Abortion Types | Reasons or Causes of Abortion
Definition of Abortion:
Interruption of pregnancy before the period of viability which is considered to occur at 28th weeks of gestation in our country, (in western – 24 wks) is known as abortion. An abortion is the expulsion or extraction of all or any part of the placenta or membranés, without an identical foetuş or any part of the placenta or membranes, without an identical foeths or with foetus (alive or death) weighing less than 500 gm.
What is Safe Abortion?
It is a procedure for terminating unwanted pregnancy performed by trained health care providers like doctors, trained nurses, with proper equipment, technique and sanitation.
Classification or Types of Abortion:
A. Clinical classification:
- Threatened abortion,
- Inevitable abortion: Complete abortion and incomplete abortion.
- Missed abortion,
- Septic abortion,
- Habitual or recurrent abortion.
B. Aetiological classification:
- Spontaneous abortion,
- Induced: Therapeutic or legal and Criminal.
C. According to duration of pregnancy:
- Early or first trimester abortion before 12 wk.
- Late or mid trimester abortion.
Main Causes of Abortion:
A. Local Causes:
1. Fetal causes:
a. Congenital malformations & impaired vitality (50% 80% of early 6-8 wks abortions):
- Chromosomal anomalies-eg. (within 8 wks) and Autosomal trisomies, 45 XO, monosomy and Triploidy & structural abnormality.
- Genetic abnormatity.
- Blighted ovum.
- Defective implantation of trophoblast.
- Maternal viral disease: rubella.
- Maternal intake of cytotoxic drugs.
- Inherited fault in ova or sperm.
- Fetal malformations.
b. Fetal anoxia:
- Interference with circulation in umbilical cord by knots, twists or enlargements.
- Interference with placental circulation- due to maternal nephritis, hypertension.
- Placental separation.
- Faulty placental formation eg. circumvallate placenta.
- Low attachment of placenta.
- Tumor formation: by hydatiform mole.
- Placental infection due to syphylis.
- Maternal asphyxia – by heart failure, anemia.
- Fetal anemia, hemolytic disease due to Rh incompatibility.
2. Maternal causes:
a. Uterine abnormality:
- Congenital defects: septate bicornuate uterus.
- Displacements: retroversion.
- Neoplasm: Fibroids & pelvic tumors.
- Stimulation of expulsive uterine contractions, Over-distension of the uterus.
- Direct trauma to uterus and its contents.
- Cervical incompetence.
b. Ovary:
- Corpus luteum deficiency.
- Rupture of the membranes.
3. Paternal cause: Gross sperm abnormality.
B. General causes:
1. Acute illness: Hyper-pyrexiaand Septicemia.
2. Infections:
- Viral – Rubella , small pox, CMV.
- Bacterial – Syphylis.
- Parasitic:-Malaria, Toxoplasmosis.
3. Endocrine & metabolic deficiency.
- DM,
- HTN,
- Jaundice,
- Progesterone deficiency.
4. Renal diseases:
- Chronie renal failure,
- Chronic pyelonephritis.
5. Cardiovascular diseases:
- Hypertenision,
- Anemia.
6. Drugs of poisons:
- Quinine,
- RU 486,
- Lead poisoning.
7. Psychogenic:
- Acute emotional disturbances.
8. Nutritional deficiencies:
- Folic acid deficiency.
- Avitaminosis.
- Multiple dietary deficiencies.
9. Others:
- Direct trauma.
Complications of Abortion:
1. Immediate:
- Severe haemorrhage leading to hypovolumic shock,
- Neurogenic shock.
2. Late:
- Most frequently sepsis is developed after self-induced criminal abortion,
- Infection,
- Intrauterine synechiae,
- Infertility.
More questions related to this article:
- Define abortion.
- What do you mean by abortion?
- Write down the types of abortion.
- Classify abortion.
- What are the types of abortion?
- What are the causes of incomplete abortion?
- Write down the causes of incomplete abortion?
- Describe the causes of abortion.
- What are the complications of abortion?
