Abortion is a very controversial topic when it comes to the human rights of women and whereas many women globally believe that part of their women rights is the right to choose on whether or not to terminate a pregnancy, it’s very important for such women to be cognizant of the fact that abortion comes with plenty of risks.
It doesn’t really matter whether you are having an emergency abortion to save your life or simply because you don’t want the pregnancy, the risks are the same. We’ll therefore look at five common risks associated with abortion and their possible consequences.
The possibility of hemorrhaging
Depending on the stage at which a woman is terminating a pregnancy, bleeding is expected therefore the woman should be ready for it. This applies regardless of whether it’s a surgical or medication induced abortion. However, there’s always a possibility that hemorrhaging will occur and this is likely to lead to severe blood loss. Such a situation requires emergency medical attention as it may result to death.
The possibility of infection
The possibility of infection is particularly common in situations where an abortion is being procured illegally in an unsafe environment. During the procedure, bacteria from the unsterile equipment, environment or even the vagina may make their way into the uterus therefore resulting in an infection. If this is caught early it can be easily treated however if caught late it may lead to long term damage.
Scarring of the uterine wall
One of the dangers of performing a surgical abortion is that the instruments being used in the process may end up damaging the uterine wall thereby resulting in a scar tissue. This has potential long term problems as it has been associated with painful cramps during menstruation, possible miscarriages as well as infertility. This is a problem that is irreversible.
Problems with future pregnancies
The more abortions a woman has, or even a complication resulting from one abortion can lead to problems with future pregnancies. It usually increases the risks of a woman not being able to carry her pregnancies to term, excessive vaginal bleeding especially during the early months of their pregnancy, the challenge of low birth weight and the problem of placenta retention.
Mental health problems
Whereas women may at first feel relieved after an abortion because they no longer have to worry about the pregnancy disrupting their life, it’s very common for this joy to be replaced by stress and depression. This could be the result of guilt, regret and other emotions that they can’t understand and even process and because they are embarrassed or afraid to seek help, they fall into depression.
When it comes to the subject of abortion in relation to human rights, it’s very important for women to be facilitated with all the information they need in order to make a more informed choice as well as access to quality reproductive health services. The idea is to ensure that whatever their choice is, it can be followed through in a safe environment as this is a right guaranteed to them by law.