An abortion is a procedure to end a pregnancy by removing the fetus and placenta from the mother's womb.
There are many forms of abortion -- sometimes an abortion occurs on its own (spontaneously), and other times a woman chooses (elects) to end the pregnancy.
Abortion may be performed using medicines or surgery.
A non-surgical, or medical, abortion can be done within 7 weeks from the first day of the woman's last menstrual period. A combination of prescription hormone medicines are used. The doctor may give you the medicines while you are in the medical office, after performing a physical exam and asking questions about your medical history.
A surgical abortion uses a vacuum to remove the fetus and related material. This is usually done after 6 weeks of pregnancy. Medicine (sedative) may be given to cause sleepiness. The doctor may numb the cervix so you have little pain during the procedure.
If the surgical abortion is done after 12 weeks of pregnancy, the doctor must first open (dilate) the cervical canal. Small sticks called laminaria are placed into the cervix to cause it to open. Sometimes, this is done a day or two before the actual abortion procedure. The doctor will insert a hollow tube into the womb before using the vacuum to remove the tissues (fetus and placenta) from the womb. You may receive medicines to make the uterine muscles contract.
Abortion - elective or therapeutic (3 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Elective or therapeutic abortion is the deliberate termination of a pregnancy. Reviewer: Audra Robertson, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 09/19/2006
Abortion - complete (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
A complete abortion is an abortion (induced or spontaneous) in which the entire fetus and placenta have passed out of the uterus before the 20th week of pregnancy. See also: Miscarriage Reviewer: Melanie N. Smith, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 08/17/2007
Abortion - incomplete (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
In an incomplete abortion, parts of the fetus or placental material stay inside the uterus. See also: Complete abortion; Infected abortion; Miscarriage. Reviewer: Audra Robertson, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 11/08/2006
Miscarriage (2 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
A miscarriage is the spontaneous loss of a fetus before the 20th week of pregnancy. (Pregnancy losses after the 20th week are called preterm deliveries) A miscarriage may also be called a "spontaneous abortion." This refers to naturally occurring events, not elective or therapeutic abortion procedures, which a woman may choose to have done. Other terms for the early loss of pregnancy include: Missed abortion (a loss of pregnancy where the products of conception do not exit the body; Incomplete abortion (not all of the products of conception exit the body; Complete abortion (all of the products of conception exit the body; Threatened abortion (symptoms indicate a miscarriage is possible; Inevitable abortion (the symptoms cannot be stopped, and a miscarriage will happen; Infected abortion. Reviewer: Audra Robertson, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 09/19/2006
Inevitable abortion (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Inevitable abortion is a spontaneous abortion which cannot be stopped. See also: Threatened abortion; Incomplete abortion; Infected abortion. Reviewer: Audra Robertson, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 11/08/2006
Abortion - threatened (2 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
A threatened abortion is a condition that suggests a miscarriage might take place before the 20th week of pregnancy. Reviewer: Melanie N. Smith, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 08/17/2007
Abortion - infected (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
An infected abortion occurs when an infection develops in the material from the fetus or placenta or the lining of the uterus (endometrium. See also: Incomplete abortion; Inevitable abortion. Reviewer: Audra Robertson, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 11/08/2006
Print
