Quote:
Originally posted by ASUADPi
Munchkin03: Not to sound completely dumb, but what is a D&E? Did the article say why a c-section would have been so riskful to her health? From what I know about c-sections (which isn't a lot mind you because I've never been pregnant) but they don't seem that they would be that risky as long as you have a qualified doctor, the anthesiologist (sp), nurses and whatnot. Is a D&E a regular abortion? Sorry to sound kind of dumb, but I really don't know which is why I'm asking.
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From the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists:
"Intact dilation and extraction
Intact D&E is an alternate method to induction or labor or cesarean section. It is done by medical providers with special training in hospitals while the patient is under general anesthesia. This procedure is primarily done when the abnormalities of the fetus are so extreme that independent life is not possible or when the fetus has died in utero. The procedure consists of a breech extraction. Since the cervix is often incompletely open, it may be impossible to deliver the head. Therefore, a needle (ETA: once again, not scissors) can be introduced to drain cerebral fluids – similar to a spinal tap – which makes it possible to deliver the head through the cervix without damage to the mother. During this procedure the medications which are used to anesthetize the mother cross the placenta and anesthetize the fetus.
This procedure is not done in the third trimester if the fetus is viable."
The ACOG goes on to say that any legal Intact D&E is subject to board approval by a state body. I didn't post the link here, but doing any search on the ACOG should be able to give you more specific information. I have tried to find sources that are as neutral as possible, something difficult to do on both sides.
I don't know all of the details of this case, but I do know that C-sections are difficult because of the fear of extreme blood loss, especially in diabetic women (who often have a harder time healing from surgical wounds). C-sections before 30 weeks gestation are difficult to do in a way that will allow the mother to deliver vaginally in the future, as the uterine walls are too thick to cut horizontally. At such an early stage, any trauma to the uterine walls could damage the mother.