|
PLEASE NOTE: K.S.A. 65-6701, known as the "Women's Right-to-Know Act," requires that women seeking abortion services in Kansas receive the following booklet. "If You Are Pregnant" at least 24 hours prior to an abortion procedure. The booklet is provided here in electronic format. |
Published by
Kansas Department of Health and Environment
Curtis State Office Building
1000 S.W. Jackson Street, Suite 220
Topeka, Kansas 66612-1274
Toll Free 1-888-744-4825
This publication was produced in compliance with K.S.A. 65-6708, known as the "Woman's Right-to-Know Act." The "Woman's Right-to-Know-Act" requires that the physician inform the woman of the following language. No person shall perform or induce an abortion when the fetus is viable unless such person is a physician and has documented referral from another physician not financially associated with the physician performing or inducing the abortion and both physicians determine that: (1) The abortion is necessary to preserve the life of the pregnant woman; or (2) the fetus is affected by a severe or life threatening deformity or abnormality. (K.S.A. 65-6709) This language, however, is no longer used to determine the legality of an abortion performed in accordance with K.S.A. 65-6703. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment acknowledges contributions for this publication from: Lennart Nilsson (in utero photographs used by permission, A Child is Born, Dell Publishing, 1990); drawings by Wesley Jerome Boyd and text excerpts from Abortion: Making a Decision, Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals. |
Kansas law requires your doctor to tell you about the nature of the physical and emotional risks of both the abortion procedure and carrying a child to term. The doctor must tell you how long you have been pregnant and must give you a chance to ask questions and discuss your decision about the pregnancy carefully and privately.
This handbook offers some basic facts to help you make an informed decision about whether or not you want to have an abortion or carry the fetus to term. The information will tell you about normal human embryonic and fetal development and about the methods and risks of abortions and medical risks of childbirth.
The term embryo refers to a developing human from conception until the eighth week. An embryo becomes a fetus after the eighth week. Embryo and fetal ages in this handbook are listed from both the estimated date of conception and from the first day of the last normal menstrual period. Fetal lengths are measured from the top of the head to the rump.
A directory of services is also available. By calling or visiting the agencies and offices in the directory you can find out about alternatives to abortion, assistance to make an adoption plan for your baby, and/or locate public and private agencies that offer medical and financial help during pregnancy, during childbirth and while you are raising your child.
Furthermore, you should know:
"Many public and private agencies exist to provide counseling and information on available services. You are strongly urged to seek their assistance to obtain guidance during your pregnancy. In addition, you are encouraged to seek information on abortion services, alternatives to abortion, including adoption, and resources available to postpartum mothers. The law requires that your physician or the physician's agent provide the enclosed information." (K.S.A. 65-6701 et. seq.)
How old is the fetus?
A pregnant woman may notice her first missed menstrual
period at the end of the second week after conception, or about
four weeks after the first day of her last normal period. There
are different kinds of tests for pregnancy. Some may not be accurate
for up to three weeks after conception, or five weeks after the
first day of the last normal period.
The Week in the blue block beside each picture is the age from conception. The gestational age (in parenthesis) is usually figured from the first day of the last menstrual period.
|
||
(4 weeks after the first day of the last normal menstrual period)
|
|
||
(6 weeks after the first day of the last normal menstrual period)
|
|
||
(8 weeks after the first day of the last normal menstrual period)
|
|
||
(10 weeks after the first day of the last normal menstrual period)
|
|
||
(12 weeks after the first day of the last normal menstrual period)
|
|
||
(14 weeks after the first day of the last normal menstrual period)
|
|
||
(16 weeks after the first day of the last normal menstrual period)
|
|
||
(18 weeks after the first day of the last normal menstrual period)
|
|
||
(20 weeks after the first day of the last normal menstrual period)
|
|
||
(22 weeks after the first day of the last normal menstrual period)
|
|
||
(24 weeks after the first day of the last normal menstrual period)
|
|
||
(26 weeks after the first day of the last normal menstrual period)
|
|
||
(28 weeks after the first day of the last normal menstrual period)
|
|
||
(30 weeks after the first day of the last normal menstrual period)
|
|
||
(32 weeks after the first day of the last normal menstrual period)
|
|
||
(34 weeks after the first day of the last normal menstrual period)
|
|
||
(36 weeks after the first day of the last normal menstrual period)
|
|
||
(38 weeks after the first day of the last normal menstrual period)
|
|
||
(40 weeks after the first day of the last normal menstrual period)
|
|
There are three ways a pregnancy can end: a woman can give birth, have a miscarriage or she can choose to have an abortion. If you make an informed decision to have an abortion, you and your doctor will need to consider how long you have been pregnant before deciding which abortion method to use.
Based on data from the Centers from Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the risk of dying as a direct result of a legally induced abortion is less than one per 100,000.
FROM 2-12 WEEKS
(From 4-14 weeks after the first day of the
last normal menstrual period)
Abortion Methods: Early non-surgical abortion or Vacuum Aspiration
Early non-surgical abortion
Vacuum Aspiration
Medical Risks
FROM 13-21/22 WEEKS
(From 15-23/24 weeks after the first day of
the last normal menstrual period)
Abortion Methods: Dilatation and Evacuation (D&E) or Labor Induction
Dilatation and Evacuation (D&E)
Medical Risks
Labor Induction
Medical Risks
If the labor induction method is used, there is a small chance that a baby could live for a short period of time. (See "What if the fetus is determined to be viable?", page 15.)
FROM 22-38 WEEKS
(From 24-40 weeks after the first day of the last normal menstrual
period)
Abortion Methods: Labor Induction or Hysterotomy
Labor Induction
(See "What if the fetus is
determined to be viable?", page 15.)
Medical Risks
Hysterotomy (similar to a Caesarean Section)
Medical Risks
DETERMINED TO BE VIABLE? |
The following steps must be taken:
The following steps must be taken:
Medical Emergencies
When a medical emergency requires the performance of an abortion, the physician shall tell the woman, before the abortion if possible, of the medical indications supporting the physician's judgment that an abortion is necessary to prevent substantial and permanent damage to any of the woman's major bodily functions.
In the case of a medical emergency, a physician also is not required to comply with any condition listed above which, in the physician's medical judgment, he or she is prevented from satisfying because of the medical emergency.
|
Medical Risks
The risk of complications for the woman increases with advancing
gestational age. (See the previous pages for a description
of the abortion procedure that your doctor will be using and the
specific risks listed in those pages.)
The following is a description of the risks cited in those pages:
Pelvic Infection (sepsis): Bacteria (germs) from the vagina or cervix may enter the uterus and cause an infection. Antibiotics may clear up such an infection. In rare cases, a repeat suction, hospitalization or surgery may be needed. Infection rates are less than 1% for suction curettage, 1.5% for D&E, and 5% for labor induction.
Incomplete abortion: Fetal parts or other products of pregnancy may not be completely emptied from the uterus, requiring further medical procedures. Incomplete abortion may result in infection and bleeding. The reported rate of such complications is less than 1% after a D&E; whereas, following a labor induction procedure, the rate may be as high as 36%.
Blood clots in the uterus: Blood clots that cause severe cramping occur in about 1% of all abortions. The clots usually are removed by a repeat suction curettage.
Heavy bleeding (hemorrhage): Some amount of bleeding is common following an abortion. Heavy bleeding (hemorrhaging) is not common and may be treated by repeat suction, medication or, rarely, surgery. Ask the doctor to explain heavy bleeding and what to do if it occurs.
Cut or torn cervix: The opening of the uterus (cervix) may be torn while it is being stretched open to allow medical instruments to pass through and into the uterus. This happens in less than 1% of first trimester abortions.
Perforation of the uterus wall: A medical instrument may go through the wall of the uterus. The reported rate is 1 out of every 500 abortions. Depending on the severity, performation can lead to infection, heavy bleeding or both. Surgery may be required to repair the uterine tissue, and in the most severe cases hysterectomy may be required.
Anesthesia-related complications: As with other surgical procedures, anesthesia increases the risk of complications associated with abortion. The reported risks of anesthesia-related complications is around 1 per 5,000 abortions.
Rh Immune Globulin Therapy: Protein material found on the surface of red blood cells is known as the Rh Factor. If a woman and her fetus have different Rh factors, she must received medication to prevent the development of antibodies that would endanger future pregnancies (See page 18 for additional information on Rh Immune Globulin Therapy.)
|
Future childbearing: Early abortions that are not complicated by infection do not cause infertility or make it more difficult to carry a later pregnancy to term. Complications associated with an abortion may make it difficult to become pregnant in the future or carry a pregnancy to term.
Cancer of the breast: Several studies have found no overall increase in risk of developing breast cancer after an induced abortion, while several studies do show an increase risk. There seems to be consensus that this issue needs further study. Women who have a strong family history of breast cancer or who have clinical findings of breast disease should seek medical advice from their physician irrespective of their decision to become pregnant or have an abortion.
|
Because every person is different, one woman's emotional reaction to an abortion may be different from another's. After an abortion, a woman may have both positive and negative feelings, even at the same time. One woman may feel relief, both that the procedure is over and that she is no longer pregnant.
Another woman may feel sad that she was in a position where all of her choices were hard ones. She may feel sad about ending the pregnancy. For a while after the abortion she also may feel a sense of emptiness or guilt, wondering whether or not her decision was right.
Some women who describe these feelings find they go away with time. Others find them more difficult to overcome.
Certain factors can increase the chance that a woman may haev a difficult adjustment to an abortion. One of these is not having any counseling before consenting to an abortion. When help and support from family and friends are not available, a woman's adjustment to the decision may be more of a problem.
Other reasons why a woman's long-term response to an abortion can be poor may be related to past events in her life. For example, negative feelings could last longer if she has not had much practice making major life decisions or already has serious emotional problems.
Talking with a counselor or physician may help a woman to consider her decision fully before she takes any action.
|
Women who are more likely to experience problems during and after a pregnancy are those who did not obtain prenatal care early in the pregnancy and/or didn't continue with that care and those with generally poor health and life styles, e.g., smoking, alcohol and drug use. Continuing a pregnancy and delivering a baby is usually a safe, healthy process. Based on data from the CDC, the risk of the woman dying as a direct result of pregnancy and childbirth is less than 10 in 100,000 live births.
Continuing your pregnancy also includes a risk of experiencing complications that are not always life-threatening.
Need for Rh Immune Globulin: As part of prenatal care, the woman will have a blood test to find out her blood type. If the pregnant woman is Rh negative and the father is Rh positive, she can make antibodies (sensitization) that can attack the red blood cells of the fetus if the fetus is Rh positive. This sensitization can occur any time fetal blood mixes with the mothers' blood; during pregnancy or after an abortion, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, or amniocentesis.
To prevent the development of the antibodies the woman can receive shots (immunizations) of Rh immune globulin (rhIg), one at 28 weeks of pregnancy and the other following a miscarriage or delivery of a baby. The only known side effect of the immunization for the woman is soreness from the shot or a slight fever. There is no risk of infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) with the globulin. The approximate cost of the immunizations is fifty dollars ($50).
If the woman who is Rh negative does not receive the Rh immune globulin, the fetus' red blood cells may be damaged, leading to anemia, serious illness or death of the fetus or newborn. (See page 17 for additional information on Rh Immune Globulin Therapy relating to an abortion.)
Causes of Complications in Pregnancy
Altogether, these causes account for 80% of all deaths relating to pregnancy. Unknown or uncommon causes account for the remaining 20% of deaths relating to pregnancy. Women who have chronic severe diseases are at greater risk of death than are healthy women.
|
You may or may not qualify for financial help for prenatal (pregnancy), childbirth and neonatal (newborn) care, depending on your income. If you qualify, programs such as the state's medical assistance program, called Medicaid, will pay or help pay the cost of doctor, clinic, hospital and other related medical expenses to help you with prenatal care, childbirth delivery services and care for your newborn baby.
A listing of agencies that are available to provide or assist you to access financial assistance or medical care is available by calling toll free 1-888-744-4825.
|
Women or couples facing an untimely pregnancy who choose not to take on the full responsibilities of parenthood have another option: adoption.
Making a plan for adoption is rarely an easy decision. Counseling and support services are a key part of adoption and are available from a variety of adoption agencies and parent support groups across the state. A list of adoption agencies is available by calling toll free 1-888-744-4825.
There are several ways to make a plan for adoption, including through a child placement agency or through a private attorney. Although fully anonymous adoptions are available, some degree of openness in adoption is more common, such as permitting the birth mother to choose the adoptive parents.
|
The father of a child has a legal responsibility to provide for the support, educational, medical and other needs of that child. In Kansas that responsibility includes child support payments to the child's mother or legal guardian. A child has rights of inheritance from their father and may be eligible through him for benefits such as life insurance, Social Security, pension, veteran's or disability benefits. Further, the child benefits from knowing the father's medical history and any potential health problems that can be passed genetically.
Paternity can be established in Kansas by two methods:
Issues of paternity effect your legal rights and the rights of the child. More information concerning paternity establishment and child support may be obtained from any regional office of the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services, Division of Child Support Enforcement.
|
The decision to have an abortion, have a baby or make an adoption plan, must be carefully considered. There are lists of state, county and local health and social service agencies and organizations available to assist you. You are encouraged to contact these groups if you need more information so you can make an informed decision.
Individuals may call the Kansas Department of Health and Environment's toll free line at 1-888-744-4825 to receive a copy of this handbook, "If You are Pregnant" and information regarding the services available. Service providers (e.g., physicians, hospitals, abortion clinics) may obtain copies and certification forms by calling toll free 1-888-744-4825.