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Can I take the morning after pill?MAP: The morning after pill is a form of "emergency contraception" typically used by women who have unprotected sexual intercourse or birth control failure (such as a broken condom). The drug regimen must be taken within 72 hours of the sexual contact. What is RU486? Will it hurt?What it is: RU486 is a medication, often used along with misoprostol (Cytotec) in a two-step process that results in a chemical abortion. It is prescribed for established pregnancies up to 49 days (7 weeks). The procedure: The first medication, RU-486, is given orally. The medication works by blocking the activity of progesterone, a substance that your body produces to help continue a pregnancy. This causes the placenta to separate from the endometrium (lining of the uterus), the cervix to soften, and the uterus to contract, allowing the embryo to pass through. After taking RU486, you should return to your doctor within 48 hours to confirm whether or not your pregnancy has ended. If the drug was unsuccessful, two tablets of another medication, Cytotec, are taken orally or inserted vaginally. Cyotec initiates stronger uterine contractions, expelling the embryo. Once this occurs, you may be required to stay at the clinic for up to 4 hours to be observed for complications, or you may be sent home. Some healthcare providers will allow you to take Cyotec at home. Fourteen days later, you must return to your doctor for an exam and/or ultrasound to make sure that your pregnancy has ended and no embryonic tissue remains. If it is determined that the chemical abortion failed, a surgical abortion will likely be performed to complete the process. The medications used in the RU486 process can cause major fetal defects, so patients are asked to agree to the surgical abortion before the chemical RU486 abortion is attempted. Side effects: Cramping, vaginal bleeding, nausea/vomiting, headache, dizziness, weakness, abdominal/pelvic pain, and fainting may occur from taking RU486. If you have heavy bleeding, such as soaking 2 or more maxi pads per hour for 2 hours in a row, or fever of 100.4 or higher, you need to call your doctor immediately. Complications from this medical abortion procedure greatly increase if these medications are used with a pregnancy that is further along than 7 weeks (49 days). If you decide to use RU486, it is very important that the gestational age of your baby is determined accurately. You also need to confirm that your pregnancy is developing normally within your uterus, and not in your fallopian tube (ectopic pregnancy). RU486 will not abort an ectopic pregnancy and you may mistake pain and bleeding associated with an ectopic pregnancy as side effects of the medication. There is a serious danger of complications to you and your reproductive organs if you ignore the warning signs of an ectopic pregnancy. To avoid both of these complicated situations, an ultrasound should be considered before any medication is taken.
What is a suction abortion?Suction Curettage: In the state of Indiana, over 96% of abortions were performed using the suction curettage method in the year 2000. This method is typically used for pregnancies that are less than 12 weeks gestation. The procedure: The opening of the uterus (cervix) is manually dilated with metal rods or a seaweed product called laminaria. In the most commonly used dilation method, metal rods are inserted starting with a small diameter rod and moving to larger sizes until the cervix is properly dilated. Another method uses laminaria, which is placed in the cervix. This seaweed product gradually absorbs body moisture, causing laminaria to swell and expand the cervical opening. When the cervix is opened sufficiently to accommodate the size of the suction tubing, the tubing (which is attached to a suction machine) is inserted into the uterus. The uterine lining and fetus are suctioned through the tubing and out of the uterus into a container outside of the body. Sometimes a curette, a loop shaped knife, is necessary to scrape any remaining uterine lining or fetal body parts out of the uterus. Complications: Infection, hemorrhage/shock, cervical tearing/overstretching, uterine perforation, scarring of the uterine lining, and infertility occur in a small percentage of women that undergo this procedure. Many women, however, also experience emotional trauma from the experience. For more information on post-abortion trauma click here. What abortions are performed after 20 weeks?Each of the following procedures are rarely used in the state of Indiana since unrestrained access to abortion is permitted only in the first trimester of pregnancy. Exceptions sometimes occur when it can be demonstrated that the life of the mother is in danger. Dilation & Evacuation (D&E): This technique is used in pregnancies up to 20 weeks along. The cervix is dilated in the same manner as suction curettage, but since this method is used for pregnancies that are further along, the degree of dilation required is usually greater in order to allow for larger instruments to be used within the uterus. When a fetus at this age is too large to fit through suction tubing, the body parts may have to be pulled out with forceps or broken into pieces beforehand. Tubing that is attached to a suction machine may then be inserted into the uterus to remove any remaining uterine lining, placenta, or fetal body parts. If necessary, the uterus will also be scraped, using a curette to be sure everything has been removed. The entire process generally takes three days to complete. In the first two days, the cervix is dilated with laminaria in two or more sessions and medication can be given for cramping. On the day of the actual procedure, the laminaria are removed, and the membranes that hold fluid around the baby are ruptured. The patient is then injected with Pitocin, a drug used to induce contractions. The doctor usually uses an ultrasound to locate the baby's legs within the patient's uterus. The doctor reaches into the uterus with forceps, grasps a leg, and pulls it into the patient's vagina. The doctor delivers the rest of the baby with his hands (body, shoulders, and arms) until only the head remains inside the uterus. The doctor then hooks his fingers over the shoulders of the baby, and inserts a pair of surgical scissors into the base of the skull to create an opening. Removing the scissors, the doctor inserts a suction tube into the opening he just made and suctions out the contents of the skull so that without the brain, the skull collapses and is removed. The doctor then removes the placenta with forceps and suction and/or scrapes the uterine wall with a curette. Can I get pregnant during my period? Can I get pregnant if he "pulled out"? Can I get pregnant the first time?A woman's cycle is unique. While most women regularly ovulate mid-cycle, some women do not. Stress, illness, and other factors can alter the hormones that influence when a woman ovulates. Therefore, it is possible (although rare) for a woman to get pregnant even when she is on her period. Men sometimes exercise the practice of "pulling out" just before ejaculation in an effort to prevent pregnancy. Since it is common for men to emit, often unnoticed, a pre- ejaculate (sometimes called “pre-come) as lubricant before ejaculation, it is possible to get pregnant even though the man has technically “pulled out.” Pre-ejaculate usually contains small amounts of sperm. The idea that you can’t get pregnant the first time you have sex is just wrong. The odds of a pregnancy are not changed simply because it is your first time. All birth control methods have a percentage of failure. The only way to protect yourself 100% from an unplanned pregnancy or an STD is to abstain from sexual activity. What about oral sex?First, understand that oral sex exposes you to the risk of almost every kind of STD. Some of these STD's are incurable viruses. Once contracted, you have them for the rest of your life. Any contact with the genital area is a form of sexual activity that exposes you to all the emotional risks of sexual activity. Engaging in oral sex is an intimate process of sharing yourself emotionally, physically, spiritually, and mentally. Once that intimate process begins, you increase the likelihood of emotional pain. Look at it this way; sexual activity acts as a bonding agent between a man and a woman. Imagine you take duct tape, stick it firmly to your arm, and quickly yank the tape off. You'll notice three things: First, you'll notice pain. Second, you'll notice that the tape has pieces of hair and skin on it. Third, you'll notice that If you continue to stick the tape on your arm, it will lose its stickiness. When you engage in sexual activity, a bond occurs with your partner like that piece of duct tape placed on your skin. If the relationship is broken, you've given a part of yourself and received a part of your partner in the process. The pain involved in the breakup is typically more intense, relative to the depth of sexual intimacy. If sexual activity following the breakup is continued with other partners, your capacity for sexual bonding may become greatly reduced. Now imagine two pieces of duct tape which have never been stuck on anything before. Place the two pieces together, glue side in, and you'll have a really tough time tearing them apart. It is never too late to heal and restore your bonding capacity by reclaiming your virginity. Simply begin again by practicing secondary virginity. The concept of secondary virginity says that you are a person of great worth and value and that, no matter what has happened before today, from this day on you can make sexual choices that reflect your value. You are worth waiting for! Can you tell if someone has an STD?85% of STD's show no symptoms to the naked eye. Chlamydia, the most common STD in Allen County, invades a woman's body with bacteria. Chlamydia often goes untreated by women and their physicians due to the absence of physical symptoms (seen or unseen). Untreated Chlamydia puts a woman at risk for infertility. Human Papilomavirus (HPV) is the most common STD in America. According to the Center for Disease Control, approximately 20 million people are currently infected with HPV, and at least 50 percent of sexually active men and women acquire genital HPV infection at some point in their lives. Most people who have a genital HPV infection do not know they are infected. The virus lives in the skin or mucous membranes and usually causes no symptoms. A few HPV strains cause highly contagious Genital Warts (not always visible) which are closely linked with cervical cancer. Pap testing is very important to detect pre-cancerous and cancerous cells on the cervix. If you are sexually active, it is very important to get tested for STDs. Remember, however, that a “clean” STD test does not always mean there is no disease present. Some STD's, like HIV, may take months or years to generate a positive laboratory test. Also, know that private physicians and the board of health do not always order every major STD test when they screen their patients. As a result, you can never be a 100% sure of safety with a sexual partner that has engaged in previous sexual activity with other partners. Are condoms effective?
I have to get an abortion. I don’t have any other choices.Fredrieca Matthews Green says, “Women don't choose abortion like they choose a Porsche or an ice cream cone. They choose abortion like an animal whose paw is caught in a trap and they are in so much pain. They are so scared that they are willing to cut off the paw in order to escape.” Most women experience powerful emotions like confusion, fear, shame, anger, and rejection when experiencing an unplanned pregnancy. As a result, it takes tremendous effort to make a decision that is focused on education, reason, and long-term goals. The effort required to look past the painful emotions is worth investing, because this is one decision you will carry with you for the rest of your life. Campus Hope Student Organization provides a safe environment for you to think through your feelings, sort through all your outside influences, and get educated. We do not profit from any decision you make and our main concern is to be an advocate for you during this difficult time. We serve as a sanctuary where you can hear different perspectives and be encouraged to seek wisdom in your decision making process. There is Hope. You are not alone. We can help. Call 422-3544 today to schedule your confidential appointment, or e-mail us at campushopestudents@yahoo.com. What's the big deal about abortion? It's not really a baby, is it?What defines a human being? A heartbeat... brainwaves... fingerprints... location? As soon as the egg is fertilized, a new life is created with 23 chromosomes from each parent. This one cell contains the complex genetic blueprint for every detail of human development - the child's sex, hair and eye color, height, skin tone, personality, intelligence, and every personal characteristic.
If you question whether your pregnancy is a baby, we encourage you to experience a free ultrasound and see for yourself. Call 422-3544 or e-mail campushopestudents@yahoo.com for your appointment referral to A Hope Center. |
