Abortion

What is Abortion?

Method of birth control in which conception is

terminated rather than prevented.

In Ancient Greece, Plato, Aristotle recommended abortion

in order to avoid excess population in the small Greek
City.

In Philippine Society

Will drink bitter solution of certain tree leaves and roots

to induce abortion.

Sought the help of a local hilot to massage the pregnants

womans abdomen.

In the Philippines, Abortion is ILLEGAL

But it is clandestine practice

Article II, Section 12 of the 1986 Philippine Constitution

The state recognizes the sanctity of life & shall protect &
strengthen the family as basic autonomous social institution. It shall equally
protect life of the mother & the life of the unborn from conception.

Number of cases of induced abortion in Philippines ranges

150,000 to 750,000 every year.

Meaning and types of Abortion

What is Abortion?
It means the expulsion of a living fetus from the mothers womb
before it is viable.
According to Dr. Andre E. Hellegers
Abortion is defined as termination of pregnancy,
spontaneously or by induction, prior to viability.

Five types of abortion

Natural abortion-expulsion of fetus through natural or

accidental causes. This also known as Spontaneous or
Accidental Abortion.

In laypeoples term is miscarriage or nakunan.

Is unintentional and involuntary and hence devoid of

moral significance

Direct or Intentional Abortion- deliberately induced

expulsion of a living fetus before it has become viable.

Therapeutic Abortion- deliberately induced expulsion of a

living fetus in order to save the mothers life from the
danger of death brought on by pregnancy

Eugenic Abortion- certain defects are discovered in the

developing fetus.

Immediate Hominization
and Delayed Animation

Immediate Hominization

A new human person exists immediately Upon conception

The spiritual soul of each individual person is immediately created by God

at the moment of conception

Delayed Animation

The ensoulment occurs at a later time but not from the moment of
conception

40th day for males

80th day for females

Delayed Animation

St. Anselm and St. Augustine believed that there is no life before quickening

Implantation-ensoulment occurs at implantation, Geneticists

state that implantation takes place 6 to 7 after conception.

Unity & uniqueness- happens between 2 to 4 weeks after

conception.

Looks Human- ensoulment occurs when the fetus already looks

human, takes place during 5th and 6th week of fetal
development

Electrical Activity- when electrical impulses or activities are

first detectable from the brain, around of 8th week of
pregnancy. It indicates that the brain starts functioning

Quickening

Viability

Birth

Pre-Implantation
cell division
curettage

Pre-Implantation Period

Modern geneticists and embryologists give us a rather detailed

and accurate account of the pre-implantation period, or the
period before Zygote burrows itself in the endometrium. In
sexual intercourse, about 300 to 500 million sperms are
deposited in the vagina and up to the fallopian tube leading
from the uterus to the ovary. If an ovum has been released
from the womans ovary it will turn pass from the ovary down
the same tube towards the uterus. The survival time of the
ovum is about 24 hours after it has been released , so that
fertilization has not occurred during this period, the ovum will
die. Sperms can survive for a period of 72 hours as long as they
are inside the uterus being nourished by mucous secretions
from the cervix

Chemical change known as Capacitation

change undergone by sperm in the female
reproductive tract that enables them to
penetrate and fertilize egg. The Capacitation
process happens 6-8 hrs after ejaculation or
sexual intercourse.

In a case of rape or incest, for instance, the

victim, if she wishes to prevent a possible
conception can take the so called morningafter pill or she may use chemicals or
spermicides (such as jellies, creams or foaming
tablets) to immobilize and kill the sperm in the
vagina.

Cell Division Process

Cell divides at a rate of one division per day.

After approximately 6-8 days of this cell
division process (all of which takes place in
the fallopian tube), the next critical stage of
fetal development starts. The sphere of cells
now enters the uterus and implants itself into
the uterine linings. This process of
implantation is highly critical, for it is during
these days that one pole of the sphere of cells
(tropoblast, later to become placenta)
burrows its way into the lining of the uterus

The opposite pole of this sphere will become the

fetus. The part which becomes the placenta
produces hormones --- the material blood stream
which serves a critical function in preventing the
mother from menstruating. These same hormones
circulating in the mother form the basis for the
chemical tests which enable us to diagnose
pregnancy.
It will be noted that the first 8 days of the
reproductive process take place in the fallopian
tube, conception occurs.

Fetus grows and develops about 280 days for 40

weeks or 9 months from the time of conception.
if born at this stage the baby has 99% chance of
survival. The end of pregnancy called Parturition
and the newborn is called a Parturate

Curettage
What is the significance of the fetuss 8 day stay in
the oviduct after conception to the abortion
issue? It is very crucial for rape and/or incest
victims. If within 8 days period following the
sexual assault the linings of the uterus can be
scraped or rasped of by curettage, implantation
can be prevented and pregnancy will not
continue. During the 8 days, all pregnancy tests
undertaken may have negative results and the
lining of the uterus may reveal under the
microscope to have contained no pregnancy at
all abortion, in its legal sense, is not committed
if curettage is performed on a rape and/or incest
victim within the 8 days period after sexual
attack.

PRO LIFE MOVEMENT

The pro life position is the DISAPPROVING

view of abortion
The Vatican II councils pastoral constitution
of the church in the modern world: From the
moment of conception, life must be regarded
with the greatest care.
It is a condemnable crime to commit any
types of abortion because man is the only
creature on earth that god has wished for
himself and the spiritual soul of each man is
immediately created by god

God alone is the lord of life from the moment

of conception: Only god has the power to
bring forth life and take it away

Effects of Abortion
It is interesting to note that there
are physical and psychological
effects of abortion on the
woman concerned.

PHYSICAL EFFECTS

Habitual miscarriage

Ectopic pregnancies

Menstrual disturbances or discomfort

Stillbirths

Bleeding

Shock

Coma

Perforated uterus

Fever

PHYSICAL EFFECTS

Cold
Sweat
Intense pain
Loss of other organs
Insomnia
Loss of appetite
Weight loss
Irigidity

Psychological Effects

GUILT

Suicidal tendencies
Loss of sense of fulfillment
Mourning
Loss of confidence
Lower self esteem
Hostility
Self-destructive behavior
Anger
Rage

Psychological Effects

Rage

Helplessness

Loss of interest in sex

Inability to forgive oneself

Nightmares & frustration

Thwarted maternal instinction

Intense interest in babies

Pro-choice movement
The approving view of abortion. Broadly speaking,

the justification for the expulsion of the fetus

may be classified into:
1. Personal
2. Social
3. Fetal

Personal or Familial Reasons:

1.

It underscores freedom of choice, giving centrality to the

sovereignty of the individuals conscience, especially in
grey areas of morality. It is the ultimate moral guide of
every individual, rich or poor.

2.

It liberates procreation decisions from the control of the

Church. Religously directed choice against abortion is not
fully free at all. A woman will bear the consequences of
her own moral decisions.

Personal or Familial Reasons:

3.

It safeguards the mother from a pregnancy that would

threaten her life by possibly resulting in cancerous
uterus, therapeutic abortion, or ectopic pregnancy.

4.

It protects the reputation of the woman in cases of

pregnancy due to rape and incest. Pregnancy caused by
rape or incest is the result a grave injustice.

Personal or Familial Reasons:

5.

In the name of justice those who suffer the

consequences of their moral decisions should be
the ones to make those judgments, such as
women subject to pregnancy and childbearing .

SOCIAL REASONS:
1.

The pro-choice position helps provide as adaption to a

world that no longer needs nor afford unlimited
childbearing.

2.

It alleviates economic, sociological, or demographic

problems.

3.

Social costs involved in the care, support, and education

of a severely handicapped individuals during his/her
lifetime

4.

It makes an important contribution to building the

society to which there is no bias against the poor in favor

FETAL REASONS:
1.

It prevent the births of terribly malformed or defective children.

Refer to abortions performed based on fetal indications, or selective
abortion.

2.

Child deformity will cause the family to incur staggering financial

and psychological costs. Hence if aborted as soon as deformity is
detected in utero, the mother will be doing more good than harm
for the fetus

3.

Abortion is a postnatal method of elimination a couples offspring if

its sex is found to be unstable. The son-preference among couples is
common in some parts of the world, particularly among the Chinese,
Koreans, & Indians