Abortion, as defined by the Better Health Channel, is the deliberate induction of a miscarriage. Abortion procedures can be divided into procedures done during the first trimester (12 weeks) of pregnancy and procedures done after the first trimester. During the first trimester, abortion can be accomplished with the use of medications or by a surgical procedure. A full understanding of each of the procedures can help a woman choose which treatment is best for her.
Methotrexate and Misoprostol (MTX)
The first medical method of abortion listed by Hope Pregnancy Resource Center is MTX. MTX is a two-step medical abortion procedure that can be performed only in women who are fewer than seven weeks pregnant.
Methotrexate is the first drug taken, either orally or by injection. According to the National Abortion Federation, methotrexate halts the ongoing process of implantation of an early pregnancy. The drug stops the fetus from attaching to the uterus of the woman.
Five to seven days after the ingestion of methotrexate, the drug misoprostol is taken. Misoprostol, according to the National Abortion Federation, causes the muscles of the uterus to contract, and this promotes expulsion of the fetus. Misoprostol was first marketed as medicine for ulcers, but its effect on the muscles of the uterus turned it into a drug used in abortion.
MTX is a useful abortion procedure because it is not surgical and therefore omits the risks usually linked to surgery, such as damage to the uterus or cervix and an adverse reaction to anesthesia. MTX is 95 percent effective when the woman is fewer than seven weeks pregnant.
Mifepristone and Misoprostol (RU-486)
The Hope Pregnancy Resource Center lists this combination of drugs as another method of medical abortion. RU-486 is a two-step procedure that is effective up to the ninth week of pregnancy.
Mifepristone is similar to methotrexate in that it also causes the fetus to separate from the uterine wall. However, this drug also softens the cervix (the opening of the uterus), which hardens after the seventh week of pregnancy.
After this drug has taken effect, the patient takes misoprostol, either orally or vaginally, and the subsequent uterine contractions prompt expulsion of the fetus. If this procedure is not effective, a surgical method is necessary to complete the abortion.
Suction Aspiration
Suction aspiration is the only surgical procedure listed by the National Abortion Federation for abortion in the first trimester. The procedure can be performed any time during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and can be used if medical methods are unsuccessful.
The Hope Pregnancy Resource Center divides suction aspiration into two different types: manual vacuum and machine vacuum.
Manual vacuum aspiration can be performed only from three to six weeks after the patient's last menstrual period. A large hand-held syringe is used to suction out the contents of the uterus. This suctioning also causes the uterus to contract, which can cause some discomfort to the patient. This type of procedure is rarely done.
Machine vacuum procedures are well described by the National Abortion Federation. First, the cervix is gently opened using tapered rods. A cannula or tube, which is connected to a suction vacuum, is inserted through the cervix and into the uterus. The machine is turned on and the contents of the uterus are emptied.
Suction aspiration is 99 percent effective and requires only one trip to the doctor. Sedation is an option for patients who are too anxious or worried over the procedure. Because the procedure is done in a medical setting, healthcare professionals can monitor any excess bleeding or other complications.
