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Late termination of pregnancy
Last reviewed: 06.07.2025
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Termination of pregnancy at a later stage is not possible simply at the request of the pregnant woman. This requires medical and social indications: serious deviations in the child, deformities, if the husband has died, and the woman does not work.
Indications for termination of pregnancy at late stages
Termination of pregnancy at late stages is indicated for heart defects, kidney diseases with decreased function, tuberculosis, cancer, rubella suffered during pregnancy, severe diabetes, schizophrenia, chronic beacon disorders, schizoaffective disorders, mental retardation, Alzheimer's disease, muscular dystrophy. Indications from the fetus: absence of the brain, severe developmental defects, chromosomal pathologies.
Social indications for termination of pregnancy: death of husband during pregnancy, woman’s imprisonment despite her desire to terminate pregnancy, pregnancy as a result of rape.
A sociological study was conducted in the United States to identify the reasons that prompted women to have a late abortion. The following reason was in first place: women simply did not know they were pregnant. This often happens if a woman is breastfeeding. During lactation, there is often no period, a woman considers this normal and does not even suspect that she is pregnant. Some of the women surveyed simply took a long time to decide on an abortion, until the 12-week period simply passed. Some of them were afraid of the reaction of their parents or partners to their pregnancy. There were other reasons - some women wanted to keep their husbands with the help of a child, since the marriage was falling apart, and they did not succeed.
Since 1998, abortions from 12 weeks have been prohibited in Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Greece, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Lithuania, Moldova, Norway, Russia, Slovenia, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, France, and the Czech Republic. Abortions from 13 weeks are prohibited in Italy, from 14 weeks in Austria, Hungary, Germany, and Romania. From 18 weeks in Sweden. In all of the countries listed, abortions later than the specified period are permitted only as an exception. What exceptions are implied depends on the specific country.
Methods of late pregnancy termination
Termination of pregnancy at late stages occurs by introducing a saline solution into the uterus, after 2 days a miscarriage occurs. To terminate pregnancy, a solution of NaCl or glucose is used if for some reason the use of salt is impossible or contraindicated. The amount of the administered solution is 6 ml for each week of pregnancy. The effect occurs within 17-22 hours.
Extra-amniotic injection of the solution can be used. However, extra-amniotic injection may not result in abortion. This method of terminating pregnancy is used at a later stage. It may be fatal due to excess sodium in the blood.
Sometimes prostaglandins and antispasmodics are used. The method is not suitable for severe diseases of the respiratory organs, heart, liver, and renal pathology. Prostaglandins are administered extra-amniotically and intra-amniotically. If bronchospasm and hypotension occur, adrenaline and atropine are administered.
Termination of pregnancy by administration of gramicidin C. Amniocetesis is performed using a puncture needle through the anterior vaginal fornix. 20 ml of amniotic fluid is removed and 5 ml of a diluted alcohol solution of gramicidin C is administered.
Prostaglandins are prescribed according to the following scheme: Dinoprost - intra-amniotically 25 mg every 6 hours or 40-50 mg once. Dinoprostone - intra-amniotically - 2.5 - 10 mg once. Extra-amniotically, a solution of 1.5-5 mcg per ml is administered at a rate of 20-150 mcg/hour with a dose increase of 10 mcg/hour, if necessary, every 15 minutes (for 36 hours). Vaginally - 20 mg every 3-6 hours.
A minor caesarean section is very rare. The uterine incision is made in the lower segment. No therapeutic measures are applied to the viable fetus that is born. The child dies. A complication of a minor caesarean section is thromboembolism. The method is preferable if sterilization is required.
Termination of pregnancy at late stages is carried out only in hospitals, where all necessary conditions are available. During and after the abortion, control ultrasounds are carried out. Without this condition, sepsis may develop. Nevertheless, complications may arise: perforation, i.e., perforation of the uterine wall, placental polyps, inflammatory diseases of the female genital tract, which subsequently require very long-term expensive treatment.
[ Late pregnancy termination prognosis
It is legally stipulated that an abortion after 12 weeks can only be performed by a top-category obstetrician-gynecologist. This once again confirms how risky this operation is.
During the procedure, by any means, sometimes there is such heavy bleeding that the uterus has to be removed and a blood transfusion performed. Endometritis and endometriosis, ovarian infections, adhesions in the fallopian tubes, hormonal imbalances also often occur. Any of these causes often lead to the inability to have children in the future.
A complete preliminary examination reduces the risks of late abortion.
If you have serious medical or social reasons to terminate a pregnancy, you should contact your family doctor and obstetrician-gynecologist at the clinic. They confirm the medical and social indications for abortion and issue a conclusion with a diagnosis, which indicates the gestational age and a positive decision to terminate the pregnancy by a special medical commission. You are admitted to the hospital. After discharge, you are given a sick leave for 6 days. You will also need to visit your local gynecologist again after some time to select contraception.
Be sure to complete the course of antibiotics prescribed by your doctor.
The topic of late abortions is always very difficult from an ethical point of view. Because late abortion is murder. Remember that late-term termination of pregnancy is an emergency measure, it is not performed on everyone who wants it, as it is a dangerous operation.