In 2019, the rate of use of voluntary termination of pregnancy reached its highest level for 30 years, according to the research directorate.
On Europe 1, Thursday afternoon, Doctor Jimmy Mohamed is looking at several questions to clarify the gray areas around this practice.
Questions surround the practice of voluntary termination of pregnancy (abortion), legalized in 1975. What are the precise differences between medical abortion and surgical abortion? How do both of these techniques work? With what medical support? Is it physically painful? In the program
Sans Rendez-vous
, Thursday afternoon, Doctor Jimmy Mohamed answers several important questions about this medical act performed 232,000 times in 2019.
How does a medical abortion work?
"When we opt for the drug version of the abortion, two drugs are used. The first is an anti-progestin that will stop the pregnancy and allow the egg to take off. It promotes the opening and softening of the cervix. uterus Bleeding is possible, but this does not mean that the pregnancy is completely stopped.
The second drug, administered 36 to 48 hours later after the first, contains prostaglandins and will cause uterine contractions to expel the egg.
Bleeding will occur within four hours in 60% of cases.
For the remaining 40%, bleeding will occur within 24 to 72 hours, with abdominal pain, such as contractions.
What is the consultation before the abortion?
There is no hospitalization but you still need a medical consultation beforehand.
This consultation is compulsory and has two very important aspects: medical and psychological.
On the medical level, the consultation makes it possible to collect the history and the current state of health of the woman, to verify the absence of contraindications according to the chosen method and to carry out the necessary and essential examinations before carrying out abortion, with blood group and ultrasound dating of the pregnancy.
It also makes it possible to plan appointments for taking medication and to address the issue of contraception afterwards.
On the psychological level, the consultation makes it possible to verify the certainty of the decision and to understand the context of this request.
It is also a place of speaking for the woman and the couple, possibly.
>> Find all of Sans rendez-vous in replay and podcast here
What follow-up after the medical abortion?
After taking these two drugs, you still need to do a check-up to check that the pregnancy is terminated.
The doctor also makes sure that the patient has no complications.
This visit should be done between the 14th and 21st day after taking mifepristone, which is the first medication.
What does surgical abortion consist of?
The other method of abortion, called 'surgical' or 'instrumental', consists of sucking the egg inside the uterine cavity.
This operation is carried out under local or general anesthesia and only lasts about ten minutes.
Before vacuuming, the doctor dilates the cervix.
It is preferred to the first between the 8th and 12th week of pregnancy.
Women usually need time to recover after this procedure.
Here too, a consultation is compulsory between the 14th and the 21st day following the act. "