RODRIGUEZ NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

Cadlan, Pili, Camarines Sur S/Y 2011-2012

BY:
AMESOLA, RAZEL P.
Student

MS. CRIS ABAD

Subject teacher

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. II.

INTRODUCTION BACKGROUND OF STUDY

III. DEFINITION OF TERMS IV. DISCUSSION OF THE STUDY A. TYPES OF ABORTION B. ABORTION LAW C. ABORTION IN THE PHILIPPINES V. VI. VII. CONCLUSION RECOMMENDATION BIBLIOGRAPHY

VIII. ANNEX

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF STUDY

DEFINITION OF TERMS ABORTION

is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo before it is viable. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced. The term abortion most commonly refers to the induced abortion of a human pregnancy. Abortion, when induced in the developed world in accordance with local law, is among the safest procedures in medicine. However, unsafe abortions(those performed by persons without proper training or outside of a medical environment) result in approximately 70 thousand maternal deaths and 5 million disabilities per year globally. An estimated 42 million abortions are performed globally each year, with 20 million of those performed unsafely. Forty percent of the world's women are able to access therapeutic and elective abortions within gestational limits. Induced abortion has a long history and has been facilitated by various methods including herbal abortifacients, the use of sharpened tools, physical trauma, and other traditional methods. Contemporary medicine utilizes medications and surgical procedures to induce abortion. The legality, prevalence, cultural and religious status of abortion vary substantially around the world. In many parts of the world there is prominent and divisive public controversy over the ethical and legal issues of abortion. Abortion and abortion-related issues feature prominently in the national politics in many nations, often involving the opposing pro-life and pro-choice movements (both self-named). The incidence of abortion has declined worldwide as access to family planning education and contraceptive services has increased. Abortion (from the Latin word aboriri, "to perish") may be briefly defined as "the loss of a fetal life."In it the fetus dies while yet within the generative organs of the mother, or it is ejected or extracted from them before it is viable; that is, before it is sufficiently developed to continue its life by itself. The term abortion is also applied, though less properly, to cases in which the child is become viable, but does not survive the delivery. In this article we shall take the word in its widest meaning, and treat of abortion as occurring at any time between conception and safe delivery. The word miscarriage is taken in the same wide sense. Yet medical writers often use these words in special meanings, restricting abortion to the time when the embryo has not yet assumed specific features, that is, in the human embryo, before the third month of gestation; miscarriage occurs later, but before viability; while the birth of a viable child before the completed term of nine months is styled premature birth. Viability may exist in the seventh month of gestation, but it cannot safely be presumed before the eighth month. If the child survives its premature birth, there is no abortion for this word always denotes the loss of fetal life.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01046b.htm

http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Abortion_in_the_Philippines

TYPES OF ABORTION
Induced Approximately 205 million pregnancies occur each year worldwide. Over a third are unintended and about a fifth end in induced abortion.[5] Most abortions result from unintended pregnancies.[6] A pregnancy can be intentionally aborted in several ways. The manner selected often depends upon the gestational age of the embryo or fetus,[7] which increases in size as the pregnancy progresses.[8]Specific procedures may also be selected due to legality, regional availability, and doctor or patient preference. Reasons for procuring induced abortions are typically characterized as either therapeutic or elective. An abortion is medically referred to as a therapeutic abortion when it is performed to save the life of the pregnant woman; prevent harm to the woman's physical or mental health; terminate a pregnancy where indications are that the child will have a significantly increased chance of premature morbidity or mortality or be otherwise disabled; or to selectively reduce the number of fetuses to lessen health risks associated with multiple pregnancy.[9][10] An abortion is referred to as an elective or voluntary abortion when it is performed at the request of the woman for non-medical reasons.

Spontaneous Spontaneous abortion, also known as miscarriage, is the unintentional expulsion of an embryo or fetus before the 20th to 22nd week of gestation. A pregnancy that ends before 37 weeks of gestation resulting in a live-born infant is known as a "premature birth" or a "preterm birth". When a fetus dies in utero after viability, or during delivery, it is usually termed "stillborn". Premature births and stillbirths are generally not considered to be miscarriages although usage of these terms can sometimes overlap. Only 30 to 50% of conceptions progress past the first trimester. The vast majority of those that do not progress are lost before the woman is aware of the conception, and many pregnancies are lost before medical practitioners have the ability to detect the presence of an embryo.[14] Between 15% and 30% of known pregnancies end in clinically apparent miscarriage, depending upon the age and health of the pregnant woman.[15] The most common cause of spontaneous abortion during the first trimester is chromosomal abnormalities of the embryo/fetus,[10][16] accounting for at least 50% of sampled early pregnancy losses.[17]Other causes include vascular disease (such as lupus), diabetes, other hormonal problems, infection, and abnormalities of the uterus.[16] Advancing maternal age and a patient history of previous spontaneous abortions are the two leading factors associated with a greater risk of spontaneous

abortion.[17] A spontaneous abortion can also be caused by accidental trauma; intentional trauma or stress to cause miscarriage is considered induced abortion or feticide.[18] Induction methods Medical Medical abortions are those induced with pharmaceuticals, categorically called abortifacients. In 2005, medical abortions constituted 13% of all abortions in the United States;[19] in 2010 the figure increased to 17%.[20] Combined regimens include methotrexate ormifepristone, followed by a prostaglandin (either misoprostol or gemeprost: misoprostol is used in the U.S.; gemeprost is used in the UK and Sweden.) When used within 49 days gestation, approximately 92% of women undergoing medical abortion with a combined regimen completed it without surgical intervention.[21] Misoprostol can be used alone, but has a lower efficacy rate than combined regimens. In cases of failure of medical abortion, surgical abortion must be used to complete the procedure.[22] Surgical A vacuum aspiration abortion at eight weeks gestational age (six weeks after fertilization). 1: Amniotic sac 2: Embryo 3: Uterine lining 4: Speculum 5: Vacurette 6: Attached to a suction pump In the first 15 weeks, suction-aspiration or vacuum abortion is the most common method.[23] Manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) abortion consists of removing the fetus or embryo, placenta and membranes by suction using a manual syringe, while electric vacuum aspiration (EVA) abortion uses an electric pump. These techniques are comparable, and differ in the mechanism used to apply suction, how early in pregnancy they can be used, and whether cervical dilation is necessary. MVA, also known as "mini-suction" and "menstrual extraction", can be used in very early pregnancy, and does not require cervical dilation.Dilation and curettage (D&C), the second most common method of surgical abortion, is a standard gynecological procedure performed for a variety of reasons, including examination of the uterine lining for possible malignancy, investigation of abnormal bleeding, and abortion. Curettage refers to cleaning the walls of the uterus with a curette. The World Health Organization recommends this procedure, also called sharp curettage, only when MVA is unavailable.[24] From the 15th week until approximately the 26th, other techniques must be used. Dilation and evacuation (D&E) consists of opening the cervix of the uterus and emptying it using surgical instruments and suction. Premature labor and delivery can be induced with prostaglandin; this can be coupled with

injecting theamniotic fluid with hypertonic solutions containing saline or urea. After the 16th week of gestation, abortions can also be induced by intact dilation and extraction (IDX) (also called intrauterine cranial decompression), which requires surgical decompression of the fetus's head before evacuation. IDX is sometimes called "partial-birth abortion," which has been federally banned in the United States. In the third trimester of pregnancy, abortion may be performed by IDX as described above, induction of labor, or by hysterotomy. Hysterotomy abortion is a procedure similar to a caesarean section and is performed under general anesthesia. It requires a smaller incision than a caesarean section and is used during later stages of pregnancy.[25] Other methods Historically, a number of herbs reputed to possess abortifacient properties have been used in folk medicine: tansy,pennyroyal, black cohosh, and the now-extinct silphium (see history of abortion).[28] The use of herbs in such a manner can cause serious even lethal side effects, such as multiple organ failure, and is not recommended by physicians.[29] Abortion is sometimes attempted by causing trauma to the abdomen. The degree of force, if severe, can cause serious internal injuries without necessarily succeeding in inducing miscarriage.[30] In Southeast Asia, there is an ancient tradition of attempting abortion through forceful abdominal massage.[26] One of the bas reliefs decorating the temple of Angkor Wat in Cambodia depicts a demon performing such an abortion upon a woman who has been sent to theunderworld.[26] Reported methods of unsafe, self-induced abortion include misuse of misoprostol, and insertion of nonsurgical implements such as knitting needles and clothes hangers into the uterus. These methods are rarely seen in developed countries where surgical abortion is legal and available.[31]

ABORTION IN THE PHILIPPINES

Abortion is illegal in the Philippines. The Revised Penal Code (Act No. 3815, Article 256-259) defines the various ways and means by which abortion is committed, by whom, and their corresponding penalties: reclusion temporal, prison mayor, and prision correccional . The penalties cover: any one who causes intentional abortion by using violence on the person of the pregnant woman; or, if he acts without violence, acts without the consent of the woman; any person who causes unintentional abortion by violence; abortion practiced by the woman herself or by her parents; abortion practiced by a physician or midwife dispensing of abortives; any pharmacist who, without the proper prescription from a physician, dispenses of abortives. While it makes abortion punishable, the law has been hard to apply because no aggrieved party or complainant comes to the courts to file a criminal case on an abortion. But just because the law is hardly applied does not mean that crime is less offensive. It only indicates that the right to life of the unborn is an issue that Philippine society, in general, has refused to confront. Abortion in the Philippines is considered taboo because of its legal, religious and cultural implications. Despite the criminalization of the act, there is an unknown number of women who perform induced abortions to stop unwanted pregnancies. Abortion remains a controversial topic for many conservative Filipinos who are concerned with its social and psychological repercussions, thus, only a limited number of investigatory reports have been conducted on the topic. Basically, abortion is any procedure to end a pregnancy. There are many types of abortions that range from surgery to invasive techniques such as massages and medicine. Philippine Abortion Ban The Constitution of the Philippines mandates that the state shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception (sec. 2, art. II), thereby negating all other reasons behind induced abortion invalid except endangering the life of the mother. Health care providers such as physicians, midwives and pharmacists who perform the act of abortion even with the consent of the pregnant woman may face up to six years in prison and/or have their license suspended or revoked. The woman who undergoes the procedure for any reason may spend up to six years in prison. Although the Catholic church allows induced abortions for women whose health is endangered by the child, the Philippine Constitution does not have a specific provision that allows for exemption. The Revised Penal Code, however, exempts a mother who consents to an abortion if it would mean her survival.

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Legal basis for Philippine abortion ban Article II of the 1987 Philippine Constitution says, in part, "Section 12. The State recognizes the sanctity of family life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution. It shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception. The act is criminalized by the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines, which was enacted in 1930 and remains in effect today. Articles 256, 258 and 259 of the Code mandate imprisonment for the woman who undergoes the abortion, as well as for any person who assists in the procedure, even if they be the woman's parents, a physician or midwife. Article 258 further imposes a higher prison term on the woman or her parents if the abortion is undertaken "in order to conceal [the woman's] dishonor". There is no law in the Philippines that expressly authorizes abortions in order to save the woman's life; and the general provisions which do penalize abortion make no qualifications if the woman's life is endangered. It may be argued that an abortion to save the mother's life could be classified as a justifying circumstance (duress as opposed to self-defense) that would bar criminal prosecution under the Revised Penal Code. However, this has yet to be adjudicated by the Philippine Supreme Court. Proposals to liberalize Philippine abortion laws have been opposed by the Catholic Church, and its opposition has considerable influence in the predominantly Catholic country. However, the constitutionality of abortion restrictions has yet to be challenged before the Philippine Supreme Court. The present Constitution of the Philippines, enacted in 1987, pronounces as among the policies of the State that "[The State] shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception." (sec. 12, Art. II) The provision was crafted by the Constitutional Commission which drafted the charter with the intention of providing for constitutional protection of the abortion ban, although the enactment of a more definitive provision sanctioning the ban was not successful. It is also notable that the provision is enumerated as among several state policies, which are generally regarded in law as unenforceable in the absence of implementing legislation. The 1987 RP Constitution also contains several other provisions enumerating various state policies including, e.g., the affirmation of labor "as a primary social economic force" (Section 14, Article II); the equal protection of "the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception" (Section 12, Article II); the "Filipino family as the foundation of the nation" (Article XV, Section 1); the recognition of Filipino as "the national language of the Philippines" (Section 6, Article XVI, and even a requirement that "all educational institutions shall undertake regular sports activities throughout the country in cooperation with athletic clubs and other sectors." (Section 19.1, Article XIV) Whether these provisions may, by themselves, be the source of enforceable rights without implementing legislation has been the subject of considerable debate in the legal sphere and within the Supreme Court. The Court, for example, has ruled that a provision requiring that the State "guarantee equal access to

opportunities to public service" could not be enforced without implementing legislation, and thus could not bar the disallowance of so-called "nuisance candidates" in presidential elections.However, in another case the Court held that a provision requiring that the State "protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology" did not require implementing legislation to become the source of operative rights.[b] Any legal challenge to abortion restrictions in the Philippines would necessarily have to evaluate the legal force given to Section 12, Article II of the Constitution. Abortion practices in the Philippines One study estimated that, despite legal restrictions, in 1994 there were 400,000 abortions performed illegally in the Philippines and 80,000 hospitalizations of women for abortion-related complications. 12% of all maternal deaths in 1994 were due to unsafe abortion according to the Department of Health of the Philippines. Two-thirds of Filipino women who have abortions attempt to self-induce or seek solutions from those who practice folk medicine. The Department of Health has created a program to address the complications of unsafe abortion, Prevention and Management of Abortion and its Complications. This program had been tested in 17 government-run hospitals by 2003.

LAW OF ABORTION
Abortion law is legislation and common law which pertains to the provision of abortion. Abortion

has been a controversial subject in many societies through history because of the moral, ethical, practical, and political power issues that surround it. It has been banned frequently and otherwise limited by law. However, abortions continue to be common in many areas where they are illegal; abortion rates are similar in countries where the procedure is legal and in countries where it is not according to the World Health Organization(WHO),[2] due to unavailability of modern contraceptives in areas where abortion is illegal.[3] The number of abortions worldwide is declining due to increased access to contraception according to WHO.[2] Almost 2/3 of the world's women currently reside in countries where abortion may be obtained on request for a broad range of social, economic or personal reasons. Abortion laws vary widely by country, ranging from those in Chile, El Salvador, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, Malta, Uruguay and Vatican City, which ban the procedure entirely,[4] to those in the United Kingdom and the United States, which restrict abortion after the point of fetal viability, and Canada, which has removed abortion from the Criminal Code History er East Germany, a compromise was reached which deemed most abortions illegal. Abortion has been part of family planning since ancient times, with natural remedies being found amongst a wide variety of tribal people and in all our written sources. Our earliest texts contain no mention of abortion or abortion law. When it does appear, it is entailed in concerns about male property rights, preservation of social order, and the duty to produce fit citizens for the state or community. The harshest penalties were generally reserved for a woman who procured an abortion against her husband's wishes, and for slaves who produced abortion in a woman of high status.Religious texts often contained severe condemnations of abortion, recommending penance but seldom enforcing secular punishment.As a matter of common law in England and the United States, abortion was illegal anytime after quickening when the movements of the fetus could first be felt by the woman. Under the born alive rule, the fetus was not considered a "reasonable being" in rerum natura; and abortion was not treated as murder in English law.In the 19th century, many Western countries began to use statutes to codify or place further restrictions on abortion. Pro-life forces were led by a combination of conservative groups opposed to abortion on moral grounds, and by medical professionals who were concerned about the danger presented by the procedure and the regular involvement of non-medical personnel in performing abortions. It became clear in the following years, however, that illegal abortions continued to take place in large numbers even where abortions were expressly illegal.[citation needed] It was difficult to obtain sufficient evidence to prosecute the women and abortion doctors, and judges and juries were often reluctant to convict. Henry Morgentaler, for instance, was never convicted by a jury. (He was acquitted by a jury in the 1973 court case, but the acquittal was overturned by five judges on the Quebec Court of Appeal in 1974. He went to prison, appealed, and was again acquitted. In total, he served 10 months, suffering a heart attack while in solitary confinement.) Many[citation needed] were also outraged at the invasion of privacy and the medical problems resulting from abortions taking place

illegally in medically dangerous circumstances. Political movements soon coalesced around the legalization of abortion and liberalization of existing laws.By the early 20th century, many countries had begun to legalize abortions when performed to protect the life of the woman, and in some cases to protect the health of the woman. Under Vladimir Lenin, the Soviet Union legalized all abortions in 1920, but this was fully reversed in 1936 by Joseph Stalin in order to increase population growth. In the 1930s, several countries (Poland, Turkey, Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, Mexico) legalized abortion in some special cases (rape, threat to mother's health, fetal malformation). In 1948 abortion was legalized in Japan, 1952 in Yugoslavia (on a limited basis) and 1955 in the Soviet Union (on demand). Some Soviet allies (Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Romania) legalized abortion in the late fifties under Soviet pressure[citation needed]. The adoption of contraceptives in the 1950s and 1960s in Western countries resulted in comparatively few statutory changes on abortion law. In Great Britain, the Abortion Act of 1967 clarified and prescribed abortions as legal up to 28 weeks. However just as it was difficult to convict abortion providers it was also difficult for many countries to get the public support necessary for the elected government to legalize it, so countries like Canada and the United States legalized it by the will of the Supreme Court instead. Other countries soon followed, including Canada (1969), the United States (1973 in most states, pursuant to the federal Supreme Court decision which legalized abortion nationwide), Tunisia (1973), France (1975), Austria (1975), New Zealand (1977), Italy (1978), the Netherlands (1980) and Belgium (1990). However, these countries vary greatly in the circumstances under which abortion is permitted. In 1975, the West German Supreme Court struck down a law legalizing abortion, holding that they contradict the constitution's human rights guarantees. After Germany's reunification, despite the legal status of abortion in the form International law In addition to national and regional laws, there are treaties that may actually be enforced on or within their parties. However, there is an inherent difficulty in the enforcement of international law due to the issue that state sovereignty poses. As such, the effectiveness of even binding multinational efforts to legislate the rights to life and liberty in general, or abortion in specific, is difficult to measure. National laws On average, the frequency of abortions is similar in developing countries (where abortion is generally restricted) to the frequency in developed countries (where abortion is generally much less restricted).[5][6] Abortion rates are very difficult to measure in locations where those abortions are illegal,[7] and pro-life groups have criticized researchers for allegedly jumping to conclusions about those numbers.[8] According to the Guttmacher Institute and the United Nations Population Fund, the abortion rate in developing countries is largely attributable to lack of access to modern contraceptives; assuming no change in abortion laws, providing that access to contraceptives would result in about 25 million fewer abortions annually, including almost 15 million fewer unsafe abortions.The following series of tables present the current abortion legislation of the world's nations as divided by continent. Actual access to abortion may vary significantly on the basis of

geography, income, cost, health care, social factors, and other issues. Many jurisdictions also place other restrictions on abortion access, including waiting periods, the provision of information, the assent of multiple doctors, and spousal or parental notification.

CONCLUSION

RECOMMENDATION

ANNEX

ABORTION INSTRUMENTS

REMOVING FETUS FROM THE UTERUS