Abortion
What is an Abortion?
"An abortion means ending a pregnancy prematurely. An abortion can happen spontaneously as a result of complications during a pregnancy, or it can be induced. An induced abortion is carried out to preserve the health of the mother. An abortion carried out for any other reason is called an elective abortion. The majority of elective abortions are carried out during the first three months of a pregnancy - during the first trimester (Nordqvist)." Types of Abortions: Medical Abortions: "A medical abortion is one that uses a drug to terminate the pregnancy. Medical abortions can only be done during the first nine weeks after conception. The drug mifepristone is taken orally in pill form - it blocks progesterone. Without progesterone the lining of the uterus will thin and the pregnancy will end (Nordqvist)." Surgical Abortions: "The doctor removes the lining of the womb, either by MVA (manual vacuum aspiration) or D&C (dilatation suction curettage). Both procedures use suction. With MVA a handheld tool is used, while D&C carried out with a suction machine and tools. MVA can only be carried out during the first ten weeks of pregnancy, while D&C can only be done between week 4 and the end of week 13 (Nordqvist)." Other methods include: The use of herbs. How safe are Abortions? If the medical or surgical abortions are carried out by a trained doctor in a clinical setting, they are usually very safe. The probability of complications is extremely small. A woman's chances of getting pregnant again are not usually affected after the abortion. Who can receive an Abortion? The question is simple anyone and everyone, yet for some it is much harder due to income, family dynamic, and medical opportunities. Women in poverty face issues with transportation, waiting periods and the finances to receive the safest abortions. The WGS department strives to change and analyze the issues surrounding the restrictions on abortions. Abortions Around the World/ Facts: http://www.guttmacher.org/sections/abortion.php?pub=sheets These fact sheets explain and provide information about abortions all around the world. This provides a sense of inclusion and a holistic approach to how the globe views reproductive rights and abortions. It also provides insight to the policies and state by state regulations on abortions in the United States. |
The History of Abortions:
http://www.statemaster.com/encyclopedia/History-of-abortion Abortion Laws: Today, Women in America have the right to obtain an abortion in all 50 states, regardless of what trimester of pregnancy they are in and for virtually any reason at all. This has been true since the Supreme Court declared that individuals have a right to privacy, as stated in the Constitution, and abortion rights are a part of this right. This ruling was reached due to the 9th and 14th amendments. "Partial-Birth" Abortion: 19 states have laws in effect that prohibit "partial-birth" abortion. 3 of these laws apply only to post-viability abortions (GuttMacher)." "Public Funding: 17 states use their own funds to pay for all or most medically necessary abortions for Medicaid enrollees in the state. 32 states and the District of Columbia prohibit the use of state funds except in those cases when federal funds are available: where the woman’s life is in danger or the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. In defiance of federal requirements, South Dakota limits funding to cases of life endangerment only (GuttMacher)." "Coverage by Private Insurance: 8 states restrict coverage of abortion in private insurance plans, most often limiting coverage only to when the woman’s life would be endangered if the pregnancy were carried to term. Most states allow the purchase of additional abortion coverage at an additional cost (GuttMacher)." "Refusal: 46 states allow individual health care providers to refuse to participate in an abortion. 43 states allow institutions to refuse to perform abortions, 16 of which limit refusal to private or religious institutions (GuttMacher)." "State-Mandated Counseling: 17 states mandate that women be given counseling before an abortion that includes information on at least one of the following: the purported link between abortion and breast cancer (5 states),the ability of a fetus to feel pain (12 states) or long-term mental health consequences for the woman (8 states) (GuttMacher)." "Waiting Periods: 26 states require a woman seeking an abortion to wait a specified period of time, usually 24 hours, between when she receives counseling and the procedure is performed. 9 of these states have laws that effectively require the woman make two separate trips to the clinic to obtain the procedure (GuttMacher)." "Parental Involvement: 38 states require some type of parental involvement in a minor’s decision to have an abortion. 22 states require one or both parents to consent to the procedure, while 12 require that one or both parents be notified and 4 states require both parental consent and notification (GuttMacher)." Laws State by State: http://www.guttmacher.org/statecenter/spibs/spib_OAL. |
References:
"Abortion ." GuttMacher Institute . N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr 2013.
<http://www.guttmacher.org/sections/abortion.php?pub=sheets>.
"An Overview of Abortion Laws." GuttMacher Institute . N.p., 01 Apr 2013. Web. 18 Apr
2013. <"History of Abortion."
"History of Abortion." StateMaster. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr 2013.
<http://www.statemaster.com/encyclopedia/History-of-abortion>.
Nordqvist, Christian. "What is An Abortion." Medical News Today (MNT). N.p., 14 Apr 2009. Web.
18 Apr 2013. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/145870.php>.
"Abortion ." GuttMacher Institute . N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr 2013.
<http://www.guttmacher.org/sections/abortion.php?pub=sheets>.
"An Overview of Abortion Laws." GuttMacher Institute . N.p., 01 Apr 2013. Web. 18 Apr
2013. <"History of Abortion."
"History of Abortion." StateMaster. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr 2013.
<http://www.statemaster.com/encyclopedia/History-of-abortion>.
Nordqvist, Christian. "What is An Abortion." Medical News Today (MNT). N.p., 14 Apr 2009. Web.
18 Apr 2013. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/145870.php>.