Abortion is the expulsion of a living fetus from

the mothers womb before it is viable.

Abortion is the termination of pregnancy
spontaneously or by induction prior to viability.
Thereafter, termination of pregnancy is called
delivery.

Spontaneous Abortion
Induced Abortion

 Occurs as a result of artificial or mechanical

interruption or due to voluntary and effective
human intervention
It may be sought as an end or as a mean
As an end: get rid of the baby
As a mean: therapeutic abortion wherein the
health of the mother is concerned.

Induced abortion is
intrinsically evil and must
be qualified as homicide.

 Abortion by D and C (Dilatation and Curettage)

Abortion by Caesarian Section or by Abdominal
Hystoroctomy
Abortion by Suction
Abortion via Intra-Amniotic Infiltration
Abortion via IV infection of Prostaglandin

 Accomplished in the periods between 7 to 12

weeks gestation
Under general anesthesia
Scraping of endometrium until all embryonic or
fetal matters and surrounding placental tissues
are removed

 Dilation and evacuation (D and E).This is the most

common procedure for ending a pregnancy between 14 and
21 weeks. It is similar to a suction D and C but with larger
instruments. The cervix has to be dilated or stretched open
to a size larger than required for a D and C. Suction is used
along with forceps or other special instruments to ensure all
the pregnancy tissue is removed.

 Carried out in similar fashion as the

procedure but after the umbilical cord is
cut, the neonate is left to die without
resuscitation
Done during the last trimester since no
other technique is available at this stage.

 Done during the first trimester

 Done by first extracting about 10 to 300cc of

amniotic fluid through an abdominal puncture.
This is followed by infiltration of a 20% hypertonic
saline solution or 50% dextrose of water into the
amniotic sac. This causes necrosis of the placenta
and saline intoxication of the fetus. The fetus
eventually dies within an hour.

 Abortion is completed with the expulsion of the

fetus at about 36 hours after the infiltration of
hypertonic solution. This technique carries a
certain risk of uterine perforation, not excluding
the death of the abortant mother on account of
the passage of the saline solution into the blood.

 When one considers the ideal period when

to perform abortion by suction of by intraamniotic infiltration, one observes brief
internal period from 12 weeks to 16 weeks
AOG, during which it is difficult to abort.

 During this period, the tiny human being has

acquired sufficient mass, making it difficult to
suction, as the mangled parts may not easily pass
through the tubing. Neither can one abort by
infiltrating hypertonic solution because there is
not enough amniotic fluid.

 Therefore, slow intravenous infusion of

prostaglandin is used by those bent on
getting rid of the unborn baby at this time.

 Recently, a new contraceptive pill, RU 486

(Mifepristone) has been launched in the market. It
is a progesterone antagonist which opposes its
action to sustain pregnancy. RU 486 is associated
with prostaglandin which provokes uterine
contraction and expels the embryo from the
womb.

 Article II, Section 12 of the 1986 Constitution

provides that The state recognizes the
sanctity of life and shall protect and
strengthen the family as a basic
autonomous social institution. It shall
equally protect the life of the mother and
the life of the unborn from conception.

 The direct and voluntary killing of an

innocent human being is always gravely
immoral, even when it is performed as a
means to a good end.

 Respect for human life and the radical

condemnation of abortion as intrinsically evil is
not an exclusive position of Catholics. All men of
upright judgment share this view, which is based
on what a person is and should be.

 Abortion destroys life and violates the

right to life. As such it is morally evil and it
should not be in any way legalized and
liberally permitted in the laws and
constitution of a nation.

 Abortion could have varied physical and psychological

effects on the woman concerned.
On the physical aspect, the woman may suffer habitual
miscarriage, ectopic pregnancies, menstrual disturbances
or discomfort, still births, bleeding, shock, insomnia, loss of
appetite, coma, fever and cold sweat, intense pain, weight
loss, frigidity.

 Psychologically, a woman may manifest guilt,

suicidal tendency, loss of sense of fulfillment, loss
of confidence, thwarted maternal instinct, selfdestructive behavior, anger, rage, helplessness,
loss of interest in sex, inability to forgive herself,
and intense interest in babies.

 Criminal abortion is a grave crime in penal codes. Today,

with the legislation and positive authorization of abortion in
some cases, things have changed. A review of the legal
proceedings of those countries which have legalized abortion
show some differences in modalities, which can be observed
upon reading the World Health Organization chronicle of
1976.

 The chronicle summarizes the conditions

or situations in which the legislation of
different countries authorize the practice
of abortion.

 Such situations are:

When the mother is authorized to safeguard
her physical and mental health
When pregnancy is the consequence of rape or
incest, or when it occurs in minors

 Such situations are:

When the mother contracts sub-cola during a critical
stage of gestation (which consequent risk of congenital
malformations of the baby) or has been exposed to
other risks (e.g. certain drugs or ionizing radiations)
which can lead to defective fetal development

 Such situations are:

When Downs syndrome or other chromosomal
abnormalities are diagnosed through amniocentesis
When the parents are mentally deficient and considered
incapable of adequately rearing a child.

 Abortion (Termination Of Pregnancy) - How It's Done | SparkPeople.

(n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/health_a-z_detail.asp?
AZ=513&Page=4
Ciabal,L.P. (2003).Ethics for Health Professionals. Quezon: C&E.