Understanding Abortion

Angelai Homampha
English 119
September 29, 2011

Understanding Abortion

Did you know that more than half of the six million pregnancies occurring each year in the United States are unplanned?   An abortion is a procedure where a woman choses to end her pregnancy.   If we try to understand the reason women get abortions it can help personalize the debate over abortion, correct public misconceptions, and allow the chance for compassion.   When making a decision about your pregnancy you need to know women reasons for abortion, method of abortion and when to seek abortion.
Abortion is the most common surgical procedure performed for women in the US, and it is also the most stigmatized.   Over the years research has shown similar reasons women have an abortions.   Seventy-four percent of women say having a baby would chance their life dramatically, seventy-three percent of women say they can’t afford a baby, and thirty-two percent are not ready to have a child, or another one.   Abortion is a complicated and complex issue.   People need to realize that most women who are facing this decision don’t make it lightly.
Abortion is defined in many ways, but all of which are to stop a pregnancy.   The first type of abortion is the natural form that we commonly call miscarriage, also known as spontaneous abortion.   The second form is surgical abortion, and the third type of abortion is medical abortion.   Surgical abortion terminates a pregnancy by emptying the uterus with special instruments. Typically, once a pregnancy is past seven weeks, only surgical abortion methods can be used.   A medical abortion, also known as the abortion pill, can be used as soon as a pregnancy is confirmed.   The abortion pill effectively terminates a pregnancy allowing a woman to completely pass the pregnancy without surgery.
Everyone wonders when a woman should seek an abortion.   Earlier abortions are easier, safer, and tend to be less expensive than abortions taking place later in a pregnancy....