El Salvador Research Paper

El Salvador has one of the strictest and most archaic anti-abortion laws in the world with a total ban on abortion, even in in cases of rape or incest, if the mother’s life is in danger, or if the fetus is not viable outside the uterus. Since 1998, the adopted legislation has increasingly made it more dangerous for women to seek medical attention when in reference to their reproductive health. These laws allow prosecutors to convert many abortion charges to aggravated homicide, which carries a sentence of 30-50 years.

A quick history of abortion pills and how they came to be comes from WebMD. The top drug used for abortions is mifepristone also known as RU-486. Testing of the drug began in 1983 when the FDA issued a permit. Jan. 1993 President Clinton asked for the FDA to reconsider their import ban. In 1994-1995 the Population Council the U.S. patent rights for mifepristone, and clinical trials began. In September 1996 the FDA issued an approval for RU-486 to be used as a safe alternative to surgical abortion, but they also said, they wanted more information on how the drug was manufactured and labeled before they could make their final decision. On September 28, 2000 the FDA approved RU-486 as a method for early medical abortion.

Methotrexate has been used in the US since 1953, when it was approved by the FDA to treat certain types of cancer. Since that time, “medical researchers have discovered other important uses for the drug” (Ankerberg and Weldon 4). One of these uses is to end unintended pregnancies. Although the “FDA did not consider methotrexate for this specific purpose, clinicians may prescribe and are now prescribing methotrexate for early abortion”(Ankerberg and Weldon 4). Methotrexate is usually given to a pregnant woman in the form of an injection or shot, although it can be taken orally. “Methotrexate stops the ongoing implantation process that occurs during the first several weeks after conception. Another medication that might be used is mifepristone”(Ankerberg and Weldon 4). Mifepristone is a newer medication that was developed and tested specifically as an abortion inducing agent. It works by blocking the hormone progesterone, which is necessary to sustain pregnancy. Without this hormone, “the lining of the uterus breaks down, the cervix opening of the uterus or womb softens, and bleeding begins”(Ankerberg and Weldon 5). A few days after taking either methotrexate or mifepristone, a second drug, misoprostol, is taken. “Misoprostol tablets cause the uterus to contract and empty”(Ankerberg and Weldon 5).

When considering the removal of a fetus you have to consider the development of the embryo and what type of procedure needs to be done. There are several different types of procedures that can take place to abort a fetus but, two main types are the medical and surgical abortions. Within this two categories there are different procedures. There are two different procedures that fall under the medical abortions, the morning after pill and the RU486 (mifepristone). The first option is the

A medical abortion is available for women wanting to terminate their pregnancy between seven and nine weeks gestation. Mifepristone or RU486, more commonly known as ‘the abortion pill’, is the most commonly used drug for this method. It is up to 98 per cent effective if used within the specified time.

An acknowledged journalist and author, Erika Guevara- Rosas in her article for the New York Times paper, “El Salvador And ‘Las 17’”, justifies the intense and altering consequences women are put in jail for having miscarriages and abortions. Rosas’ main drive is to enlighten her readers on the prejudice that is occurring in El Salvador where all abortions are forbidden including “when the mother’s life or well-being is in danger, and in all incidents of rape” (Rosas). “Carmen Guadalupe Vásquez Aldana was just 18 when, in 2008, she was sentenced to 30 years in jail” (Rosas). Her crime was for having a miscarriage. February of 2015, Vasquez was finally released after being incarcerated for almost a decade. She

In this article, it talked about the 1973 Roe v. Wade. The guidelines stated that the state could not prohibit abortions unless “necessary to preserve the life or health of the mother.” After fetal viability, Roe v. Wade did not allow women to abort the child. Roe v. Wade gave women the protected right with consultation with a doctor to choose on aborting in the early stages. About half of all American women have an unintended pregnancy occur and one-third will have an abortion by the age of forty-five. There was 1.21 million abortions in 2005 and 1.31 million in 2000. Overall, since 1980 there has been over 60 million. Anti-Abortion Groups say that the definition of abortion is murder and I agree with this. Another argument that anti-abortion groups say is “abortion constitutes murder and view their mission of saving babies as noble and God's work.” This source shows statistics and how many abortions are occurring in the United States. This needs to stop; it is “cruel and unusual”. This helped me see how many more people we could have in the United States if abortion was

Since the legalization of abortion in 1973, over 58 million babies have been terminated. This number will only continue to grow. Abortion is one of the most controversial topics out there. Two people come into play, pro-life and pro-choice supporters. If someone is pro-life, they don’t agree with abortions. However, if someone is pro-choice, they like the idea of a women being able to choose. These two people are like oil and water; they don’t mix well. Abortions should be illegal in the United States because innocent babies are being killed, babies are individuals, and babies should have rights to their own bodies.

While Latin America’s lack of reproductive rights would seem to be common knowledge, many are unaware of how exactly women in Latin American countries are affected. In a fairly large number of countries, abortion is illegal. In regards to this, “in 2008, 12 percent of maternal deaths in Latin America and the Caribbean were due to unsafe abortions.” (Mane, 2013) 95% of the abortions

Since 1973, a total of 57,496,011 abortions have been reported to the Centers of Disease Control and that number keeps rising. This does not include the self-induced abortions or the abortions your body causes, also known as miscarriage. There are so many different procedures throughout the years. In the early years, many women did not seek help from licensed medical assistance. They attempted removal of the fetus with a coat-hanger also piercing of the fetus with a knitting needle, crochet hook, hat pin, bobby pin or similar device inserted into the uterus through the cervix. Many women also used douching methods linked to miscarriage to abort the baby such as Clorox bleach or lye which could also cause chemical burns. In the 1960s women also used Coca-Cola to send their bodies into aborting the fetus. The Induction abortion takes approximately three to four days to complete. On the first day, the young woman is given an ultrasound to determine the age of her baby. Then, the abortionist with the help of an ultrasound to guide them. The patient will then receive a lethal dose of the heart medication Digoxin, a generic drug, is injected into the baby’s heart or into the amniotic fluid directly through the woman’s abdomen or vaginally, the Digoxin will give the baby a fatal heart attack. Although the reason for killing the baby first is to avoid a live birth. After the drug is injected, the woman’s cervix is inserted with Laminaria sticks or tent, a thin tampon-like

On April 18, 2007, a Federal Abortion Ban was passed that criminalizes abortions in the second trimester which is when doctors advise that abortions are the safest and best time to protect the woman’s health. There has been a proposal to create state bans that make abortions illegal after twenty weeks! Although there is not a complete ban on abortions yet, it is clearly visible that the bans the United States has great affect on a woman’s decision to have an abortion. Within the process of getting an abortion, there are many deterrents set up before the women, such as restricting insurance, TRAP laws, abortion bans based on time span, mandatory ultrasounds and waiting periods, biased counseling, and much more. Nowhere in the Constitution does

Latin America is one region of the world known for its similarities across national borders, paired with stark differences. While Latin American countries share cultural elements such as, language, religion, and a colonial history, each society has developed differently in terms of political, economic, and social organization. One major difference across Latin America is individual nations relationships with family planning and abortion systems. Each country 's stance on the morality of abortion, contraception, reproduction, and sexuality, differs from its neighbors and the region at large. In some cases the difference is visible within national borders, such as in Mexico, where abortion is only legal inside the capital city (Fondo Maria). In other cases the countries themselves are homogenous in law, but differ greatly from the legal positions of their neighbors. Due to such variation it is impossible to claim that Latin America as a whole aligns with one attitude concerning family planning and abortion. Additionally, both systems are simultaneously present in countries creating a complex and intriguing system of reproductive health. Due to this variety, this paper focuses on Chile and Cuba as examples of two opposing extremes. In Cuba abortion is legal under all circumstances as compared to Chile, where abortion was historically criminalized. These two country 's situations ask the question of how family planning programs and abortion rates connect with and influence one

Partial-birth abortions in the third trimester, and the recent “day-after” or the RU-486 pill, now add a new attitude on the abortion issue. Partial-birth abortions and abortions in the third trimester are exceedingly controversial, because they involve the termination and/or expulsion of an actual fetus from the womb, whereas many early-prenatal abortions involve the expulsion of the embryo. In some countries, and for a while in America, partial-birth abortions meant that the baby was breached halfway through the womb, and then its neck was broken, which killed the baby instantly. Since then, the United States has banned it as a result of the many infuriated pro-life and even some pro-choice members who found it to be extremely inhumane. The RU-486 pill sends messages telling the brain that the woman that was inseminated, was already pregnant, and that the ovum that had been created, is removed because the body believes it is already impregnated. These operations raise many of the same problems as abortion itself.

There are several laws and policies regarding abortion. These laws are primarily for the sake of the country’s well being. Several countries offer abortions on demand, and some countries absolutely prohibit abortions. Most countries agree that a woman has the right to an abortion if it will endanger her health. Approximately 23 countries offer abortion on request upon the pregnant women. Fourteen countries allow abortions for social, and social-medical reasons. Forty-two countries offer abortions if it will endanger the women’s general health.

The most probable method of abortion is called dilation and curettage. General anaesthetic is provided to the pregnant mother while the gynaecologist opens (dilates) the cervix with instruments called dilators, and then inserts a hollow tube through the cervix. Suction is applied to remove the retained tissue in the uterus. If the abortion is to be carried out on the 20th-24th week, 2 general anaesthetics with 2 nights will be supplied.