Safe Abortion is a Myth: Here is How to Remove the Baby with a Metal Coat Hanger
In many places in Africa, especially in Nigeria, there has been several reports about females using hangers, boiling rings, and other unsafe methods to commit abortion…
Bisola is a seventeen years old, skin-like-butter, happening babe. She left secondary school two years ago, sexually active, and into whocup business in one of the slumbering towns of Lagos.
It is almost four months since Bisola last had her menstruation. She claims to take care of herself well, and ensures that the men use protection.
God forbids that Bisola is a prostitute; she just likes to have fun with older men, and takes care of their needs.
Bisola strongly believes that the baby is for Sodiq, her boyfriend. He is the only strong head who complains that sex with condoms is not pleasurable. He is also into wire wire stuff, bhet that’s not what we are here to discuss.
Bisola in her frenzied state consulted with a friend and colleague who recommended some drugs that will unalive the baby. A few days after Bisola used the drugs, she noticed that she was bleeding heavily. A sign that the baby having unalived itself, is on its way out.
However, when the bleeding did not stop, Bisola’s friend suggested that they could drag out the remnants once and for all with a hanger. Like that, everything would come out and in a few weeks, she should be agile enough to get back into business.
I couldn’t blame her; Lagos men are so sexually starved, they’d chase anything on skirts. If she does not show up to satisfy these men, who will?
Bisola, AKA lady skin-popping suffered complications and is now with a damaged uterus, and a huge hospital debt to clear.
It is on this note that I think I should teach you all how to safely use hangers to remove babies. Stick around to learn!
Last week, we discussed about erectile dysfunction. This week, we want to explore a delicate topic – abortion. We’d cover important aspects of this topic.
Of course, I will never teach anyone how to remove a baby with hangers. You do not want me to lose my license before even getting it.
What exactly is Abortion?
Abortion is the loss of ongoing pregnancy before the age of viability. In a simpler way; if you are carrying a baby and you lose that baby either intentionally or not, before due date, what you just experienced is abortion.
You see ehn, abortion is so cheap in Lagos, and it is the next great thing Lagosians boast of after Ewa Agoyin and Agege bread.
Safe abortion practices are not so common, hence, the reason people seek other means to expel the fetus.
World Health Organization said losing a pregnancy before the week 25 of carrying it is abortion. If the baby is weighing less than 500g and you lose the pregnancy, it is also abortion too.
If the above is Abortion, what then is Unsafe Abortion?
Unsafe abortions are clandestine termination of pregnancy. The ones that people do in the corners of their rooms or shoddy places.
The ones carried out by a person not qualified; abortion done in a place not standard for the procedure; and the commonest cause of mortality among adolescents.
Abortion induced illegally are usually complicated due to the use of unhygienic methods
How common is Abortion?
Globally, 46 million abortions are performed. Over 20 million of these abortions are performed illegally and under unsafe conditions.
In Africa, a total of 5 million abortions are performed yearly. In West Africa, 1.6 million is performed.
In Nigeria, 610,000 abortions are recorded per year. 60% of all abortions in Nigeria are performed by non-physician, and more than 50% are carried out on women less than 24 years of age.
Married women, sex workers, unemployed women, widows, divorced, single girls, and adolescents are the people that do abortion the most.
It is a common gynecological (women) problem and it requires prompt treatment to forestall complications. You should know that complications range from infection, to infertility, and death of the woman.
Abortion is one of five major causes of maternal mortality in Africa, it accounts for about 20% of these deaths. There is a huge cost of treating complications, and a restrictive abortion laws (which is chiefly why women go for unsafe abortion practices).
What are the types of Abortion?
Abortion can be spontaneous, which means the thing happen on hin own. It may be because the pregnancy is threatened by bleeding or fibroid, or undue pressure.
If the cervix (mouth of the vagina) of a pregnant woman is not closed, oh, the baby is definitely coming down. That is an inevitable abortion.
A spontaneous abortion can either be complete (all products of conception is expelled) or incomplete (only the imaginary head of the baby is out, but all other body parts are still swimming inside the uterus).
Recurrent abortion is when a woman experiences more than three consecutive abortions. This is what is mostly called miscarriages. And it is the mother of the aunt of the cousin step-sister that is usually behind it.
A missed abortion means that the thing that is supposed to grow into a baby is still inside the womb, bhet it is dead. Still together like a small ball bhet dead.
Induced abortion is another type, and they are done either medically, surgically, or through unhygienic interventions like the case of Bisola. In this case, the abortion can be incomplete or complete too.
For unsafe abortion practices, there is always a high chance of complications. Take that to the bank anywhere.
What are the causes of Abortion?
The first three months of pregnancy are the most delicate months. They are the months that most pregnancies are lost. Hence, they are categorized as unknown causes.
Congenital abnormalities such as maybe the spinal cord isn’t forming well, the heart is deformed, or the uterus (womb) is too small can cause abortion.
Infections such as malaria, viral infections, etc can cause abortion. It is why you should sleep under treated nets when you are pregnant and avoid Lagos mosquitoes.
Drugs such as noxious substances used in pregnancy can cause abortion. I mean, everyone should know that there are some drugs you should not use when pregnant, right? Before you take any drug as a pregnant woman, please check or ask if such drug is safe for you and the baby.
Maternal diseases such as the mother suffering from diabetes, immune diseases, severe hypertension, etc can cause abortion. People who suffer from these conditions require special attention during pregnancy.
Interference, also known as induced abortion. In this case, when you use hangers or boiling ring to pull out the thing that is supposed to grow and turn to a fully formed baby.
Complications of Abortion
Immediate complications such as bleeding, damage to organs, infection, and death. These things are very common, hence, it is necessary not to carry out abortion without medical supervision.
Late complications such as infertility, chronic pelvic pain/PID, ectopic pregnancy, marital disharmony, and emotional consequences.
What are the Clinical Features that Indicate Abortion?
These are the signs that you’ll see that most likely show that a woman had had an abortion:
Lower abdominal pain, bleeding from the genital tract which are always in the form of clots, passage of products of conception (POC) – the thing that did not grow to become a baby, and lower abdominal tenderness.
As much as these signs indicates abortion, they also may be signs to a host of other conditions.
What are Abortion Complications?
When abortion is not properly done, the victim may experience any or a combination of these:
Shock from excessive haemorrhage, sepsis; excessive loss of blood; infection/sepsis such as tetanus, septic shock; surgical injuries like intra-abdominal laceration, genital; psychiatric disturbance like depression; and finally death.
What are the Ways to Reduce Complications of Abortion?
Health education. We need sound, medically correct, sexual and health education for the general population. Women and men should be enlightened enough to make intelligent decisions about aborting a baby.
Abortion should not be a crime, hence, it should be liberalized and free. Women should be able to get abortion as early as possible, and there should be no stigmatization.
Also, solid post abortion care is important to reducing complications.
What is Post Abortion Care?
Post abortion care consists of emergency health care services, family planning counseling and referral services offered to a woman as a result of complications arising from an induced or spontaneous abortion.
Emergency treatment of incomplete abortion and potentially life-threatening complications is important, same as post-abortion family planning counseling and services
What are the Emergency Treatments Steps to take during Post Abortion?
In a case of incomplete abortion and to prevent irreversible complications, a doctor should do the following:
Initial screening (triage) for emergency conditions, talking to the client regarding her condition, medical assessment, referral or transfer for extensive treatment (e.g., major surgery), stabilization (IVs, antibiotics) prior to Manual Vacuum Aspiration (MVA), and finally carrying out uterine evacuation by MVA.
What are the Factors Contributing to the Risk of Repeat Unsafe Abortion?
Lack of family planning services for some groups of women (e.g., adolescents, single women). Once you start having sex as a woman, get on a family planning method ASAP.
Separation of emergency services from family planning services. If you are a medical personnel and you just assisted in an abortion or post abortion care, it is common sense that you should recommend family planning to the patient.
Misinformation about which family planning methods are appropriate. Patients should have a very long talk with their doctor on what suits their body most.
Lack of understanding of patients’ reproductive health needs, problems of unsafe abortion and patient family planning needs (for primary healthcare workers).
Conclusion
Abortion is a major cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. Forget the big words, what I am saying is that abortion literally kills. Life threatening complications arise from both safe and unsafe abortions. Do not commit abortion unnecessarily, and if you are going to be getting one, do it under competent medical supervision as it reduces the chances for complication.
Abortion and its complications require urgent management so that the victim will not just die like Agric fowl due to their ignorance.
Counseling and provision of family planning methods are essential. Healthcare workers, medical students, and health enthusiasts are admonished to do better in ensuring that we reduce the mortality rate linked to unsafe abortion.