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  • Title: [Abortion explained by a nurse].
    Author: Bastit i Costa MA.
    Journal: Rev Enferm; 1983; 6(58-59):36-9. PubMed ID: 6554010.
    Abstract:
    Abortion is the termination of pregnancy prior to the 180th day, during which time the fetus is not yet viable outside the womb. Spontaneous abortion is the body's expulsion of a fetus during the 1st months of pregnancy. It is usually not very painful, does not involve much bleeding, and is rarely complicated by infection. Spontaneous abortion is much more frequent at the outset of pregnancy and may occur unnoticed. Its causes are unknown in over half of cases. The most important causes are developmental problems in the products of conception. Causes of spontaneous abortions of maternal etiology are most frequently uterine malposition or malformation. Serious illness in the mother is a less common cause of spontaneous abortion than once believed. Induced abortion is caused by the destruction of a normally implanted and healthy embryo. Its complications are related to the amount of bleeding or the introduction of germs from outside which can spread rapidly. Placental retention is a danger of all induced abortions. Induced abortion is common and in some countries it even creates demographic problems. Abortion is legal in many countries as an expression of the right to choose, but in others it is only legal on therapeutic grounds. Defenders and detractors of abortion have written extensively about it, with some works being sincere and some only tactical. The great majority of moralists are opposed to abortion, while biologists and scientists are divided on the question. The Spanish penal code punishes all persons who cause the death of a fetus or impede the process of gestation. The Catholic Church has considered abortion a homicide and against divine and natural laws. Legal or illegal, it is certain that the number of abortions increases each day. In the face of this reality, the need is for measures to avoid abortion whenever possible. Sex education in schools, full information on contraceptive methods and creation of family planning centers are some means of avoiding abortions. Women who have decided to seek abortions will do so whether or not they are legal. Spanish women who can't afford to spend a weekend in London resort to illegal abortions in unhygienic and dangerous conditions. Very early abortions are similar to late menstrual periods. When the fetus is older the effort to produce the abortion must be greater, and the discomfort to the woman may also be greater. Generally, 10-20% of women who have had complicated abortions suffer from later gynecological disorders such as sterility, dysmenorrheic pains, menstrual problems or obstetric accidents, or from psychological sequelae. At present, when the Spanish government is considering a reform of the penal code regarding abortion, it is important to consider that Spain is a democratic society, in which each citizen has a right to individual freedoms.
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