Abortion
Short-term Health Risks
Acute Hematometra (post-abortal syndrome)
Acute hematometra occurs when the uterus fills with blood and blood clots, generally as a result of retained tissue. Symptoms usually occur within an hour of the abortion, and include increasing lower abdominal cramping and an enlarged, tender uterus. If fetal parts or placental tissue remains in the uterus, it will not contract effectively. Acute bleeding into the uterus results. The woman will have to undergo another procedure to clean out the uterus completely, and she will need drugs to help her uterus contract.3,4,5
Retained products of conception (retained fetal and placental tissue)
Retained tissue is the result of an incomplete abortion. This may cause excessive and prolonged hemorrhage. A life-threatening later complication is septic infection of the uterine lining.6,7,8
Endometritis (infection of the lining of the uterus)
Endometritis is an infection of the uterine lining. It is usually associated with retained tissue. Endometritis can lead to toxic shock syndrome, which can be fatal. Fatal toxic shock syndrome has been associated with the bacterium clostridium sordellii following medical abortion. A Canadian woman died of the same condition in 2001 during clinical trials involving medical abortion with the drugs mifepristone (RU 486) and misoprostol. The trials were halted, and mifepristone is not approved for medical abortion in Canada.9,10,11,12
Uterine perforation and lacerations
Uterine perforation is most common with surgical abortion. According to one abortionist, “Uterine perforation is an inevitable occurrence if one does enough abortions or dilatation and curettage procedures of any sort.”13 Perforation can occur with the use of rigid dilating rods, sharp curettes, suction catheters, forceps, or fetal bone fragments. When the uterine blood vessels are damaged, life-threatening hemorrhage occurs. If the abortion instruments enter the abdominal...
View Full Essay