By Claire Stover ’17

In this series, Claire Stover ’17 explores the different viewpoints that shape the nation’s debate on abortion. The first installment describes fetal development and abortion procedures.

Abortion is one of the most polarizing topics in the nation. For some, it conjures up images of wealthy, heartless doctors selling dismembered fetuses for profit. For others, it brings an image of a scared teenage rape victim walking into a Planned Parenthood clinic while being bombarded by hateful screams of Christian fundamentalists. On major news networks, presidential candidates, such as Donald Trump, have argued at length about a practice that most likely has never affected them personally. But where do these passionate opinions come from? While first and secondhand experiences can shape peoples viewpoints, religion, ethics, science, and the media can as well.

The argument about the legality of abortion centers around one fundamental question: When does life begin? Nearly all Americans agree that killing a living human is criminal. However, the definition of the beginning of life is vague. People rely on modern science and faith to determine their personal starting point. However, none of these positions completely agree, as even different religions and different branches of science offer different perspectives.

First, in order to understand these opinions, its best to first have an understanding of fetal development. After an egg is fertilized inside the fallopian tube, it has all the genetic material necessary to develop into a unique human. The cells of the egg immediately begin to divide, forming a structure called the blastocyst. About three days later, it implants on the lining of the uterus, becoming an embryo. At six weeks it has developed a heartbeat; by the eighth week of pregnancy, it has developed facial features, a digestive system, and a neural tube which will become the brain and spinal cord. By the end of the third month, all the organs and extremities of the fetus are formed and functional, and the rate of miscarriage drops considerably. During the second trimester, muscles begin to develop, the sex is identifiable through ultrasound, and the baby starts kicking and moving. By the sixth month, the baby can be born prematurely and survive with intensive care.

In the third trimester, the baby increases in size fully develop senses and positions itself for birth. Finally, after nine months, the mother goes into labor, and the baby is born.

There are two major types of abortions: medical and surgical. Medical abortions are effective at terminating pregnancy 90% of the time. A medical abortion can take place up until the tenth week of pregnancy. In a clinic, the woman is given the pill mifepristone, which works to inhibit the production of progesterone, a hormone vital to pregnancy that keeps the uterine lining thick and flexible. The most common side effect is mild nausea. Twenty-four to forty-eight hours later, a second pill is taken at home called misoprostol, which causes contractions in the uterus and thus expels the pregnancy. Heavy bleeding typically begins five to six hours after the pill is ingested, accompanied by mild to severe cramps. Complications can occur if too much blood is expelled; however, this is very uncommon.

The other type of abortion, surgical abortion, is further split into two groups: vacuum aspiration and dilation and excavation. Aspiration, the most common method of abortion, can be performed up to the fifteenth week of pregnancy. In this procedure, a clinician numbs and dilates the cervix, inserts a straw-like tube, and vacuums out the uterine tissue. The procedure lasts five to ten minutes, and the most common side effect is only mild to severe cramping during the procedure. Aspiration is effective 99.5% of the time, and the risks of complications are lower than those of bringing a pregnancy to term. Dilation and excavation is performed between the fifteenth and twenty-fourth week. In this procedure, which is similar to a vacuum abortion, a doctor numbs and dilates the cervix of the unconscious patient, uses forceps to extract the fetus, and vacuums out the rest of the uterine tissue. The procedure takes fifteen to twenty minutes, and the risk of complications comes from the use of anesthetic. In a pregnancy longer than twenty-three weeks, feticide must be injected into the fetus to stop the heartbeat.

In the past few decades, especially since the ruling of Roe v. Wade in 1973 supporting women’s rights to abortion, the legality of abortion has been a heated debate in various states. As of April 1, 2016, forty-three states make abortion procedures illegal unless the mother’s life is at risk after twenty-three weeks of pregnancy. In addition, nineteen states ban “partial-birth” dilation and excavation abortions. Most strikingly, seventeen states demand that the patient is counseled on at least one of the following topics before having the procedure: the possible link between abortion and breast cancer, the side effect of fetal pain, and the negative psychological effects. However, a link between abortions and breast cancer has not been proven, and fetal pain has not been proven until into the third trimester, or after twenty-four weeks. After this counseling in the first appointment, twenty-eight states have a mandatory waiting period for the abortion, lasting between eighteen and seventy-two hours. So what exactly is the rationale behind these states’ policies? Next issue, we will explore the reasons behind the contrasting opinions about abortion.