Pro-Choice Sites Promote DIY Abortions

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

This is why I shouldn't browse Facebook when I'm suffering from insomnia...

A friend of mine alerted me to instructions being passed around by a site called Women On Waves, a pro-choice group that's set up safe abortion hotlines in various countries as well as sponsoring a ship on which abortions are performed. A partner site, Women On Web, directs its users to Women On Waves for further information. Women On Web offers abortion pills by mail to multiple countries (though the United States is not mentioned in their fine print) in case women are not given the pills by their doctor or pharmacist.



While the image boldly asks, "Do you need a safe abortion?", using pills like Mifepristone to induce abortion isn't without complications.

A postmarketing summary found that, of about 1.52 million women who had received mifepristone until April 2011 in the US, fourteen were reported to have died after application. Eight of these cases were associated with sepsis; the other six had various causes like drug abuse and suspected murder. Other incidents reported to the FDA included 612 non-lethal hospitalizations, 339 blood transfusions, 48 severe infections, and 2,207 (0.15%) adverse events altogether.

[Source]

I thought pro-choice groups cared about the safety of the women they serve? This doesn't seem safe at all. It seems like a pretty lazy form of activism. If a young woman follows these instructions and complications arise, will either of these groups accept responsibility of promoting this method?

General question: What is your opinion of the two websites and the instructions issued?

Comments

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

It would appear to be a group catering to countries where abortions are illegal.

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

General question: What is your opinion of the two websites and the instructions issued?
The organization does abortions on boats in international waters for people who can't get abortions in their country. It's kind of like Sea Shepherd, except without the whales.

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

They appear to be dedicated to those countries where abortions are illegal, which is probably why you haven't heard of them, since they're not focusing on the US, since the US doesn't "need" their services.

[new-wave-witch.livejournal.com]

It's both alarming that such dangerous procedures are being promoted without any hint at a warning and it's very sad that women would have to resort to such measures anywhere in the world. It affirms my belief that legal, safe abortions should always be available so women wouldn't have to resort to such practices. It's also my opinion that your implications of pro-choice groups in general based on this finding are very weak.

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

It's also my opinion that your implications of pro-choice groups in general based on this finding are very weak. - So pro-choice groups really don't want women to be safe? I was under the impression that they did. That's why I made the point in the first place.

Thanks for the clarification!

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

This doesn't seem safe at all. It seems like a pretty lazy form of activism. If a young woman follows these instructions and complications arise, will either of these groups accept responsibility of promoting this method?
Well it's a good thing they bought a ship and go around giving women abortions then. Man, otherwise they'd just be lazy.

Do you object to instructions on a procedure that is safer than eating meat?

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

Do you object to instructions on a procedure that is safer than eating meat? -- Makes no sense.

[paedraggaidin.livejournal.com]

Uhh...all I'm going to say on this is that it's really unwise to subject yourself to something that potentially dangerous while in international waters. :/

[squidb0i.livejournal.com]

Hyperbolic misleading title is hyperbolic and misleading.

[johnny9fingers.livejournal.com]

But, but, but....

First Amendment.

[luzribeiro.livejournal.com]

Tell me about it.

[kurtvonnegut.livejournal.com]

I hate the phrase "abortion pills" so, so much. I don't care if that's what a pill actually does. The confusion between these so-called "abortion pills" and Plan B causes way too much miseducation and deters women from utilizing a resource that could prevent pregnancy. /rant

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

If people bothered to do their research, they wouldn't be confused. Plan B can't be taken when you're pregnant, therefore there's nothing to abort.

[curseangel.livejournal.com]

Offering a potential option to desperate women doesn't necessarily mean endorsing it, particularly where safer alternatives are available.

However, thanks to conservative shitheads, women in most of the US do not have access to safe, legal medical abortion procedures, which may force them into alternatives such as this. Is it dangerous? Probably, but it's certainly no more so than pregnancy (especially since the US has one if the highest maternal mortality rates in the western world). These women are desperate. They need an abortion. What are they supposed to do? Cross their fingers and hope for fairy magic?

Seriously, I don't blame anyone who circulates information like this. They are trying to help women. I don't like that women have to resort to such measures, though, and considerate a measure of our country's failure to women that safe, affordable and accessible abortion procedures are not an option, which forces women into situations where herbal and otherwise unsafe or unpleasant abortion options are their only choices. I think it's terribly sad that this information is necessary in this country and in this day and age, but I certainly do not begrudge the women who circulate it or who use it.

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

Seriously, I don't blame anyone who circulates information like this. -- So you're okay with information that encourages women to take medications without consulting a doctor or pharmacist and then lie to a doctor when complications arise from taking said medications?

[fizzyland.livejournal.com]

Is your sense of outrage exhausted yet?

Personally, I'm not bothered by this - I see it as the inevitable consequence of the restrictions on abortion access both here and abroad. The groups involved don't need to take any more responsibility than the social conservatives who've removed safe access to medical services in the first place.

[blue-mangos.livejournal.com]

Misoprostal is available through a prescription in the US as an alternative to a surgical abortion. However, it seems many doctors there go off the FDA approved procedure (which follows closely to the procedure given here) and also recommend a dose administered vaginally. Of the deaths reported, at least in the research I did, most were caused by sepsis which was due to a rare organism called Clostridium sordellii. This bacteria is a risk when misoprostal is administered vaginally.

I guess the doctors in the US just don't care about women. Or something.

[eracerhead.livejournal.com]

A postmarketing summary found that, of about 1.52 million women who had received mifepristone until April 2011 in the US, fourteen were reported to have died after application. Eight of these cases were associated with sepsis; the other six had various causes like drug abuse and suspected murder. Other incidents reported to the FDA included 612 non-lethal hospitalizations, 339 blood transfusions, 48 severe infections, and 2,207 (0.15%) adverse events altogether.

Which means that it is safer than aspirin. Would you find any moral reservations about telling people how to use aspirin?

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

And where's your information to back that up? You're saying it's as safe as aspirin, so the burden of proof lies with you. I'll wait.

[msretro.livejournal.com]

Fourteen deaths out of 1.5 million procedures is actually a pretty small number. In fact, it's a hell of a lot lower than the number of women who die from carrying a pregnancy to term: http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2010/apr/12/maternal-mortality-rates-millennium-development-goals. In the US, that number is 17 per 100,000. By your logic, OP, should we outlaw pregnancy?

I have no problem with this information being available. I'm sad that restrictions on legal abortion have forced the situation.

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

By your logic, OP, should we outlaw pregnancy? -- Nope, and you know that's a ridiculous comparison. There's a world of difference between death in pregnancy and death from taking prescription drugs (properly or improperly).

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

Bah, the Soviet Union outlawed abortion, so why not be real mensch like the Soviets and just go ahead and do that? Are good, God-fearing Americans going to let Uncle Joe Stalin have a moral advantage over them?

[luzribeiro.livejournal.com]

I'm confused. I thought the First Amendment trumps everything (even in international waters)...

[lafinjack.livejournal.com]

While the image boldly asks, "Do you need a safe abortion?", using pills like Mifepristone to induce abortion isn't without complications.

I would guess it's safer than punching yourself in the stomach or finding a wire hangar or intentionally falling down the stairs or stuff like this (https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/03/health/views/03essa.html) or this (http://thecoathangerproject.blogspot.com/2009/06/why-i-am-abortion-doctor-by-dr-gary.html). Want to reduce stuff like the image in your post? Make safe abortions widely available and reduce the stigma associated with abortion.

[kylinrouge.livejournal.com]

You gotta do what you gotta do in repressive regimes.

[the-rukh.livejournal.com]

This goes one of two ways. Either do you really think that it is right to blanket all pro-abortion and pro-choice people by what a certain group does? If you then say "No I'm just attacking this one group!" well first then your statements don't make any sense and secondly, then if I post about some dude that shot up a grocery store and I am totally not at all saying anything about gun control, well is there any reason to post it?

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

I once had an discussion with a woman about the dangers of various forms of birth control. She got a little impatient with me and said, "you want to know what is dangerous in this country? Childbirth". She had a point.

[thies.livejournal.com]

sounds safer than coathangers to me

[yelena-r0ssini.livejournal.com]

Wow, statistically, that's safe as hell. Like, seriously, an 0.15% adverse event rate? Only 14 deaths out of 1.52 million? If I were somewhere where I couldn't get a doctor's care for an unwanted pregnancy and I needed a safe abortion, I'd certainly consider that medication regimen.

To answer your general question, I think these sites are doing a great humanitarian service, and it saddens me that we need them at all. I like that they have the instructions available for public consumption, and that they're so clear about what to expect and which side effects require medical attention.

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

So you support women lying to pharmacists to obtain the drugs and then lying to medical personnel if something goes wrong?

[abomvubuso.livejournal.com]

From what I'm reading, turns out a site promoted, ... etc. As in, one site.

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

Both sites posted the information.

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

I agree. Women need better birth control option.

[squidb0i.livejournal.com]

Always gratifying watching anti-choice bigots step on their own landmines.
Thank you for this.

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

Really? How am I "anti-choice"? I support Plan B, I don't support a ban on abortion, and I support all methods of contraception.

It's great to see someone getting kicked off their high-horse...so thank YOU.

[omnot.livejournal.com]

Oh stop with the hand-flapping hysteria already.

You are completely missing the point of providing information about how to procure an abortion to people in situations where openly walking into an abortion clinic is not an option. (And quite often continuing with the pregnancy is also potentially fatal due to retribution from religious nutters.)

The question is not: "Is this means of abortion 100% safe?" or even "Is this means of abortion safer than continuing with the pregnancy?" the question is "Is this means of abortion safer than the alternatives?". As the alternatives usually involve the pregnant woman or other untrained person sticking sharp objects and toxins inside their uterus, I'm going to hazard a guess that following those instructions is much, much, safer.

Going on form, you are going to whargaarbl something about me not citing any statistics to back up my statement that illegally performed abortions cause more than one death in a hundred thousand, but if you can't be bothered to Google, neither can I.