Abortion
Introduction
The practice of abortion can be date back to ancient ages when pregnancy was terminated using herbs, abdominal pressure amongst other traditional tools. Most abortions occur as a result of unintended pregnancies due to failure to use contraceptives. Abortion is the process that enables the termination of a pregnancy. The fetus is hence removed from the mother womb before it can survive on its own outside the uterus. Induced abortion is the deliberate termination of pregnancy while spontaneous abortion can also be referred to as a miscarriage. According to the WHO, around 56 million abortions occurred between 2010 and 2014worldwide. However, there are still 25 million unsafe abortions performed worldwide by untrained individuals even though safe abortion is as the report also showed that unmarried women in developing countries were more likely to seek an abortion than their counterparts in developed countries. Indeed, a vast majority of cases of abortions occurred due to unintended pregnancies as women who required the procedure in developed countries stood at 65 per 1000 while in developing countries 45 women in 1000 of the population reported unwanted pregnancies that they wanted to be terminated. In this article, I will analyze the issue of abortion in the modern world.
Anatomical, physiological, pathological, epidemiological issues
Anatomical
The body of a woman is adversely affected after she carries out an abortion. Heavy and persistent bleeding is common as well as infections. Unsafe abortion can also damage the cervix. The individual may also experience diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting. The uterine lining is also scarred as a result of the termination of the pregnancy structures. Abdominal cramps are also common in the boy after the procedure.
Pathological
Abortion is a risky procedure especially for the millions of women who seek unsafe abortions in developing countries. The individual may also suffer from perforation of the uterus, cardiac arrest and convulsions that may lead to shock. There may also be pelvic infections due to germs and bacteria. Abortion can also result in blood clots in the uterus that may cause severe cramping. The procedure may also cause future fetuses to fail to develop correctly or even spontaneously abort during future pregnancies.
Physiological
The psychological effects of abortion can affect a person’s wellbeing. The individual may have episodes of guilt, anger, doubt and depression. The individual may feel that they may not have made the right decision and hence they may blame themselves. The person may hence have low self-esteem, shame, and they may withdraw from relationships with the people around them. These individuals may also have unstable emotions and wild rage that may cause mistreatment of people around her.
Epidemiological
The prevalence of abortion shows that more people are turning to safe abortion as opposed to unsafe abortion. According to a report by Guttmacher’s report, 56 million abortions were conducted between 2010 and 2014. 65% of all abortions occurred in Asia. In 2018 alone, abortion accounted for only 41 million deaths worldwide according to the WHO. Between the years 2010 to 2014 35 out of 1000 women in the reproductive age seek abortion a reduction from the early 90s when it was 40 out of 1000. 26 out of 1000 unmarried women seeking an abortion in the same period.
Affected body systems
Abortion affects mental wellness as well as the reproductive health system. The reproductive system may be affected as the uterus and the cervix risk being cut or obliterated during an unsafe procedure. The risk indeed increases with the length of the pregnancy. The damage of the uterus or rupture may also affect the bladder or the bowel system. The reproductive system which is the uterus may also be affected hence causing future pregnancy losses. The individuals who procure abortion are also subject to post-traumatic stress disorders such as anger, doubts, as well as social withdrawal due to self-esteem issues. The individuals may also find it difficult to create social bonds with their partners and may even be suicidal.
Cellular level Impact
At the cellular level, a process called microchimerism occurs whereby during the pregnancy the mother and child to exchange genes. This biological connection between mother and child is a permanent mark on the mother even if the child is aborted. The connection between the mother and its child even though the child is disconnected during abortion continues to exist in the mother’s womb as the DNA of the child can still be detected.
Chemical and Biological Issues
Hormonal changes occur in the bodies of individuals who go through an abortion. When abortion is conducted, the child’s placenta is detached from the mother’s uterine lining, and hence hormonal imbalances affect the woman due to the adverse changes in her body. An individual may also notice secretion of milk from the tender breasts as estrogen and progesterone levels were in the process of getting ready to lactate. The sudden hormonal changes cause breast tissues to soften in anticipation of a baby, and this impacts a woman’s body after abortion. After the abortion, it is normal for women to lactate as the body had already adjusted accordingly.
Economic Issues Involved
Globally, 56 million cases of abortion occur annually with at least 22 million cases being unsafe abortions. According to the World Bank report of 2016, women in countries that have better income and access to quality healthcare are less likely to perform abortions than women in developing countries who have low incomes and less access to quality healthcare. The economic issue cannot be swept under the carpet when it comes to matters of abortion. According to the Guttmacher Institute, women have tough decisions to make regarding whether to keep the child or not to depend on their ability to raise the kid in the economic conditions. Women also face challenges in developing countries to access quality and affordable procedures that make it difficult to access abortion centres that have qualified staff. The middle class and upper-class individuals have access to better facilities as compared to women from developing countries that have to part with a lot of money.
Economic Approaches that best explain Abortion
The aspect of price and availability of abortion procurement has also affected the ability of women to access the service. There are states in the US such as Ohio that are regulating the number of clinics offering induced abortions using legislation to sign agreements with larger hospitals to transfer emergency cases, hence altering the demand and supply of the abortion services. There have been progressive economic policies have focused on encouraging women to abort to reduce the likelihood of facing financial hardships once they give birth. For example in the United States, women of lower socioeconomic classes, as well as women of colour, had higher rates of abortion than white counterparts who had access to higher incomes and education.
Statistical facts
According to a 2014 study by the Guttmacher Institute, 49% of women in the US who lived below the federal poverty level sought abortion as compared to 26% of women above the FPL who sought an abortion. This depicts that abortion was higher in women with low incomes. In a study between 2009 and 2013, 73% of women who had previous children and sought an abortion, felt that they were already mothers and did not want further children for economic reasons. The study was done in 21 states in the US on a sample of 1000 women.
Statistical processes used to study abortion
The study focused on women who sought abortions between 2008 and 2010 in 30 abortion clinics in 21 states. The statistics are based on a worldwide survey of is the trend analysis of the couples which did not use contraceptives as well as the tracking of the data of the centres and clinics that perform abortions. The study statistics were accurate as the data were analyzed based on the findings of the survey to come up with a definitive conclusion of the reasons abortion is mostly an economic issue.
Conclusion
In conclusion, unsafe abortion can affect the bodies of women adversely due to physiological and mental needs of women, while safe abortion can be used to reduce the economic burden of a child on a woman. The economics of abortion can determine the decision of a woman to pursue an abortion. A lack of social support especially from a man and income disparities can also affect the ability of women to access quality abortion that does not put their lives at risk. It is high time that the issue of unsafe abortion gets attention by ensuring access to healthcare for women who might require the service to reduce back street abortions which endanger the lives of women.