Articles filed under 'ABORTION'
Some women in their 40s can still get pregnant without assistance from fertility clinics. That’s good news for those who have postponed motherhood, but for women who have completed their family, continuing fertility can be problematic. Today, the Pill and the IUD (intra-uterine devices) are both considered good options for some women in their fourth decade. These two methods are much safer than, for example, in the 1960s and 1970s. In the past, most women over age 40 underwent a tubal ligation (a fallopian tube-tying procedure), or relied on condoms or vasectomy with their male partner.
Sterilization is now easier for women, thanks to a non-surgical method of tubal treatment called Essure. The new technique was approved by the U.S. government in 2002. No cutting of the abdomen or tying of the tubes is involved. Instead, the doctor works through the cervix, using a thin tube to insert small devices into the ends of the fallopian tubes. These “plugs” in about three months produce scarring to block the woman’s tubes, thus preventing ovulated eggs from reaching the uterus.
Women over 40 should continue to use birth control until well into menopause. This age group has been shown to have high abortion rates, similar to those of adolescents. Under certain conditions, the Pill is now safe for “older” women. The dosage of estrogen in today’s Pill is greatly reduced and considered by many physicians to be a good alternative for lean, healthy women over 40. The Pill has other benefits besides contraception for appropriate women. It can help to control irregular menstrual bleeding and hot flashes, reduce hip fractures and cases of ovarian cancer. Yet, some physicians urge caution even in lean and healthy women who are approaching menopause.
If a woman over 40 is significantly overweight, has high blood pressure or diabetes, the Pill would not be a good option. For them, the chances of dangerous blood clots rise sharply. Middle-aged women who are obese, who smoke, have migraine headaches or other identified risk factors might instead consider IUDs or progestin-only treatments termed “mini-pills.” Although higher breast cancer rates have been found in older women taking estrogen-progestin pills to control menopausal symptoms, women 35 and older taking oral contraceptives have not shown an increase in breast cancers.
Another birth control product called Implanon, FDA-approved in 2006, is a matchstick-sized plastic rod that is implanted under the skin of the upper arm. Implanon is similar to the earlier Norplant and can last up to three years.
Today’s IUDs are safer and more effective than those used by women in the 1970s. The earlier Dalkon Shield version resulted in a number of serious medical problems due to its defective design. A large class-action lawsuit was filed and millions in payouts were made over the years. American women and their physicians are again considering the IUD as a simple and effective method of birth control.
Women should discuss with their OB-GYN physician their preferences for contraception, the appropriateness for their age group and their individual health risks. New options in birth control methods and technologies greatly reduce the risk of an unwanted pregnancy.
San Francisco Chronicle, Mike Stobbe, AP story, April 5, 2008
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23954260/
April 8th, 2008
After looking into the recent deaths of two U.S. women following their use of the abortion pill RU-486 (Mifeprex), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ruled out medical abortion as the cause of one death. The second case is still under investigation.
The two deaths in March brought the total to six U.S. women and one Canadian woman whose deaths may have been related to taking Mifeprex and the follow-up drug Misoprostol two days later.
About 560,000 women have taken the pills since their approval in September 2000 for ending a pregnancy of less than 50 days. In most cases, the second drug was taken by mouth; however, some women were advised to insert Misoprostol vaginally. A very small number of these women developed serious or fatal infections.
The FDA will hold a public hearing in Atlanta in May to address the growing number of infections from bacteria called Clostridium sordelli.
There is increasing political momentum in the U.S. House of Representatives in support of Hollys Law, a bill calling for withdrawal of RU-486 from the market.
Sources: Yahoo!News; Oakland Tribune, April 11, 2006,AP story, reporter Andrew Bridges
Related Article: Two More Women Die After Taking Abortion Pill RU-486
April 17th, 2006
After taking abortion pill RU-486, two more women died in March — one in the U.S. and one in Canada. These recent deaths raise the total to seven women. Used for more than 560,000 abortions in this country, the abortion pill still carries a small risk, affecting slightly over one in 100,000 women. In comparison, the risk of death associated with surgical abortion is only a tenth of the risk of pill-induced abortion, or one in a million.
RU-486 is administered at various abortion clinics. Women are instructed to take another drug, misoprostol, two to three days later. After taking scheduled doses of both drugs, women generally have a miscarriage that takes place at home. Some find the medical abortion preferable or more “natural” than surgery.
The first five women are known to have died from infection with the bacterium Clostridium sordellii. FDA officials dispute any definitive link between the infections and RU-486 or that women taking abortion pills are more at risk for infection than women who undergo surgical abortion. Dr. Phillip Stubblefield, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Boston University, points out that miscarriage, either natural or induced, can lead to infections.
Dr. Vanessa Cullins of Planned Parenthood Federation of America maintains that both surgical and medication abortion are extremely safe and effective. It is possible that the method of administering the second drug may have been responsible for the infections.
Planned Parenthood and some other U.S. abortion providers had begun instructing women to insert misoprostol vaginally two to three days after taking Mifeprex (RU-486) by mouth. The first five women who died had all inserted the second drug vaginally. In so doing, they may have accidentally introduced bacteria from skin near the anus, and once inside the vaginal canal, the pathogen flourished. In France, where no deaths have been reported, oral administration of both drugs is the standard procedure. Planned Parenthood has announced they are now prescribing misoprostol orally only.
Some physicians have expressed alarm at the seven deaths and are now performing only surgical abortions. Other doctors emphasize that Mifeprex is the only option for women in some isolated rural areas, but advise that patients who have a choice should be steered toward surgical abortions. These physicians are not calling for withdrawal of RU-486 from the market.
Apart from the seven deaths, other effects have been known to occur from medical abortions. In a 1999 study of 377 women, a significant number of those who took the pills to abort had higher levels of pain, nausea, vomiting and problem bleeding than patients who had surgical abortions. In addition, pill-based abortions may be more likely to fail than surgical ones, in which case a surgical follow-up is required.
Source: NY Times
Related Article: Update on Deaths in Women Taking Abortion Pill RU-486
April 10th, 2006
Califonia Deaths Investigated
In May, the FDA will hold a day-long scientific meeting to look into sudden deaths of four California women after taking abortion pill RU-486 in early pregnancy. A bacterial infection killed all four within days of their taking the pills — sold under brand name Mifeprex, and a follow-up drug called misoprostol. It is uncertain how each contracted the unusual infection and whether it was related to taking Mifeprex.
Dr. Marc Fischer, medical epidemiologist at the Center for Disease Control, will present at the workshop. His theory is that pregnancy or abortion could predispose a tiny number of women to acquire the bacteria that produce toxins in the lining of the blood vessels. The California women died from rapidly developing toxic shock brought on by the bacterium Clostridium sordellii.
Most abortion providers maintain that RU-486 is effective and safe when administered correctly and with careful patient monitoring and follow-up. More than 460,000 doses of Mifeprex have been sold in the U.S. to abortion providers since its approval. Half a million women in 35 countries have taken the abortion pill.
At the workshop, participants will develop a draft research agenda and put together recommendations for detecting the toxic condition. A panel of experts in immunology, epidemiology, and gynecological infections will present information at the investigatory meeting to determine whether RU-486 used in medical abortions needs further study.
Source: The Oakland Tribune, 2/15/06
(Contact Rebecca Vesely at rvesely@angnewspapers.com)
March 26th, 2006