INTERRUPTED PREGNANCY: TYPES, CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES - GEOGRAFÍA - 2025

The interrupted pregnancy, commonly known under the name of abortion, consists of the interruption of the pregnancy before 22 weeks of gestation, that is, before the fetus or embryo weighs less than 500 grams.

In other words, it is the culmination of a pregnancy before the fetus is able to live independently outside of the mother's womb. There are different types and can occur for different causes.

Types of terminated pregnancy

The World Health Organization recognizes the existence of two types of abortion, the so-called spontaneous and the induced.

In the case of the former, it refers to the spontaneous and natural interruption of pregnancy without the use of medications or the performance of any surgical intervention after the implantation of the fetus and before it can live independently.

In the second, there is talk of the interruption of pregnancy but through the use of medications or surgical interventions before the fetus can fend for itself outside its mother's womb.

Induced abortion can be safe or unsafe, and in turn legal or illegal depending on the conditions in which it is performed.

In the case of legal abortion, it is carried out under the decriminalizing laws of the country where it is practiced, with health centers with adequate hygiene conditions and permits to carry it out.

However, illegal abortion is usually performed against some of the laws of the country where it is practiced and usually in risky and unhealthy environments for the mother and the fetus.

Below are the main causes and consequences, as well as advantages and disadvantages of both types of miscarriage, spontaneous and induced.

Main causes and consequences

- Spontaneous abortion

Generally, this type of abortion usually occurs in the first trimester of pregnancy, occurring in 20% of most pregnancies.

Hence, natural abortion is quite common in pregnant women, especially first-time women.

Causes

Although there are many causes that can lead to pregnancy loss, the following are the most common:

Advanced age

Older women are often more likely to conceive a baby with a chromosomal abnormality, which represents a major risk factor.

Generally, 70% of the causes are due to the fact that the fertilized egg has an abnormal number of chromosomes, making it impossible for the pregnancy to follow a normal course.

Previous history of abortions

The presence of a history of abortions that already involves at least two previous losses in a row, makes it unlikely that the pregnancy will reach the end in the next attempt.

Chronic diseases and conditions

We talk about some as common as obesity, diabetes, problems with blood clotting, diseases of the immune system and hormonal conditions.

As well as uterine or cervical problems such as congenital malformations of the uterus, the presence of a weak cervix or uterine fibroids.

Similarly, if the mother has infections such as HIV, rubella, measles, or some type of virus, the chances of a successful pregnancy decrease.

Consumption of narcotics

The habitual consumption of drugs, together with drinking and cigarettes, are usually considered factors that influence this type of abortion.

However, despite the different causes announced above, in most cases there is no cause that explains 100% of the spontaneous interruption of pregnancy.

In relation to the consequences, generally this type of abortion does not usually cause any physical problem for the mother, except for the presence of bleeding and abdominal pain and if it is necessary to clean the uterus to remove the remains of embryonic tissue.

However, the emotional consequences are usually devastating, especially for the mother who, in addition to sadness, can experience serious states of anxiety and depression, hence seeking medical attention and family support is crucial.

- Induced abortion

This type of abortion is caused intentionally and that is precisely why it is usually subject to great ethical, religious, social and political debates.

Causes

Among its main causes are the following:

1- The contraceptive method was not effective, hence the pregnancy produced was an accident and the couple did not want to have a baby.

2- The pregnancy was the product of rape, so for the mother to accept and have the baby is painful and sometimes even impossible depending on the age of the woman and the way in which the rape occurred.

3- The pregnant woman is young and does not want to face social and family rejection for having had children at an age considered inappropriate.

4- There are physical and mental problems, so the woman does not feel ready to take responsibility for a baby.

6- The pregnant woman does not feel accompanied by the couple and there are even problems between them.

7- Possession of economic problems that make it impossible for women to take care of a baby in the present and in the future.

8- The pregnancy is more advanced in its gestation stage and the baby has serious health problems or some genetic malformation.

Although each woman has her private personal causes when deciding to carry out an induced abortion, the aforementioned causes are usually the most common.

Consequences

In relation to the consequences of practicing this type of abortion, everything will depend on whether it is carried out legally or legally, since if it is done under sanitary control, the woman should not present any physical complication except for some bleeding and the need for rest.

However, if it is carried out clandestinely at the risk of poor sanitation, hygiene and unsterilized instruments, the consequences can be fatal for the woman and may even suffer severe bleeding and infections.

The psychological consequences are usually the most alarming, since once the abortion has been performed, women often experience deep feelings of guilt, failure, depression and aggressiveness.

Advantages and disadvantages

Among its advantages is the fact that, if performed legally, the woman should not suffer any physical problem, since having specialized medical care and adequate sanitary conditions, abortion is a surgical operation like another.

In addition to this, the woman does not feel obliged to bring into the world a baby that she did not want from the beginning, hence she will be preventing her baby from suffering economic and mainly emotional problems.

In relation to its disadvantages, abortion can cause serious irreparable damage to the mental and emotional health of the mother, who often experiences feelings of guilt and strong depression for the rest of her life.

In addition, if the abortion is not performed in a safe environment, the woman's life is in great danger.

References

1. Spontaneous abortion. Retrieved on August 4, 2017 from plannedparenthood.org.
2. (2016). Induced or provoked abortion: causes, procedures and possible consequences. Retrieved on August 4, 2017 from pregnancy10.com.
3. Induced abortion: causes and consequences. Retrieved on August 4, 2017 from facemama.com.
4. (2016). Miscarriage: causes, symptoms and consequences. Retrieved on August 4, 2017 from pregnancy10.com.
5. British Pregnancy Advisory Service. What is abortion? Retrieved on August 3, 2017 from bpas.org.
6. Definition of abortion. Retrieved on August 4, 2017 from abortos.com.
7. Babycenter Medical Advisory Board in Spanish. Miscarriage: what it is and why it happens. Retrieved on August 4, 2017 from espanol.babycenter.com.
8. Ríos, E. Abortion. Retrieved on August 4, 2017 from mpfn.gob.pe.
9. Ruddock, V. (2016). Abortion pros and cons. Retrieved on August 4, 2017 from pregnancy.lovetoknow.com.
10. Should abortion be legal? Retrieved on August 4, 2017 from abortion.procon.org.
11. An objective view on abortion. Retrieved on August 3, 2017 from abortar.org.