5 Reasons to Induce an Abortion
Many people have confusion about what is miscarriage and what is abortion. Miscarriage is also commonly called spontaneous abortion, due to medical reasons. But, in the case where a woman chooses to end a pregnancy, through medical termination of pregnancy; it is called induced abortion.
There can be many reasons why a woman would want to choose to terminate her pregnancy. It could be due to a risk to her life, financial constraints, and pregnancy due to sexual violence or mental health issues. When a woman chooses to end their own pregnancy for no medical reasons it is called an elective abortion.
There are 2 types of abortions; one is through the abortion pill and the other is the surgical termination of pregnancy. Fetal medicine experts play an important role in why a woman might choose to induce an abortion. Let’s look at some reasons.
A Few Common Reasons For Abortion
1. Birth Defects
All thanks to developments in medical sciences, you can detect birth defects of the baby in the first trimester of pregnancy with the help of blood tests, amniocentesis, and ultrasounds. While some births are classified as incompatible with life, in some cases the child can still develop and grow. But some children may have more serious birth defects and parents might choose to end this pregnancy to avoid the child from suffering too much in their lives. The guidance of fetal medicine specialist is important in this decision.
2. Impending Miscarriage
Referring to the loss of a fetus during the first 15 weeks of pregnancy is known as a miscarriage or spontaneous abortion. Many miscarriages reported are about 20 percent of total pregnancies. When a lack of heartbeat is felt during an ultrasound, it is determined as an impending miscarriage. In case this happens the doctor might suggest a mother have a therapeutic abortion to avoid future health and physical risks.
3. The Mother’s Health
Pregnancies are not the same for all women. Many medical reasons such as heart disease, cancer, or some blood type diseases might raise complications in the pregnancy. In order to maintain the mother’s health, a doctor might suggest abortions in order to avoid further risks.
4. Victims of Violence
In the 2020 amendment to the 1971 Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, the upper limit of termination has been raised from 20 to 24 weeks for women who are rape survivors, differently-abled, minors, or victims of incest. Failure of contraception also has been included in the law. This will help many couples with financial constraints avoid pregnancy.
Abortions can be a painful experience for any woman who has undergone them. Be sure to make a decision after giving everything a thought. Be sure to talk to an expert also to know what might be best suited for you before you make the decision of termination of pregnancy. It could be helpful to also consult a counselor.
