Women's Health Archives - Page 22 of 38

Abortion textbook on the “products of conception” in an abortion by pill

From a medical textbook on how to do abortions:

“Involuntary viewing of the products of conception is not an issue during surgical abortions, but the patient needs to know that during a medical[pill] abortion she may see the products. Some women are not affected by viewing the tissue or even find it reassuring; others prefer not to see the tissue at all…

If the pregnancy is eight weeks or beyond, she may indeed see a tiny embryo. The presence or absence of human shape and extremities may have an important impact. After providing a description, ask what, if any, affect the information has on her and then validate her reaction.”

Maureen Paul, E Steve Lichtenberg, Lynn Borgatta, David Grimes, Philip G Stubblefield A Clinician’s Guide to Medical and Surgical Abortion (New York: Churchill Livingstone, 1999) 34

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97% of women say their abortions were painful

97% percent of aborting women in one Montreal study reported pain, with 61% reporting moderate to severe pain. Adolescents in the Montreal study were nearly twice as likely to report severe pain as older women.

Source: E. Belanger, “Pain of the first trimester abortion: a study of psychosocial and medical predictors,” Pain, Volume 36, Number 3 (March 1989), pp 339-350. For an earlier study with similar results, see Phillip G. Stubblefield, et al, “Pain of first-trimester abortion: Its quanification and relation with other variables,” American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vol 133., No. 5 (March 1, 1979), p. 489.

Info provided by National Right to Life

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Unsupportive friend laughs at post-abortion woman

Often, when women feel grief or guilt after an abortion and want to mourn their unborn child, their grief is not understood or recognized by those close to them. For example, a book on post-abortion women and their testimonies said this:

“Julie, from Melbourne, said a friend told her not to be so ridiculous when she told of her plans to have a little burial service for the aborted baby in her backyard. “What you about? It was your choice,” the friend admonished her.”

Melinda Tankard Reist Giving Sorrow Words: Women’s Stories of Grief after Abortion (Springfield, IL: Acorn Books, 2007) 24

Comments like this only add to the pain and alienation women feel when they are coming to terms with their abortions. Sadly, this is a trauma that society, for the most part, does not recognize.

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Facts on the Abortion Pill: What you need to know Before you choose

This video gives some info on the abortion pill. It is a dramatization of a conversation between a womans seeking the pill and her doctor.

Know what to expect! Read first hand accounts of women who took the abortion pill here.

For information on the pill’s medical risks, go here. and here.

Fetal Development (how developed the embryo is)

Day 1: Sperm joins with ovum, to form one cell smaller than a grain of salt. The new life has inherited 23 chromosomes from each parent, 46 in all. This one cell contains the complex genetic blueprint for every detail of human development – the child’s sex, hair and eye color, height, skin tone

Days 3 – 4: The fertilized egg travels down the fallopian tube into the uterus, where the lining has been prepared for implantation

Days 5 – 9: During this time, the fertilized egg implants itself in the rich lining of the uterus and begins to draw nourishment.

Days 10 – 14: The developing embryo signals its presence through placental chemicals and hormones, preventing the mother from menstruating

Day 20: Foundations of the brain, spinal cord, and nervous system are already established

Day 21: The heart begins to beat

Day 28: The back bone and muscles are forming. Arms, legs, eyes and ears have begun to show.

Day 30: At 1 month old, the embryo is 10,000 times larger than the original fertilized egg – and developing rapidly. The heart is pumping increasing quantities of blood through the circulatory system. The placenta forms a unique barrier that keeps the mother’s blood separate while allowing food and oxygen to pass through to the embryo.

Day 35:5 Fingers can be discerned on the hand. The eyes darken as pigment is produced.

Day 40: Brain waves can be detected and recorded

Week 6: The liver is now taking over the production of blood cells, and the brain begins to control movement of muscles and organs. The mother is about to miss her 2nd period and has probably confirmed that she is pregnant.

Week 7: The embryo begins to move spontaneously. The jaw forms, including teeth buds in the gums. Soon the eyelids will seal to protect the embryo’s developing light-sensitive eyes, and will reopen at about the 7th month

Embryo: five weeks

Embryo: 6 weeks

Embryo: 7 weeks

For more info on fetal development go here.

Here is a video of an embryo at 6 weeks

If you are not sure whether or not to have an abortion, there are organizations that can help you. Birthright is a nonpolitical, nonpartisan organization that can help you find alternatives. They will not try to pressure you into making any kind of decision. CareNet is another group of pregnancy centers. These organizations may be able to help with things such as finding affordable prenatal care, finding a place to live if you are dealing with homelessness, on-site day care, job training, free baby items, free counseling and support groups, etc. Many of the centers offer free ultrasounds, whereas an abortion clinic or Planned Parenthood will charge you for an ultrasound. Since an ultrasound is recommended before a chemical (pill) abortion, you can save some money and safeguard your health. Some abortion clinics will give the pills without a sonogram – you should be aware that this presents a risk to your health. An ultrasound/sonogram is the only way to prove that the embryo is not implanted in the fallopian tube. If it is implanted there, surgery is necessary to remove an embryo in the fallopian tube or the tube may rupture, causing internal hemorrhaging and possibly death. In fact, several women have died after having abortion procedures which cleared out the womb but did not remove the fetus/embryo from the fallopian tube. The women thought they were no longer pregnant, but the fallopian tube ruptured leading to their deaths. You can find their stories in this section, which documents deaths from legal abortion..

14 women, in the US alone, have died from infections after taking the abortion pill. Holly Patterson was one of them.

Also, read about the psychological risks of abortion here. This page summarizes recent research about this.

All the information on this page is provided not to convince you to make a certain decision, but because a woman like you has a right to know exactly what is going on in her own body. Women should not be kept in the dark about potential complications of abortion or the development of the embryo/fetus. Knowledge is power, and it is better to know these facts before you choose.

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Documenting botched abortion in April 2014 at Carhart’s abortion clinic

Saysumthn’s Blog documented an abortion injury on April 28, 2014. Dr. Leroy Carhart was the one who performed the abortion.

From the blog:

According to pro-life activists who were at the clinic at the time of Saturday’s incident, the injured patient was a woman who had come to Carhart’s poorly-maintained abortion clinic the previous day on Friday with her teen-aged daughter.

On Friday, the two women stayed at Carhart’s abortion office for about three hours, then left with the older woman driving.

The following morning, the two women were seen returning to Carhart’s facility. At about 11:50 a.m. on Saturday, the ambulance arrived for the older woman. According to witnesses, the daughter ran out of the clinic and told pro-life activists, “That’s my mom,” referring to the woman who was being transported.

“The events reported by witnesses are indicative of a botched early second trimester abortion procedure,” said Newman.

Carhart has carried no hospital privileges whatsoever since 1982. A lack of hospital privileges has been shown to interrupt the continuity of patient care and create delays in emergency treatment of women suffering life-threatening abortion complications.

Dates of other incidents involving Carhart documented by Operation Rescue include:

• March 4, 2014, Germantown, MD: Patient hemorrhaged after 2nd trimester abortion complications.
• November 30, 2013, Bellevue, NE: Patient suffered 2nd trimester abortion complications.
• November 26, 2013, Germantown, MD: Patient required emergency surgery. (Video with 911 recording)
• July 9, 2013, Germantown, MD: Patient hemorrhaged. (Video with 911 recording)
• February 7, 2013, Germantown, MD: Patient Jennifer Morbelli died of 3rd trimester abortion complications. (Autopsy Report)
• March 31, 2012, Bellevue, NE: Patient heard moaning and screaming during 911 call (Video with 911 recording.)

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George Grant tells story of near-fatal botched abortion

George Grant told the following story in his book, Grand Illusions.

“Martha Tollesk’s divorce had been final just 3 days when she discovered that she was pregnant. “Everybody told me that I should just go out and get an abortion,” she said. “I’d just enrolled in night courses at the local community college. I had a great new job. My life was coming together finally. And then this!”

Martha’s friends talked her into visiting a Planned Parenthood center where she received a fistful of brochures and tracts on the benefits and blessings of abortion. “It all sounded so simple and so secure. So I went ahead and scheduled an appointment.” The doctor performed a suction aspiration abortion on her 3 days later. “It was incredibly painful. It was just awful. But they told me all had gone well, and they sent me on home.”

But all was not well. After almost a week, Martha was admitted to the hospital with a number of alarming symptoms: swelling of the abdomen, severe pain, nausea, vomiting, rapid heartbeat, chills and fever, and shortness of breath. The obstetricians diagnosed her as suffering from peritonitis – an inflammation of the membrane covering the wall of her peritoneum. Caused by a small uterine puncture during the abortion, the bacterial infection had quickly spread throughout her body cavity. “They tell me I’m lucky,” she said. “But I’m not sure I call 4 days in the hospital and a close call with death lucky. I call it irresponsible.”

George Grant Grand Illusions: the Legacy of Planned Parenthood(Franklin, Tennessee: Adroit Press, 1988, 1992) 71

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Statistics from British hospital show higher attempted suicides for postabortion women

The suicide rate for women who have had abortions is up to 6-7 times higher than women who carry to term. One article reveals:

“In a South Glamorgan Hospital (Great Britain) suicide attempts were made by 8.1 per 1000 women who had an abortion, compared to 1.9/1000 among women who gave birth.”

“Latest Abortion Research Proves Women Harmed by Abortion” Susan Wills Arlington Catholic Herald, September 28, 2000

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Abortionist with more than ten malpractice suits defends himself

Abortionist Dr. Tommy Tucker defended himself to a reporter who revealed that he had been sued for malpractice over ten times.

“Litigation is part of our life. We have people who are outside with 1 800 UCANSUE cards. This is just part of the business.”

Jim Yardley “Abortion Doctor Says It’s the Cause, and the Cash, that Keep Him Driving” (Atlanta, Georgia) Journal May 16, 1993

Tucker would later lose his licence after he botched an abortion and left the woman bleeding and dying in the clinic while he left to catch a plane. The clinic worker who frantically tried (unsuccessfully) to save the patient’s life had no medical training and had been left alone with her. She called Tucker, but he refused to come in and help. It turned out Tucker had untrained personnel doing abortoins and athesthetizng women in his clinic.

He was also accused by other clinic workers of killing a baby born alive in an abortion, but never was prosecuted for it because investigators could not find the body of the infant.

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Planned Parenthood records show that abortion is traumatic

“Recently, pro-life workers in Houston discovered several thousand clinic visit records, medical charts, internal minutes, and memoranda, letters, confidential surveys, and financial statements in the trash of a Planned Parenthood abortuary.”

[They discovered]

“More than a 3^rd of the medical charts recorded “severe” or “very severe pain” for the women during their abortion procedures. Almost 5% of the women were said to have “screamed” during their operations. Another 11% “cried,” 10% “overreacted,” and 5% “complained.” Almost 10% experienced “nausea” or “vomiting,” and another 10% “fainted” or “fell unconscious.”

One chart described blatantly unsterile operating procedures. Another detailed the doctor’s brutal and abusive behavior. Still another called into question the racial motivations of the clinic personnel.”

This comes from Robert Ruff Aborting Planned Parenthood (Houston: New Vision Books, 1988) pages 92 – 96. It was quoted by George Grant in Grand Illusions: the Legacy of Planned Parenthood (Franklin, Tennessee: Adroit Press, 1988, 1992.

The clinic workers also may disparaging remarks about the patient’s. You can read some of them here

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Planned Parenthood horribly botches abortion

Pro-lifer George Grant interviewed a woman who had complications after her abortion at Planned Parenthood:

“Caroline was 22 when she had her first abortion. 8 months later, she had another. “The first one seemed to go just fine,” she told me. “There was a little bleeding, and some pain for the next few weeks. Nothing serious, though.”

But it was serious. That became readily apparent when she went in for the 2^nd abortion. “There was quite a bit of scar tissue in my cervix. The physician seemed hesitant at first, but decided to go ahead with the procedure.”

That was not the last mistake that the doctor would make that day. His sharp, blindly wielded curette inadvertently perforated Carolyn’s already scarred cervix. When he inserted the suction apparatus, it passed through to the body cavity. The shearing force of the suction than seriously lacerated the bladder and tore loose the right ureter – the tube that carries urine from the kidneys to the bladder. The delicate parametrium and parametrium membranes were ruptured and a pooling hematoma surrounded the entire right renal system.

Completely unaware of the damage he had caused, the doctor finished the procedure, sent Caroline to the recovery room, and turned his attention to other matters. After a 45 minute rest, he released her.

“I collapsed on the subway on my way home. I think I was in shock,” she said. She was suffering from a lot more than shock. An emergency room examination revealed heavy hemorrhaging and leakage of urine per vaginam. Attendants rushed her into the operating room where surgeons reluctantly performed an emergency right nephrectomy and oophorectomy – the removal of the right kidney and ovary. They also evacuated the hematoma and resection the torn endometrium.

“I spent about 10 days in the hospital after that,” she told me as we walked past the Juilliard toward the Hudson River. Those 10 days had cost her a place in the school’s renowned drama department. “But the worst was still yet to come.”

Over the next several weeks, Caroline suffered from recurring abdominal pain, high fever, vaginal discharge, and abnormal bleeding. She was scheduled for both a cystoscopy and a laparoscopy and was once again admitted to the hospital. The exploratory surgeries revealed that a portion of the fetal skull had been embedded into the resected intra-abdominal tissue. They also revealed a severe pelvic inflammation caused by bacteria from the mangled renal system.

“The doctor said that I had no choice but to undergo a complete hysterectomy.” Tears began to well up in her eyes. “I was only 22. My whole life was ahead of me. I was happy. Carefree. And then this… Well, I just couldn’t believe that this was actually happening to me.”

The next day, the doctors removed Caroline’s remaining ovary, along with her uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes, and lymph glands. She would never again be able to bear children.

“The counselors at Planned Parenthood told me that abortion was the only responsible choice in my situation,” she said. “Now look at me. My health is broken. My career is ruined. My emotions are shot. And the only 2 children I will ever bear are dead and gone.”

George Grant Grand Illusions: the Legacy of Planned Parenthood (Franklin, Tennessee: Adroit Press, 1988, 1992

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