Plenty has been said and written about abortion. Indeed, a simple search on the internet is likely to result in thousands of articles and news reports providing a wide range of information on what has become an extremely controversial subject. Faced with the sheer amount of information that is available both online and offline, it may be difficult for the average person to wade through it and find the most vital information about safe abortions. With this in mind, here are five facts to guide you in your search for safe abortion information.
1. Abortion is an Essential Reproductive Right
Fundamentally, abortion is a medical procedure that results in the termination of a pregnancy. Therefore, because it is a healthcare need, the choice to have an abortion is only one of the ways that girls and women of childbearing age can exercise their reproductive rights.
It is estimated that globally, about 1 in 4 pregnancies usually end up in abortion in every year. Furthermore, in some countries such as the USA, 1 in 4 women will have an abortion by the time they are 45 years old. Even so, in spite of the fact that abortion is common, access to safe abortion information and safe abortion services is not always guaranteed. Indeed, in 2020, 3 out of 4 of the abortions that occurred in Africa and Latin America were unsafe. Furthermore, the risk of dying from an usafe abortion was seen to be highest in Africa.
Clearly, then, placing restrictions or limitations on access to safe abortion information and safe abortion services does not reduce the number of abortions. Instead, such limitations only work to place the most vulnerable girls and women globally at the risk of having unsafe abortions.
2. There are Multiple Types of Abortion
Every abortion procedure is unique to the person who is undergoing the procedure. Having access to safe abortion information is critical because it will allow you to make the best choice depending on your unique circumstances. Therefore, it is necessary that before having an abortion, you schedule appointment with a medical practitioner so that you can get the most accurate
safe abortion information.
Depending on your particular circumstances - as well as how far along you are in your pregnancy - abortion can either be medical or surgical. Under a medical abortion, you will be given specific medicines - usually 24 to 48 hours apart - to induce an abortion. Under the surgical abortion, you will undergo a surgical procedure to remove the pregnancy and will normally be able to go home soon afterwards.
3. Abortion is Usually a Safe Procedure
Having an abortion is usually safest, easiest, and least painful when it is carried out as early as possible during the pregnancy. When done in the first 8 weeks of the pregnancy, abortion could be up to 98% effective. When done at 9 weeks, it is close to 98% effective and by 10 weeks it becomes about 93% effective. It is for this reason that it is vital to get safe abortion information about the best places one can receive the appropriate healthcare. It is also worth noting that, when one procures a safe abortion, the chances of experiencing complications are reduced significantly.
Even so, abortion may result in a small risk of complications such as infections of the womb, excessive bleeding, as well as damage to the womb’s entrance. In such cases, one may require further treatment. Still, when done in a safe manner, procuring an abortion is unlikely to affect your chances of falling pregnant again or having normal pregnancies in the future.
4. More and More Countries are Legalizing Abortion
The struggle to make safe abortion information and safe abortion services accessible to all is still continuing. And even though many girls and women in different parts of the world are not guaranteed of safe and legal abortions, over the last 25 years, more than
50 countries have reformed their laws so that girls and women can have greater access to safe abortion information and safe abortion services.
Even so, it is necessary to note that more than 40% of women across the world who are of childbearing age currently live in countries with abortion laws that are highly restrictive. However, the restriction to abortion does not necessarily reduce the number of girls and women who have abortions. Instead, the consequence of such limitations to the exercise of this essential right is to exert financial, emotional, and physical stress on women while pushing them into poverty.
5. Criminalizing Abortions Does Not Prevent Them
Whether or not abortion is legal in a particular country, abortion rates are likely to remain pretty much the same. According to
a study by the Guttmacher Institute, in countries where abortion is legal, the abortion rate is 34 per 1000 women. On the other hand, in the countries where abortion is not legal, the abortion rate is 37 per 1000 people. Ultimately, these statistics demonstrate that, whether or not abortions are legal, girls and women still need access to safe abortion information and safe abortion services.