Interruption of pregnancy or expulsion of the product Essay Example

Interruption of pregnancy or expulsion of the product Essay Example Interruption of pregnancy or expulsion of the product Paper Interruption of pregnancy or expulsion of the product Paper Interruption of pregnancy or expulsion of the product of conception before the fetus is viable is called abortion. The fetus is generally considered to be viable any time after the fifth to sixth month of gestation. The term â€Å"premature labor† is sued when a woman experiences labor after this point in the pregnancy. Abortion is the termination of pregnancy before the embryo or fetus is able to live outside the uterus. In other words, it is the intentional expulsion of a fetus which cannot survive by itself outside of the womb of the mother. In complete abortion the tissues surrounding the embryo or fetus are also expelled. Abortion can occur in a pregnant woman between the time the fertilized egg attaches itself to the wall of the uterus and the time the fetus is 28 weeks old. (After the fetus is 28 weeks old, it may survive outside the uterus). A naturally occurring abortion is called a spontaneous abortion, or commonly, a miscarriage. It usually occurs because the uterus has rejected an abnormal embryo or fetus. Sometimes spontaneous abortion is the result of an injury or disease in the mother. An induced abortion is one that is deliberately performed to terminate a pregnancy. It is called a therapeutic abortion when the life or health of the mother would be endangered if the pregnancy were to continue. For most of the 20th century, abortion was illegal in the United States. In the 1960’s, some states began to allow abortions to be performed under various circumstances. In 1973 the U.S. Supreme Court held in Roe v. Wade that the right of privacy covered a woman’s right to end an unwanted pregnancy in the early stages. This decision caused a controversy over the rights to the mother versus to those of the unborn child. Groups identifying themselves as â€Å"pro-choice† defended a woman’s right to have an abortion. Anti-abortion, or â€Å"pro-life,† groups stated that human life began at the moment of conception and that abortion was thus the taking of a human life. In 1989 the Supreme Court again considered the abortion issue and, while upholding Roe v. Wade, allowed states to impose restrictions on how, when, and where abortions can be performed (see Head, Jeanne E. Does Abortion Access Protect Womens Health? Volume: 19. Issue: 6. June 2004. Many countries have abortion laws similar to those of the United States, and some consider abortion to be a birth control measure. Other countries allow the therapeutic abortions but limit other induced abortions to pregnancies resulting from rape. In some countries, abortion is completely illegal. Colker, Ruth. Abortion Dialogue: Pro-Choice, Pro-Life, and American Law. Indiana University Press. Bloomington, IN. Publication Year: 2002. Mohr, James C. The Origins and Evolution of National Policy, 1800-1900. Oxford University Press. New York, 1999. Pollitt, Katha. Abortion in American History. Volume: 279. Issue: 5. 2001. Rubin, Eva R. Abortion, Politics, and the Courts: Roe v. Wade and Its Aftermath. Greenwood Press. New York, 2001. Head, Jeanne E. Does Abortion Access Protect Womens Health? Volume: 19. Issue: 6. June 2004. Zapka, J., Lemon, S., Peerson, et al. (2001). The silent consumer: Women’s reports and ratings of abortion services. Medical care, 39 (1), 50-60. Robinson, D. (2000). Care of the woman before and after an elective abortion. American Journal for Nursing Practice, 4 (3), 17-29. Williams, G. (2000). Grief after elective abortion. AWHONN Lifelines, 4 (2), 37-40