WORRIED ABOUT RISING TEEN PREGNANCY SELF-ABORTION CASES

 

WORRIED ABOUT RISING TEEN PREGNANCY SELF-ABORTION CASES 

Dr Renu Jain (Medical Director, M.B.B.S., M.S.,(Obs. & Gyane), IVF – Specialist GP Shekhawati Hospital And Research Center

Being  a mother is a very sweet, loving and sensitive feeling and never be compared with any other happiness if u actually want to conceive a baby or u already a mother.

“A thief comes to steal and kill and destroy, but I (women) came to give life—life in all its fullness.”

Very short but a very sweet message, but What If you are not ready for that and this condition arises and you get pregnant. It’s actually a serious problem.

If we talk about teenagers it’s now a days a very common problem there's almost a 50% rise in the number of teen pregnancies in the past four-five years. Earlier, there would be one-odd case a month. Now, there are at least three or four. Most of them lie about their age and dress up in a mature way to hide it. It's only when I talk to them that I realize that they are younger than they look, because of their way of talking or their hesitation to tell their age. Unplanned pregnancy can be a nightmare for many young women or girl who does not wish to step into motherhood at an early age, Home pregnancy tests, contraceptive pills and abortion pills have revolutionized the pharmaceutical industry today. Though many doctors applaud the progress medical science has made today, there are several others who fear the rising trend in self-medication, administering a drug during unplanned pregnancy or otherwise must not be done without clinical examination and appropriate investigation. 

Most of the abortion cases we receive are a result of pre-marital sex. It is alright if one wishes to use a home-pregnancy test to find out if they are pregnant or not. However, in cases of abortion, a doctor’s consultation is extremely important. After careful examination, an ultrasound needs to be done in order to confirm that the pregnancy has not occurred in the Fallopian tube as consuming ‘pills’ may lead to tubal rupture. Besides, the time period is also important. In some cases, consuming the pill may lead to excessive bleeding and incomplete abortions. Apart from developing infections, the mother is also at the risk of causing permanent damage to her uterus. Accentuating on the importance of awareness and responsible medication.

MTP pills are mostly used in Abortion but there are many things to think about before having an abortion. If a young woman or girl decides that an abortion is the right decision for her, the next things she’ll need to think about are her options whether she wants to have a Medical abortion (take the “abortion pill”) Surgical abortion (a procedure).

Surgical Abortion Is very safe as this is done by a Doctor, but abortion pills are either prescribed by the doctor or can be bought in any drug store without prescription, you should know about the related facts and the side effects of abortion pills. Let’s see how dangerous it can become sometimes.

Although abortion pills are considered as quick and easy method of getting rid of unwanted pregnancy, they have side effects no doubt. Many of us may be wanted to know what an abortion pill is, and how it works.

 In fact, an abortion pill is a chemical, mifepristone that is used to terminate the pregnancy that is possible within the first two months. Though it is an FDA approved drug but every patient is different and can have different effects as well.

Complications Due to Abortion Pills

Usually the complications are as follows  

·         Excessive bleeding

·         Nausea

·         Headache

·         Cramps that can be painful

·         Diarrhea

·         Vomiting

Points to be Noted before Using an Abortion Pill

The chemical triggers the abortion and it is possible that there is incomplete abortion in some cases. Even though it is available freely, it should be taken with prior consent of your doctor. The doctor is the best to decide whether you are fit to take the pill or not.

Patients that are suffering from heart disease, asthma, diabetes, anemia or some other problems are not suggested this drug. Heavy smokers and HIV patients are also suggested not to undergo this kind of abortion.

Even if some of the abortion pills are considered quite safe, the woman should be aware of the side effects beforehand. This is because if the side effects turn to be life threatening, it is attended immediately. For example if the woman bleeds a lot, it can be a problem and she needs to see a doctor without delay. Too much or too little bleeding can turn dangerous and needs to be attended by a specialist.

There is possibility of infection if the abortion process is left incomplete. This can be an additional risk for the woman and it should be focused as soon as possible.

Some women might feel painful cramps and if they are severe, proper pain medication will help.

If there is any kind of injury to the Fallopian tube, it might result in complications and the woman might face difficulty in conceiving in future.

It has been observed that the abortion pills have plenty of side effects and women should understand that it is not the only way to terminate their pregnancy. It is always better to consult a doctor before taking any kind of step. You never know what will go wrong in the way and might affect your entire life.

Remember, precaution is better than cure. It is not the question of ethics or belief, but it is the matter of your life and the generation that is to come through your medium. Abortion itself has some risks involved, but if it is done with the hands of experienced and skilled specialist, the risks are minimum.

Apart from the physical side effects, one should not forget the psychological effects that these have on the woman or girl. Most of them feel depressed and other emotional pains for a long time. These effects are

·         Depression

·         Suicidal thoughts

·         Thoughts of death

·         Feeling of being cruel

·         Flashbacks

These effects are quite natural of a woman to feel when she goes through abortion, either willingly or she is forced to do it either because of social or family problems. However, stress management techniques may work wonders to cope with such situation.