Abortion, a medical procedure aimed at ending a pregnancy at any stage of gestation, hinges on various factors:
1. **Timing**: The stage of pregnancy determines the suitable method.
2. **Reasons**: Abortions can be prompted by medical concerns or personal choices.
3. **Medical Considerations**: A pregnant individual’s medical history, including drug resistance and allergies, plays a crucial role.
**Procedure Options**:
**Medical Abortion for First and Second Trimesters**:
Medications like misoprostol, a combination of methotrexate and misoprostol (up to seven weeks), or mifeprex RU-486 (up to nine weeks) are commonly used.
**Other Medical Abortion Procedures for the Second Trimester**:
– Saline-induced abortion, albeit declining in use, remains an option.
– Prostaglandin-induced abortion involves injecting medication directly into the fetus.
**Surgical Abortion Procedure for First Trimester**:
– Surgical methods, such as manual aspiration or vacuum aspiration using a suction machine, are swift and relatively simple.
– Dilation and curettage, while effective, carries risks of injury due to the sharp curette.
**Surgical Abortion Procedure for Second Trimester**:
– Dilation and evacuation, involving cervical dilation followed by removal using suction and manual techniques, is common.
– Some cases may require labor induction, especially in instances of premature membrane rupture.