O abortion, more correctly called the abortion, can be set to the termination of a pregnancy before the fetus reaches its viability, that is, before the perinatal period (from the full 22 weeks of gestation) and with a fetus weighing less than 500 g. It is often a painful process that can cause serious trauma in a woman's life, and it is common for these women to describe feelings of guilt, vulnerability, sadness and frustration.
Read too:postabortion syndrome
→ miscarriage
Miscarriage, also called miscarriage, is a relatively frequent situation. It is estimated that this intercurrence occurs between 10% and 25% of all pregnancies. It is noteworthy that abortion is more common in early pregnancy and advancing gestational age reduces these risks. Abortion can be classified as early, when it occurs in a woman who is less than 13 weeks pregnant, and late, when it occurs between 13 and 22 weeks.
Usually, miscarriage occurs because the fetus does not have characteristics favorable to its survival or is not showing adequate development. This can be due to causes such as:
chromosomal alterations;
uterine changes;
drops in progesterone levels;
changes in thyroid hormones;
viral diseases and bacterial;
autoimmune diseases;
consumption of drugs.
It is worth noting that despite so many possible causes, in most women abortion remains unexplained. We can also highlight that there are some risk factors that are associated with abortion, such as advanced age (over 45 years the abortion rate can reach 80%), previous cases of miscarriage, use of cigarettes, drug and alcohol consumption, use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and extreme weight (BMI too low or too much high).
Read too:Risks of teas for pregnant women
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→ Classification of abortions
In many women, a miscarriage can even trigger depression.
According to the Ministry of Health, abortions can be classified as:
Threat of abortion: in this case, the conceptus maintains its vitality, however, genital bleeding and cramps are observed in pregnant women. Generally, the bleeding is light and the cramps are mild. The cervix remains closed. In this case, the correct thing is for the woman to remain at rest.
Complete abortion: it commonly occurs in pregnancies that are less than eight weeks old and a complete elimination of the contents of the uterus is observed. In this case, the woman is under observation to check whether the bleeding is continued and that infections are avoided.
Inevitable/incomplete abortion: in this type of abortion, we have a situation where only part of the uterine content is eliminated. In these cases, bleeding is greater than in the threat of abortion. In addition, the cervix is open and the woman is in pain. In situations like this, it is necessary to carry out procedures such as MVA (intrauterine manual aspiration) or curettage (a technique that consists of scraping the inside of the uterus).
Retained abortion: it is observed in this type of abortion that the cervix remains closed and the woman does not have blood loss, however, the embryo does not show signs of life. In this case, the MVA technique can be performed or medication may be used.
Infected abortion: in this circumstance, infections resulting mainly from illegal abortions are observed. There is an incomplete abortion and signs of infections usually caused by bacteria. Fever, bleeding, pain and shedding of pus from the cervix may be noted.
Usual abortion: it is considered a habitual abortion when the woman has three or more consecutive miscarriages. This situation is not common and the causes must be investigated.
Elective abortion provided for by law: this situation concerns abortions requested in the case of rape, life-threatening for the woman or an anencephalic fetus (which does not have the skullcap and the brain in whole or in part). Different techniques can be used, such as medication, MVA and curettage. In this case, despite the abortion being induced, it is not a crime.
Read too: Risks of using buchinha-do-norte as an abortifacient
→ Situations where abortion is allowed in Brazil
Abortion in Brazil is a crime, however, in some situations, the procedure is allowed. See below the articles of the Penal Code that deal with this topic:
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Abortion caused by the pregnant woman or with her consent Art. 124 - Inflicting an abortion on herself or consenting to someone else having her: Penalty - detention, from one to three years. Abortion caused by third party Art. 125 - Inducing abortion, without the consent of the pregnant woman: Penalty - imprisonment, from three to ten years. Art. 126 - Inducing abortion with the consent of the pregnant woman: Penalty - imprisonment, from one to four years. Single paragraph. The penalty of the previous article applies if the pregnant woman is not older than fourteen, or is alienated or mentally retarded, or if consent is obtained through fraud, serious threat or violence Qualified form Art. 127 - The penalties imposed in the two previous articles are increased by one third, if, as a result from the abortion or from the means used to provoke it, the pregnant woman suffers bodily harm of a serious nature; and they are doubled if, by any of these causes, death befalls him. Art. 128 - Abortion performed by a doctor is not punishable: abortion required I - if there is no other way to save the pregnant woman's life; Abortion in case of pregnancy resulting from rape II - if the pregnancy results from rape and the abortion is preceded by the pregnant woman's consent or, when incapable, by her legal representative. |
It is clear, therefore, that abortion is allowed when there is a risk of life for the pregnant woman and when the pregnancy is the result of rape. Abortion can also be performed when there is evidence that the fetus is anencephalic, that is, that the fetus does not have the skullcap and the brain in full or in part. Regarding this last case, it is important to highlight that the decision was taken by the Supreme Court.
By Ma. Vanessa Sardinha dos Santos
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
SANTOS, Vanessa Sardinha dos. "Abortion"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/biologia/aborto.htm. Accessed on June 28, 2021.
