The Reality of Self-induced Abortions.

by Sophie Mitchell

There has been a lot of press about the new abortion laws or so-called ‘Heartbeat Bills’ that have come into effect into some American states in recent months, with many disagreeing with said Laws and calling them an attack of female rights. I whole-heartedly agree with this opinion, stripping women of control over the own body show never occur. While this has gained western attention in recent months, the lack of laws allowing abortion in other countries has been occurring for much longer. This is not going to be about the politics or laws, instead I am going to try and shed light on the length some people will achieve to avoid bringing children with life-depreciating illnesses, or poverty-stricken lives for example into the world in an attempt to show the graphic realism of what can occur if these bills come into action.

In countries where no abortifacients (drugs that cause an abortion) are available and people cannot seek them from elsewhere, some people resort to ‘Coat-hanger abortions’. This involves the insertion of a wire coat hanger through the vagina and cervix and into the womb. There, the wire is used to remove the foetus and ‘pull’ it out. However, the uncurled wires can be very sharp, resulting in punctures to the uterine wall that can lead to life-threatening haemorrhaging. Also, these abortions are likely to be ineffective, and if any tissue is left behind it can become gangrenous, dead body tissue which can lead to other life-threatening conditions such as sepsis. Other women have been known to ‘belly-flop’ onto hard surfaces or purposely fall down stairs. Some have been known to ask their partners to punch them in the abdomen in an attempt to induce a miscarriage. In Chile, where most abortion is illegal, many women have been known to weaken the heels on high-heeled shows and purposely stamp on them around fire hydrants and other hard structures in an attempt to fall on them and make it seem like an accident. Women are physically hurting themselves, creating life-threatening injuries in some cases an attempt to have an abortion. They are prepaid to undergo immense pain in order to achieve such an outcome. This is the reality of abortions in countries and areas where it is illegal. Amongst these methods also includes douching with bleach in the hope that the foetus will die and miscarriage will occur. This can cause severe chemical burns that aren’t always treatable, leaving women in pain and unable to have sex for the remainder of their life. Other methods include blowing air into the uterus, which if it enters a blood vessel, could cause an air embolism which could be fatal. Some reports say women use hoovers in an attempt to ‘suck’ the foetus out. No women should have to go through such harrowing ordeals to achieve something that they are entitled to. For all the men out there, image someone sticking a coat hanger up your penis in a bid to remove one of the testicles, and doing it out of choice. Women should be allowed safe abortions, ones that don’t cause a threat to their lives.

Due to their recent change in law, this does not necessarily still apply. However, when abortions were illegal in Ireland, women travelling over to the UK to procure them were charged a special rate. There was a lowered rate for them as abortion centres were aware of the draconian rules that were still enforced. People recognised that not everyone can afford an abortion who comes from Ireland, so we changed to accommodate this. In some states of America, seeking an abortion outside of the state and returning can result in the mother being tried for murder. If a self-induced abortion is deemed not to be accidental, they can be tried for murder. These women are risking their lives, their reputation in the hope they won’t have to bring a child into the world who isn’t wanted, who isn’t necessarily going to be loved. They are making mature decisions about their own lives that could lead to their death.

Someone said that if “men could get pregnant, abortion clinics would be like Starbucks, there would be two on every block, four in every airport and the morning after pill would come in cool flavours like ranch and sea salt.” If men could get pregnant, they wouldn’t be guys risking their lives for the sake of abortion, risking possibly fatal complications that arise from a self-induced abortion. This article is to educate people on what really happens when you take away a women’s right to choose what happens to her body. If we created a law that meant men had to have vasectomies after their sperm was collected and stored at the age of puberty, there would be uproar. Some may see this as an exaggeration, but abortions allow women to choose if they want to have a baby or not, and mandatory vasectomies would mean men would no longer have the choice as to whether they want a family or not, it would be in the hands of the women. Currently, it is in the hands of the male-dominated society, a society lacking in knowledge about what the reality is when they take away abortions. Thus, in some ways, I hope that these some-what graphic descriptions have changed your perception, so that your peers, your neighbours, your friends, don’t have to suffer as you are going to do something about it.