Abortions work but beware of risks

An abortion can be an appropriate solution in some cases, says gynaecologist Dr Sonia Abbas. One example is when the life of the mother is at risk if she keeps her foetus. But, Dr Abbas warned in an exclusive interview with Arabstoday, an abortion affects a woman’s health too, resulting in psychological disorders than can take time to heal after the procedure. Discussing the pros and cons of abortions, Arabstody asked Dr Sonia Abbas: -What is an abortion? From a medical perspective, we define the abortion as the termination of a pregnancy - whether involuntary (miscarriage), or by choice. The procedure ends the pregnancy by removing the foetus from the woman’s uterus before it becomes a live human being. The abortion can occur spontaneously due to complications during pregnancy -- which is called miscarriage -- or it can be carried out to preserve a mother’s health, otherwise known as a “therapeutic” abortion. A procedure could be taken for any other kind of reason too, which we call an optional abortion. -What are the different methods of abortion? An abortion can be done through surgery. The only person authorised to carry out this intervention is a gynaecologist, using a local anaesthetic like lidocaine, or general anaesthesia if necessary. The abortion can also be done through aspiration, which is a safe operation until the 12th week of pregnancy. Abortions can also be undertaken using drugs, such as anti-progesterone or prostaglandins. Finally, an abortion can be carried out using dilation and curettage, a surgical technique that uses sharp spoons to "curettage" the uterine wall – a more risky and painful operation for the patient. -How does a miscarriage occur? There are many causes for miscarriage: one example is a defection in the fertilised egg, which is one of the most frequent causes of miscarried pregnancies. It can also occur due to a defect in the woman’s reproductive system, or as a result of disease in the womb such as a uterine defect or benign tumour. There are also incidental reasons, such as the sickness of the pregnant mother with diseases like diabetes, chronic kidney disease, syphilis, thyroid, very high blood pressure, fevers and severe infections like genital herpes and rubella. Doctors consider a lack of the progesterone hormone as an important factor in the occurrence of repeated miscarriages. This hormone has an important function in the development of endometrial to which the egg attaches after fertilisation. Psychological trauma, such as sudden shocks or the sudden death of a loved one, can cause a miscarriage too. Finally, the usage of some drugs during pregnancy, such as prostaglandins and Alxitusn  or anti-malarial medication can as well. -What are the complications associated with an abortion? An abortion can cause major health problems in women. The first is the possibility of infection - as well as poisoning - which can also lead to repeat miscarriages. However, death is a very rare complication. Perhaps most importantly though, the aftermath of the procedure can see the development of serious psychological disorders including depression and feelings of guilt.