Various risks that may arise due to abortion & bull; hello healthy

Abortion, maybe you have often heard this word and immediately think negatively. However, make no mistake, abortion is not always negative. Why?

Abortion is the end of a pregnancy. There are two types of abortion based on the cause, namely intentional abortion (induced abortion) and accidental abortion (spontaneous abortion). Spontaneous abortion it is the same as a miscarriage, where the death of the fetus occurs spontaneously and is usually the result of a medical problem. Meanwhile, deliberate abortion is still a matter of controversy both medically and morally.

Abortion in Indonesia

In Indonesia itself, deliberate abortion is an act that is illegal and against the law. Abortion carried out illegally is punishable by criminal penalties in accordance with the Criminal Code (KUHP) Chapter XIX concerning crimes against life. Mothers who had an abortion, people or medical personnel who helped the mother to have an abortion, and people who supported this procedure could be subject to punishment.

Conditions for permitted abortion in Indonesia

Based on Government Regulation no. 16 of 2014 concerning Reproductive Health, abortion is an act that is prohibited and only allowed under certain conditions, such as:

• Indication of a medical emergency, such as a pregnancy that threatens the life and health of the mother and fetus
• Pregnancy due to rape (can only be done if the gestational age is at least 40 days from the first day of the last menstrual period)

This PP regulates how an abortion should be carried out properly for certain reasons, and how an abortion should be done safely with the help of a doctor. With this PP, it is hoped that abortion will no longer be carried out carelessly and can also reduce the number of pregnancies outside of marriage or unwanted pregnancies.

As much as 30% of maternal deaths are due to abortion

Most abortions in Indonesia are caused by unwanted pregnancies or pregnancies that occur outside of marriage, so abortions are carried out illegally. Many illegal abortion practices in Indonesia use improper equipment and methods that are not supposed to be. As a result, most illegal abortions have a negative impact on women's health, even leading to death. Based on data from the Indonesian Demographic and Health Survey (IDHS) in 2008, deaths due to abortion reached 30% of the 228 per 100 thousand live births, the maternal mortality rate (MMR).

This is different from countries that legalize abortion, such as the United States, where abortion is carried out safely and with the help of a doctor, so complications are very rare.

What about abortion in countries where abortion is legal?

In countries where abortion is legal, abortion is performed with medical assistance. There are two ways to have an abortion, namely with drugs and by surgery, such as vacuum aspiration or dilation and evaluation (D&E). This depends on the age of your womb. If your womb is more than 9 weeks old, surgical abortion is the only option. This operation is done by a certified doctor, so it is safe to do and is not something that is done carelessly.

What are the possible effects of abortion?

The risk of having an abortion in the second trimester of pregnancy is higher than in the first trimester of gestation. Some of the main risks of abortion are:

• Uterine infection, can occur every 1 in 10 abortions performed. These infections can usually be treated with antibiotics.
• The remaining pregnancy in the womb usually occurs because the abortion is not handled by a certified medical personnel, for example in an abortion that is carried out illegally by a traditional healer or someone who claims to be a medical worker, or it could also be because the abortion was performed using drugs. This can happen every 1 in 20 abortion events. Further care needs to be done to deal with this.
• Pregnancy continues, it can occur in less than 1 in every 100 cases of abortion.
• Heavy bleeding, can occur every 1 in 1000 cases of abortion. Severe bleeding may require blood transfusions.
• Damage to the mouth of the uterus (cervix), can occur every 1 in 100 cases of abortion that is done by means of surgery.
• Damage to the uterus, occurs every 1 in 250 to 1000 abortions that are performed by means of surgery and also occurs in less than 1 in every 1000 abortions performed using drugs at 12-24 weeks of gestation.
• As well as, various psychological effects on women who have an abortion.

From the various risks above, it can be seen that abortion that is carried out illegally or legally (using drugs or surgery), both of which can pose health risks for the mother. Nothing is unsafe if you intend to have an abortion, unless the pregnancy threatens the life of you or your baby.