Safety of Abortion
Article Analysis
BCOM/275
28 January 2013
Linda Kroner
Safety of Abortion Abortion has always been a controversial issue, possibly even more so after the 1973 case of Roe vs Wade where abortion became legalized in the United States. One of the main arguments against abortion has to do with the safety of the woman carrying the fetus. According to a variety of different medical reports and government agencies, first trimester aspiration abortions produce fewer and less serious complications than maintaining a pregnancy and giving birth (Dudley & Kruse, 2006). The article Safety of Abortion published on the National Abortion Federation website, gives a wide array of information on the low number and different types of complications that come from first trimester abortions and why it is so important to provide women with safe and legal abortion options. "Surgical abortion is one of the safest types of medical procedures" (Dudley & Kruse, 2006). Considering the multitude of different medical procedures being put into practice today, that is saying an awful lot. According to Dudley and Kruse (2006) 97% of women that obtain an abortion during the first thirteen weeks of pregnancy report no complications. The risk of complications may be slightly higher is abortions conducted after thirteen weeks, but part of this is because of the risks that general anesthesia presents. Dudley and Kruse make it very clear to readers that abortions are not as dangerous as pro-life supporters make it seem. One of the most interesting and influential pieces of information presented in this article, for me, is that vacuum aspiration abortions, conducted during the first trimester of pregnancy, present little to no risk to future pregnancies (Dudley & Kruse, 2006). I have always been under the impression that having an abortion makes is nearly impossible to get pregnant in the future, and if one is lucky enough to conceive, the chances of having a stillborn or
BCOM/275
28 January 2013
Linda Kroner
Safety of Abortion Abortion has always been a controversial issue, possibly even more so after the 1973 case of Roe vs Wade where abortion became legalized in the United States. One of the main arguments against abortion has to do with the safety of the woman carrying the fetus. According to a variety of different medical reports and government agencies, first trimester aspiration abortions produce fewer and less serious complications than maintaining a pregnancy and giving birth (Dudley & Kruse, 2006). The article Safety of Abortion published on the National Abortion Federation website, gives a wide array of information on the low number and different types of complications that come from first trimester abortions and why it is so important to provide women with safe and legal abortion options. "Surgical abortion is one of the safest types of medical procedures" (Dudley & Kruse, 2006). Considering the multitude of different medical procedures being put into practice today, that is saying an awful lot. According to Dudley and Kruse (2006) 97% of women that obtain an abortion during the first thirteen weeks of pregnancy report no complications. The risk of complications may be slightly higher is abortions conducted after thirteen weeks, but part of this is because of the risks that general anesthesia presents. Dudley and Kruse make it very clear to readers that abortions are not as dangerous as pro-life supporters make it seem. One of the most interesting and influential pieces of information presented in this article, for me, is that vacuum aspiration abortions, conducted during the first trimester of pregnancy, present little to no risk to future pregnancies (Dudley & Kruse, 2006). I have always been under the impression that having an abortion makes is nearly impossible to get pregnant in the future, and if one is lucky enough to conceive, the chances of having a stillborn or
References: Dudley, S., & Kruse, B. (2006, December). Safety of abortion. National Abortion Federation. Retrieved from http://www.prochoice.org/about_abortion/facts/ safety_of_abortion.html National Abortion Federation. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.prochoice.org/ cfc/advisory.html The Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.spssi.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=page.viewpage&pageid=1065