Current Risks and Complications

What are the risks of abortion that new regulations and protections are needed to address? The following explanations and descriptions are taken from respected medical journals and official sources. Women need to be protected from these significant risks.

According to the NIH website which describes abortion complications:

"Most complications are considered minor such as pain, bleeding, infection, and post-anesthesia complications. Others are major, including uterine atony and subsequent hemorrhage, uterine perforation, injuries to adjacent organs (bladder or bowels), cervical laceration, failed abortion, septic abortion, and disseminated intravascular coagulation."

"The incidence of abortion-related emergency department visits within six weeks of the initial abortion procedure is about 40%."

In the case of medicinal abortions, severe complications and even death can also occur, including infections, excessive bleeding (possibly requiring a blood transfusion), and the possibility of baby parts or tissue may remain in the womb after the abortion (2-3% of abortions). If a medical abortion is performed on an ectopic pregnancy, the risk of death is significant.

Uterine Atony

Uterine atony is a principal cause of postpartum hemorrhage, an obstetric emergency. Globally, it is one of the top 5 causes of maternal mortality. Uterine atony refers to the inadequate contraction of the corpus uteri myometrial cells in response to endogenous oxytocin release. Postpartum hemorrhage can occur because spiral arteries are uniquely devoid of musculature and dependent on uterine contractions to mechanically squeeze them into hemostasis. After delivery, in the absence of uterine contraction, spiral arteries may continue to bleed, resulting in postpartum hemorrhage.- NIH

Organ Injuries

Abortion can lead to various organ injuries, including damage to the uterus, cervix, and potentially other internal organs like the bowel and bladder. These injuries can range from minor lacerations to more severe perforations, and in rare cases, even uterus rupture. Complications like hemorrhage, infection, and sepsis can also occur, further increasing the risk of organ damage.

Uterine Perforation

Uterine perforation is a surgical complication that can occur with any intrauterine procedure. While most perforations can be managed without additional interventions and are not related to important morbidity, uterine perforations can be serious, leading to sepsis, hemorrhage, poor reproductive and obstetric outcomes, and even death.- JAMA

Failed Abortion

The signs and symptoms of an incomplete abortion can vary depending on how far along the pregnancy was and how much fetal tissue remains in the uterus. Some of the most common symptoms of incomplete abortion include:

Heavy Vaginal bleeding: This is the most common symptom of an incomplete abortion. The bleeding may vary in intensity, from mild spotting to severe bleeding.

Abdominal pain: You may experience cramping or abdominal pain or discomfort, similar to menstrual cramps, which can be mild or severe.

Fetal tissue passing: You may pass fetal tissue, which can be identified as blood clots or pieces of tissue.

Severe Infection: Incomplete abortion can increase the risk of infection, which can cause fever, chills, and foul-smelling vaginal discharge.

Fever and Chills: If you experience ongoing fever, chills, and diarrhea following an abortion, it could be a sign of an incomplete abortion.

Septic Abortion

Sepsis after an abortion refers to a serious infection in the uterus that develops after an induced abortion, or incomplete abortion. Medical professionals call this a septic abortion.

The infection can develop during or shortly before or after the end of a pregnancy. Without prompt treatment, sepsis can spread throughout the body and quickly progress to septic shock. Doctors consider a septic abortion to be a medical emergency.- MEDICAL NEWS TODAY

Intravascular Coagulation

Your liver makes clotting factors (proteins) that stick to platelets in your blood to form a blood clot. Normally, blood clots stop or slow bleeding and start your body’s healing process. But In DIC, your body develops more blood clots than you need.

There are two stages of DIC:

First, small blood clots start to block your blood vessels. This cuts off the blood supply to major organs.
Second, your platelets and clotting factor run out, leaving your body without a way to control bleeding.

CLEVELAND CLINIC