Abortion Facts

It is imperative that pro-lifers be ready to answer questions

about abortion and the risks associated with having an
abortion. The below information will help you in answering
questions about abortion often raised by its supporters.
Statistics
From the Alan Guttmacher Institute:

1.1 million U.S. abortions each year.

Nearly 1 in 4 (22%) of pregnancies end in abortion

50% of women now seeking abortion have had at least one previous abortion.

The U.S. abortion rate is among the highest of developed countries.

51% of abortions are performed on women less than 25 years of age.

Approximately 1/3 of American women have had an abortion by age 45.

Abortion disproportionately affects black and Hispanic women.

Methods
Dilation & Curettage (D&C)
Occasionally used through the 12th week. After dilation of the cervix, a curette is inserted into
the uterus. The babys body is cut into pieces and extracted, often by suction. The uterine wall is
then scraped to remove the placenta and confirm that the uterus is empty.
Dilation and Evacuation (D&E)
Performed up to 18 weeks. Forceps are inserted into the uterus, grabbing and twisting the babys
body to dismember it. If the head is too large it must be crushed in order to remove it.
Dilation and Extraction (D&X or Partial Birth Abortion)
Performed in the 2nd and 3rd trimester. The cervix is dilated. Forceps extract the live baby by the
feet until the head is just inside the cervix. Scissors then puncture the skull, allowing the

abortionist to collapse it by suctioning out the contents. The dead baby is then fully removed
from the mother. This method is banned in the United States.
Hysterotomy
Used in the last three months of pregnancy. The womb is entered by a surgical incision in the
abdominal wall, similar to a Caesarean section. However, the abdominal cord is usually cut while
the baby is still in the womb, cutting off the oxygen supply and causing suffocation. Sometimes,
though, the baby is delivered alive and left unattended to die.
Intracardial Injection
Performed at about four months. The chemical digoxin is injected into the babys heart, causing
immediate death. The dead babys body is then reabsorbed by the mother. This method is often
used as pregnancy reduction when a mother carrying multiples wants fewer children.
Prostaglandin
Performed during the second half of pregnancy. A hormone-like compound is injected into the
muscle of the uterus causing intense contractions and pushing out the baby. The violent
contractions often crush the baby to death, though many babies have been born alive using this
procedure, then left to die.
RU-486
Used through the seventh week of pregnancy, RU-486 is a synthetic steroid that blocks the
hormone progesterone. Women then take a second drug, prostaglandin to induce contractions and
expel the dead baby. Ella, another abortion drug, works in the same way.
Saline Injection
Usually performed during months four through seven. A 20% salt solution (the normal salt
solution is .9%) is injected through the mothers abdomen into the babys amniotic fluid. The
baby ingests the solution and dies of salt poisoning, dehydration, and hemorrhaging of the brain.
The babys skin is burned off. A dead or dying baby is delivered. A baby born alive is usually left
unattended to die, though some have survived.
Suction Abortion
After dilation of the cervix, a suction curette (a tube with a serrated tip) is inserted into the
uterus. The strong suction (29 times the power of a household vacuum cleaner) tears the babys
body apart and sucks it through the hose into a container. This is the most common method of
abortion in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Risks of Abortion
Medical Complications

Heavy bleeding

Infection

Incomplete abortion

Sepsis

Anesthesia

Damage to the cervix

Scarring of the uterine lining

Uterine perforation

Damage to internal organs

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

Endometritis

Death

Emotional Complications

Eating disorders

Relationship problems

Guilt

Depression

Flashbacks of abortion

Suicidal thoughts

Sexual dysfunction

Alcohol and drug abuse

Higher Risk of These Issues Later:

Breast cancer

Cervical, ovarian, and liver cancer

Placenta previa

Ectopic pregnancy