The termination of pregnancy taking place in the first trimester is without any risk. 78 % of the abortions taking place in America are happening during this period. Most of the remaining abortion cases are taking place in the second trimester. Such abortions are often carried out in second trimester abortion clinics. The abortions in the second trimester are usually carried out using the procedure known as D&E which is the short form of dilation and evacuation.
Human pregnancy lasts for 40 weeks and it’s counting starts from the first day of the last period. The pregnancy period has been divided into three subgroups known as trimesters. The period from the beginning of the pregnancy to the 12th week is known as the first trimester. The pregnancy period form 13th week to the 27th week is known as the second trimester and the balance of the pregnancy period is known as the third trimester.
Dilation and evacuation
D&E is a procedure that requires much care, skill and precision from the physician who is carrying out this procedure. More dilation of the uterus opening is required than that required in the case of first trimester abortions. Vacuum aspiration in its expanded form is used in this type of abortions.
If the abortion of the pregnancy is carried out after 15 weeks of pregnancy the patient will be required to meet the surgeon more than one occasion on successive days. In this case it becomes necessary to enlarge the cervix for more hours using multiple laminarias. In such cases the patient and her driver will have to stay in some hotel or room which is within a distance of 30 minutes ride.
Seeweeds that are about 2 inches in length or absorbent sticks are commonly used as laminarias. They are inserted to the cervical canal through cervix. They absorb moisture and swell thereby dilating the cervix. It may take several hours for completing the dilation process. In some cases continued use of laminarias becomes necessary.
Second trimester abortion in clinics
The pregnant woman who has decided to abort her pregnancy has to be firm in her decision as it will be difficult to go back once the laminarias are inserted into the cervical canal. Removing them can lead to serious infection and allied problems. The contents in the womb have to be removed within forty eight to seventy two hours.
The physician usually goes for suction procedure in the first trimester abortion cases. Large fetal parts are removed with the help of special forceps. It takes roughly 20-30 minutes only to complete the entire process of termination of pregnancy in the first trimester. Such abortions are carried out under sedation along with local anaesthesia.
No complications generally follow a D&C procedures carried out in abortion clinics washington. Only less than 1 % of the D&C procedures have shown some complications. As the period of gestation increases the probability and severity of the risk factor also increases. Incomplete abortions are usually accompanied by heavy bleeding, perforated uterus, torn cervix etc No major complications are likely to occur even in late second trimester abortions. Major complications necessitate immediate hospitalization and specialized care from experts. Any laxity or carelessness can lead to death and serious other consequences. The mortality rate in abortion cases were 10.4 per 100,000 cases in the year 1970. It has reduced to 3.7 by the year 1977 and the rates are still reducing. The advanced techniques used in the surgical procedures and the state of the art facilities available in modern hospitals, the expertise and knowledge of the present day surgeons etc
