There are three abortion classifications—surgical abortion, medical abortion, and chemical abortion. They are defined as follows:
Surgical abortion: These are abortions that involve an invasive procedure. Major types of surgical abortions include:
- Suction aspiration: This is the procedure most often used in the first trimester of pregnancy (the first three months). The abortionist inserts a suction tube (similar to a vacuum hose with an extremely sharp end) into the mother’s womb. The suction and cutting edge dismember the baby while the hose sucks the body parts into a collection bottle.
- Dilation and curettage (D&C): In this procedure, the abortionist uses a loop shaped knife to cut the baby into pieces and scrape the uterine wall. The baby’s body parts are then removed and checked to make sure that no pieces were left in the mother’s womb.
- Dilation and extraction (also known as D&X or partial-birth abortion): Used to kill babies well into the third trimester (as late as 32 weeks old), the abortionist reaches into the mother’s womb, grabs the baby’s feet with a forceps and pulls the baby out of the mother, except for the head. The abortionist then jams a pair of scissors into the back of the baby’s head and spreads the scissors apart to make a hole in the baby’s skull. The abortionist removes the scissors and sticks a suction tube into the skull to suck the baby’s brain out. The forceps are then used to crush the baby’s head and the abortionist pulls the baby’s body out the rest of the way.
- Dilation and evacuation (D&E): This form of abortion is used to kill babies in the second trimester (24+ weeks). The abortionist uses a forceps to grab parts of the baby (arms and legs) and then tears the baby apart. The baby’s head must be crushed in order to remove it because the skull bone has hardened by this stage in the baby’s growth.
- Hysterotomy: Performed in the third trimester, this is basically an abortive Cesarean section (C-section). The abortionist makes an incision in the mother’s abdomen and removes the baby. The baby is then either placed to the side to die or is killed by the abortionist or nurse.
Medical abortions: These are abortions that involve the administration of drugs specifically intended to abort the child. Common drugs used for medical abortions include:
- Mifepristone (RU-486): Mifepristone blocks the hormone that helps develop the lining of the uterus during pregnancy (progesterone). This lining is the source of nutrition and protection for the developing baby. The tiny boy or girl is starved to death, and then a second drug, misoprostol, causes contractions so that the dead baby is expelled from the womb.
- Methotrexate: This highly toxic chemical directly attacks and breaks down the baby’s fast-growing cells. It also attacks the life-support systems the baby needs to survive. When the systems fail, the baby dies. Misoprostol is then used to cause contractions and push the dead baby out of the womb.
- Salt poisoning: This technique is used in the second and third trimester. The abortionist sticks a long needle into the mother’s womb. The needle contains salt which is then injected into the amniotic fluid surrounding the baby. The baby breathes in, swallows the salt and dies from salt poisoning, dehydration, brain hemorrhage, and convulsions. The baby takes nearly an hour to die. His skin is completely burned, turns red and deteriorates. The baby is in pain the entire time. The mother goes into labor 24-48 hours later and delivers a dead baby.
- Prostaglandins: Used during the second and third trimester, prostaglandin abortions involve the injection of naturally produced hormones into the amniotic sac, causing violent premature labor. During these convulsions the baby is often crushed to death or is born too early to have any chance of surviving.
Chemical abortions: These are abortions caused by drugs that, at least some of the time, prevent the implantation of the already-created baby in the uterine lining. Some of the more popular methods of birth control that can be responsible for the deaths of newly-created children include the following:
- The Ortho-Evra® birth control patch works by suppressing gonadotropins, which may inhibit ovulation, change the cervical mucus to prevent sperm from reaching the uterus and change the lining of the uterus thereby preventing the implantation of the newly-formed human (Physicians’ Desk Reference. 60 ed. Montvale, NJ: Thompson PDR; 2006. 2402).
- The NuvaRing® vaginal ring works by suppressing gonadotropins, which may inhibit ovulation, change the cervical mucus to prevent sperm from reaching the uterus and change the endometrium thereby preventing the implantation of the newly-formed human (PDR. 2357).
- Depo-Provera® Contraceptive Injection, when administered at the recommended dose to women every 3 months, inhibits the secretion of gonadotropins which, in turn, prevents follicular maturation and ovulation and results in endometrium thinning. These actions produce its contraceptive effect (PDR 2620).
- Plan B® is believed to act as an emergency contraceptive principally by preventing ovulation or fertilization, by altering the tubal transport of sperm and/or ova. In addition, it may inhibit implantation by altering the endometrium (PDR 1068).
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