Someone is waiting for the treasured two strips with hope, but for others this event is a real punishment. Of course, situations in life are different, and we do not undertake to judge anyone. Women who decided to leave their baby, and those who have an abortion, made their choice. Today we would like to discuss the topic of abortion from a medical point of view. Is abortion possible at week 12, what are the deadlines for this procedure and the possible consequences. About all this and much more - in our article today.
Action algorithm
First of all, you need to think carefully. All the consequences of an abortion are difficult to predict, and they can be very serious. Forget about grandmother’s methods, no initiative on this issue is allowed. An abortion at week 12 is quite possible, you only need to find a competent specialist.
First of all, the doctor must determine the gestational age, according to laboratory tests and ultrasound results. Depending on this, the doctor will suggest a possible way to perform the operation. Abortion at 12 weeks is late, but according to certain indications, doctors can perform this procedure throughout almost the entire first trimester.
How much time do you have to think
If you do not want complications, then no more than three months. Moreover, it should be borne in mind that a woman often finds out about her pregnancy not on the first day, but on a period of 4 to 6 weeks, then this time is significantly reduced. Up to 12 weeks, an abortion is done at the request of the woman herself, and after - only according to the indications. Below we will consider how circumstances should be so that the doctor gives his consent.
Social Indications
Cases of pregnancy of minor girls are considered separately. In this case, an abortion can be done after 12 weeks, but the consent of the parents or guardians is required. But this is not the only case when doctors can give up terms. After 12 weeks, an abortion is performed if there is a court decision on the deprivation of parental rights. In this case, doctors agree to interrupt the child’s life immediately so that he does not appear in a dysfunctional family.
The socio-psychological aspect is no exception. If the pregnancy was the result of rape and the expectant mother can confirm this, then the doctors will make a discount on psychological trauma. However, in this case, it is not recommended to reach the end of the third month. Indication for abortion in the 12th and later weeks is the death of her husband during pregnancy.
Medical indications
A doctor can also decide on abortion . An abortion for a period of 12 weeks refers to late surgical interventions, so often enough a gynecologist suggests making such a choice, noting the high risks of developing a pathology in the fetus.
Medical indicators primarily include chronic diseases. In this case, the doctor makes an informed decision, taking into account the condition of the future mother and excluding medical contraindications for the operation.
What diseases of the mother can cause a referral to medical abortion at 12 weeks? We will list them very briefly, since each specific case should be evaluated by the attending physician, do not try to make a diagnosis yourself.
- Acute and subacute diseases of the reproductive system.
- Inflammatory processes.
- Various infections.
Examination before surgery
To terminate the pregnancy at this time, a full examination is carried out. The patient undergoes an ultrasound scan, donates blood and urine. Inspection by the therapist is necessary, and according to indications by other specialists. Do not neglect the need for examination, this is the key to your safety.
If there is no other option
The sooner you make a decision, the easier the operation will go. Ideally, an abortion is performed on the 5-7th week. The fetus is still small, and the doctor will easily remove it from the uterine cavity. The more you tighten, the bigger the child becomes. An abortion at week 12 is an extraction from the uterine cavity of a body 6-7 cm long. Starting from this time, the fetus will grow even faster, which means the operation will be more difficult. And not every doctor will undertake this.
Pregnancy is interrupted by a doctor, obstetrician-gynecologist, who has the appropriate education and practice. The operation itself is not complicated, but doctors act almost blindly, which increases the risk for a woman. Today it is performed under general anesthesia, but in free clinics on the periphery it is often done without pain relief. Below we will consider what methods doctors use.
Medical abortion
It is believed that this is the safest way for a woman to get rid of an unwanted child. However, abortion for a period of 12 weeks in this way is almost never done. Despite the fact that the instructions for drugs for medical abortion indicate that you can use them before the end of the first trimester, doctors have a slightly different opinion. The fetus at this time is already large and may not spontaneously leave the uterus. Therefore, if you want to do without surgical intervention, it is better to consult a doctor in advance.
Mini abortion
Another option that is preferred, as it is gentle for the female body. Perform it using a vacuum installation. However, abortion at week 12 in this way is no longer possible. Most often, a mini-abortion is performed for up to 5 weeks, but not all doctors undertake an operation at this time, since the fetus is still very small and there is a risk that some of the tissues will remain in the uterine cavity and cause infection.
This operation is carried out by vacuum suction under the control of ultrasound. It is carried out for 5-7 minutes under local anesthesia. At the same time, the absence of pain and rapid healing is characteristic. However, if the period is above 5 weeks, then doctors from the whole variety of methods can only offer surgical abortion.
Features of this method
A woman should have a good idea of what she’s going to do before falling into the hands of the surgeon. If the period is 12 weeks, an abortion will be done only by surgery. This operation can only be performed in a specialized medical facility. Medical, surgical abortion is a curettage of the walls of the uterus and removal of the ovum.
As already mentioned, the operation is carried out almost blindly. The doctor expands the cervical canal with metal tools, after which he removes the fetal egg and endometrium with special forceps by curettage of the uterus. Today, the procedure is most often performed using anesthesia or general anesthesia. A few hours after the operation, the woman is under the supervision of a doctor, after which she is discharged home.
Abdominal surgery
As you can see, a lot depends on the state of the mother’s body and the duration of pregnancy. Doctors have enough ways to have an abortion. 12 weeks, we can say, is the last time when pregnancy can be terminated at the request of the woman herself. At a later date, doctors will review each case individually and make a decision. In exceptional cases, abortions are performed using a small caesarean section or artificially cause childbirth.
Features of abortion at different stages of pregnancy
It is impossible to unequivocally answer the question of whether it is possible to have an abortion at 12 weeks. First of all, because every woman has an individual body. The doctor must conduct a full examination and make an informed decision. Russian legislation sets the maximum time when a woman can make an independent decision to terminate a pregnancy. This is 12 weeks from the date of the last menstruation.
It should be noted that this period is not optimal for abortion. It is rather an extreme border, when such an operation is still not too dangerous for the female body. If we talk about how long it is safe to do an abortion, then the answer will always be the same: the sooner the better.
At the same time, early termination of pregnancy is the most sparing. Hormonal rearrangement is still weakly expressed. The risk of complications in this case is minimal. From the 5th to the 8th week, you can still perform the procedure medically or using a vacuum unit. In this case, internal tissues are not damaged, and therefore, the risk of developing an infection is reduced.
Surgical abortion, which is performed by curettage of the uterine cavity, is a traumatic, painful procedure.
Consequences of abortion
We have not talked about what threatens a woman with abortion. Is it possible to perform this operation at week 12, you will discuss with your doctor, but be sure to be warned about the consequences. Doctors say that such an intervention can harm both in the early and late stages of pregnancy. But practice suggests that the sooner such a decision is made, the more troubles and complications can be avoided.
No doctor wants harm to his patient, but it is very difficult to predict the body's response to such an intervention. Termination of pregnancy entails physiological and hormonal changes, which is reflected in a variety of systemic disorders.
The consequences can occur almost immediately. These are bleeding and complications after anesthesia, various mechanical injuries. With incomplete removal of the fetus from the uterine cavity, an inflammatory process can begin. However, you should not relax if you feel good in the first days after an abortion . Later consequences often manifest in the form of inflammation of the uterine tissues, placental polyps and peritonitis.
Long-term consequences are rarely associated with a previously performed operation, but the fact remains. Menstrual irregularities and chronic diseases of the genitourinary system, obstetric pathologies of varying severity, premature birth during the next pregnancy, uterine fibroids and infertility - this is not a complete list of all pathologies that may appear later after an abortion.
Carefully choose a doctor
If you decide on such an intervention, then you need to find a good clinic where certified doctors work. It is best to ask your local gynecologist where to have an abortion at 12 weeks. Specialists know the level of performing such operations in the clinics of the city, as they regularly face the consequences. Be sure to undergo a full examination before and after the operation. So the doctor will be able to assess the condition of your body, notice deviations in time and prescribe corrective treatment.
Instead of a conclusion
Thus, we can conclude that abortion at the 12th week is possible. This period is the last when the woman herself decides the fate of her baby. After that, an abortion can only be performed for medical or social reasons. However, the sooner you make a decision, the easier this procedure will go and the more complications can be avoided.