Abortion is a very controversial issue, but, through education and better understanding of the facts, we can make more informed decisionsconcerning abortion and pregnancy.

Second Trimester procedure (13-24 weeks)

1. Dilation and Evacuation (D&E) - At this point in pregnancy, the pre-born's body is too large to be brokenup by suction and it will not pass through the suction tubing. The*cervix must be more dilated (opened) than in a first-trimester abortion. This is usually accomplished by inserting *laminaria a day ortwo before the abortion. The physician then dilates the cervix and dismembers the body by crushing the skull and spine to facilitate removal.

2. Saline, Prostaglandin, and Urea instillation - These methods, more common during the 1970s and 1980s, are rarely usednow, according to the centers for Disease Control (CDC), which reported that they accounted for only 0.7% or approximately 11,200 of allreported abortions in 1991.

What are the physical risks of a second trimester surgical abortion?

Dilation and Evacuation (D&E)