Induced Abortion: Do the Potential Benefits Outweigh the Detriments and Adverse Effects Presented?

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Abortion, the wilful termination of a pregnancy due to unintended conception, is a highly controversial and personal decision. For that reason, abortion can trigger strong personal responses for the individual experiencing the termination of pregnancy and the nurses associated who must respect the patient rights and autonomy as the standards of ethical nursing practice dictate, regardless of the type of care sought (Simmonds & Likis, 2011, p. 795). There are two main types of induced abortion surgical and medical. The World Health Organization (2005) states, “Of the estimated 211 million pregnancies that occur each year, about 46 million end in induced abortion” (Planning pregnancies before they even happen section, para. 1). Furthermore, in 2011 Canada alone reported 92,524 induced abortions. (Canadian Institute of Health Information, 2011, p. 1) While, abortion is legal in Canada and is evidently being exercised, many health care professionals view abortion as an ethical controversy. Leaving society to question whether the potential benefits of abortion outweigh the detriments and adverse effects associated? One of the main arguments for abortion is that abortions are safe medical procedures that are employed mainly during the first trimester, when the fetus cannot survive independently from its mother. According to Humber (2009), patients can expect to return to work the day after both types of induced abortion, but will experience bleeding and cramping for about two weeks after the procedure (p. 118). As a result, the abortions have an overall complication rate of 0.01% and 1.16% for immediate complications (Humber, 2009, p. 118). In addition, it is thought to be more humane because the fetus has not developed pa... ... middle of paper ... ...nd Percentage Distribution of Induced Abortions Reported by Canadian Hospitals (Excluding Quebec) in 2011, by Gestational Age [Data table]. 7. Retrieved from http://www.cihi.ca/cihi-ext portal/pdf/internet/TA_11_ALLDATATABLES20130221_EN Giubilini A, Minerva F. (2013). After birth abortion: Why should the baby live? Journal of Medical Ethics, 39, 261. doi:10.1136/medethics-2011-100411 Humber, N. (2009). The occasional D & C. Canadian Journal of Rural Medicine, 14 (3), 118. Retrieved from http://www.cma.ca/multimedia/staticContent/HTML/N0/l2/cjrm/vol-14/issue-3/pdf/pg115.pdf Karanja, J., Muganyizi, P., Rwamushaija, E., Hodoglugil, N., & Holm, E. (2013). Confronting maternal mortality due to postpartum hemorrhage and unsafe abortion: A call for commitment. African Journal of Reproductive Health, 17(2), 20. Retrieved from http://www.ajrh.info/vol17_no2/17_2_article2.php

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