The Case Against Chemical Abortions
Chemical Abortions in the United States
How Chemical Abortions Are Done
Abortion Pill(s) are used in chemical abortions, now referred to as medical abortions.(2) The pregnant woman often takes the pills at home or in college housing. The first drug kills the baby by starving him or her of oxygen and nutrients. The second drug causes the mother to go into delivery to expel the baby’s remains, the placenta, and large portions of blood.
1. Progesterone is the hormone that protects the lining of the uterus. The first pill, mifepristone, blocks progesterone and causes the uterine lining to break down.
2. Mifepristone cuts off blood and nourishment from the baby. The goal is to starve the child in the womb to death.
3. 24-48 hours later, the second pill, misoprostol, is taken. It causes contractions that can create painful cramping and heavy bleeding to expel the baby.
4. Women will be told to miscarry at home over the toilet. If they (were to) look closely, they would see their dead child. Even at seven weeks, it is possible to see his or her fingers and toes.
Chemical Abortions are Dangerous
Chemical abortions were responsible for 4,195 adverse events, 1,042 hospitalizations, 599 blood transfusions, 412 infections (69 severe), and at least 11 deaths from 2000 to 2018. The same FDA study reports that 97 women with ectopic pregnancies used chemical abortion drugs resulting in two (of those 11) deaths.(3)
Chemical abortion drugs are more likely to send women to the emergency room: the rate of chemical abortion-related emergency room visits increased over 500% between 2002-2015.(4)
“With no medical oversight, abortion pills can fall into the hands of traffickers and abusive partners. Already, there are accounts of women being given abortion pills without their knowledge and against their will. The risk of forced abortions has increased now that the pills are available online without an in-person visit with the woman’s doctor.”(5)
With several states in the US now prohibiting the reporting of any data on abortions, including type of procedure, the possibility of monitoring the safety of the abortion industry is decreasing.(6) As these reporting bans take effect, they make researching and investigating the industry, to prevent abuse and death, increasingly difficult.
Incidence of Adverse Events(7)