.
When a women turns to abortion, they should know the risks that come along with it. Becoming infertile is one possibility. Before the legalization of abortion, there were "back-alley abortionists" who may have damaged the woman's uterus to cause infertility. At a hospital or a clinic, the chances of becoming infertile as a result from an abortion are slim. The pain that comes with an abortion is likely. The women may have to take medications to reduce the pain after the procedure takes place and keep rested for a few days.
About ninety percent of abortions are done in the first three months, or first trimester, of pregnancy. Only about nine percent are done in the second trimester. The earlier in a pregnancy, the easier the abortion is. There are many methods for an abortion procedure. There are two different surgical methods for abortion. One surgical method, which is the most common, is when the cervix is opened slightly and the contents of the uterus are removed. The less frequently used method is induced labor so the fetus and placenta are expelled as in childbirth. That method is usually used after twenty-two weeks. .
Another method is the medical abortion. Taking medications to end the pregnancy does this. This usually isn't used after seven weeks. The Abortion Pill, also known as RU-486, opens the cervix causing mild contractions, which expel the embryo.