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Although thousands of abortion procedures are performed every year without incident, the procedure does carry risks, and some complications of abortion can be extremely serious, even life-threatening. In certain cases, negligence on the part of a medical professional can cause or contribute to complications of abortion. Women who have procedures performed incorrectly or incompletely may suffer complications of abortion including perforation of the uterus, infection, and endotoxic shock. Some complications of abortion are long-term, such as the possibility of an increased risk for certain cancers and ectopic pregnancies. Patients should be warned of the risk of complications of abortion before deciding to go ahead with the procedure, but surgical mistakes and medical negligence are not considered acceptable risks.
Complications of abortion resulting from medical errors can occur during the preparations for procedures, during the abortion, or during post-operative care.
When preparing the patient for an abortion procedure, physicians must thoroughly screen the candidate in order to eliminate the chances for certain complications of abortions. For example, the chances for a woman who has had an abortion to develop pelvic inflammatory disease are greatly increased if she has Chlamydia at the time of the abortion. Testing for common STDs should take place prior to the abortion. Physicians should also make sure that the patient is a suitable candidate; some complications of abortions occur because the pregnancy was later term than thought, or because the patient had a pre-existing condition such as hemophelia.
Surgical abortions are invasive procedures, and many potential complications of abortion are the same as for any surgery, such as the risk of infection. Other complications of abortion, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, cervical lacerations, and uterine perforation, are more specific to abortion procedures. Although the risk of complications of abortion is lower for patients who opt for a non-surgical abortion, such as the use of "abortion pills", side effects including death have been reported in association with these methods.
Following the abortion, doctors must take certain steps to ensure that the patient receives adequate follow-up care, and that she does not suffer from infection, one of the more common possible complications of abortion. The use of antibiotics and appropriate post-surgical care, including follow up examinations, may be required depending upon the circumstances in question. Women suffering complications of abortion are sometimes rendered sterile, or require the surgical removal of their reproductive organs to prevent the spread of infection. Therefore, the results of complications of abortion can reach beyond personal injury to the loss of the ability to reproduce.
Because of the inherent moral and ethical issues, legal actions resulting from complications of abortion can be difficult for the patient. If you or someone you love has suffered from complications of abortion due to the negligence of another party, speaking to an attorney who is familiar with the possible complications of abortion may help you to better understand your rights