Abortion is a term used to describe the removal of tissues from inside the uterus. While commonly understood as pregnancy termination, it serves multiple medical purposes. In Turkey, legal abortion is performed up to the 10th week of pregnancy, with exceptions for medical necessity beyond this timeframe.
The procedure is performed for unwanted pregnancies as well as desired pregnancies with health complications. Medical indications include fetal cardiac arrest, harmful medication exposure during pregnancy, radiation exposure, empty pregnancy, or situations where continuing the pregnancy endangers the mother’s life.
Beyond pregnancy termination, abortion techniques are used diagnostically and therapeutically for uterine thickening, suspected uterine cancer requiring biopsy, and abnormal vaginal bleeding requiring tissue diagnosis.
The modern approach utilizes vacuum aspiration with disposable sterile cannulas inserted through the cervix. Negative pressure via a Karmen injector withdraws pregnancy material over approximately 5-6 minutes. This method causes significantly less tissue damage than traditional curette techniques.
The procedure typically takes 10-15 minutes, or longer depending on gestational age. With sedation anesthesia, patients receive 30-60 minutes recovery time. Menstruation typically resumes within 30-40 days post-procedure, though variations between 20 days early to 50-60 days late are possible.
Patients should fast 4-6 hours before sedated procedures, arrange transportation with a companion, and avoid blood thinners beforehand. Post-procedure care includes light activity for one week, avoiding sexual intercourse for two weeks, and scheduling follow-up examination within two weeks.