Pregnancy Complications Gain Attention after Abortion Ruling

Pregnancy¹ Complications Gain Attention after Abortion² Ruling

Serious medical problems connected with pregnancy are rare in the United States. But they still affect thousands of women each year.

Problems with a pregnancy can threaten the health of the mother, fetus³, or both. These problems, called pregnancy complications, are more common in Black mothers. The complications may be among the reasons a higher percentage of Black women die from childbirth compared with women of other ethnic⁴ groups.

Severe problems may force patients and their doctors to consider an operation to end the pregnancy, or an abortion. In June, the U.S. Supreme⁵ Court ruled that states, not the federal government, should pass laws on the issue of abortion.

States with abortion restrictions⁶ give special permission for an abortion if the mother develops a condition that is severe or threatens the mother's life. But it can be difficult for doctors to know if a condition is severe or puts the mother's life in danger.

Some doctors have told the Associated Press (AP) that they believe new abortion limits force them to let patients' health complications worsen.

Here are some of the most common pregnancy complications that could lead a doctor to recommend abortion as treatment.

Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is high blood pressure that can develop suddenly in pregnancy. It usually happens during the second half of the pregnancy.

The condition develops in about one in 25 pregnancies⁷. Symptoms include swollen⁸ arms and legs, headaches and blurred⁹ vision.

In addition to high blood pressure, patients can develop kidney or other problems.

Treatment may include hospitalization and medicines to lower blood pressure and support the development of the fetus's lungs. Ending the pregnancy by inducing birth or with an abortion may be recommended when the mother's life is in danger.

Early rupture¹⁰ of membranes¹²

An early rupture of membranes is another pregnancy complication. Membranes in the sac that surrounds the fetus sometimes break at the start of childbirth. In at least three percent of pregnancies, the sac breaks too early. Such breaks often lead to birth before the expected date.

The condition increases the chances of infection of the uterus. If the sac breaks before 24 weeks, doctors may recommend ending the pregnancy. This is because infant survival chances are very low before 24 weeks.

Instead of abortion, doctors could monitor the patients and closely watch for signs of infection. This increases the risk of severe maternal¹³ complications. Recent studies suggest that the chances of a successful birth are reduced.

Ectopic pregnancies

A third possible complication is ectopic pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancies are when a fertilized¹⁴ egg grows outside the uterus, often in a fallopian tube. It happens in about 2 percent of U.S. pregnancies.

There is no chance for the embryo¹⁵ to survive. It can cause the tube to burst, leading to dangerous internal bleeding.

Treatment for less severe cases may include chemicals that stop the embryo from growing and end the pregnancy. In other cases, surgery is required, sometimes to remove the affected¹⁶ tube.

Doctors emphasize that treatment for ectopic pregnancies is not the same as an abortion.

Some politicians who are against abortions¹⁷ have suggested that ectopic pregnancies could be put back in the uterus. They have commented on two unproven case reports from medical publications released many years apart. Some experts say an attempt of this kind would damage the embryo and could not result in a successful pregnancy.

Placenta abruption

The placenta is another kind of pregnancy complication. The placenta is a crucial structure that develops in pregnancy and attaches to the uterine wall. It is connected to the umbilical cord and helps feed the fetus.

In about 1 in 100 pregnancies, the placenta separates too early from the womb. This can happen after about 20 weeks of pregnancy. The condition can present a life-threatening risk to the fetus and can cause dangerous bleeding in the mother.

Inducing childbirth or ending the pregnancy may be recommended.

Words in This Story

symptoms –n. physical changes caused by disease, infection, or other medical problems

swollen –adj. Enlarged beyond normal size, often due to an excess of fluid (such as a swollen ankle due to injury).

blurred –adj. not in sharp focus

induce –v. to cause or produce

membrane¹¹ –n. thin tissue that covers or connects a part of a human or animal body.

sac –n. a part inside the body of an animal or plant that is shaped like a container such as a bag

uterus –n. the organ in the female body where a fetus develops

fallopian tube –n. a tube connecting the ovaries to the uterus

emphasize -v.; to show or state the importance of; to bring more attention to

crucial –adj. necessary and very important

womb –n. the uterus

1 pregnancy   

n.怀孕，怀孕期

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
• Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。

2 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

3 fetus   

n.胎，胎儿

参考例句：

• In the fetus,blood cells are formed in different sites at different ages.胎儿的血细胞在不同时期生成在不同的部位。
• No one knows why a fetus is not automatically rejected by the mother's immune system. 没有人知道为什么母亲的免疫系统不会自动排斥胎儿。

4 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

5 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

6 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

7 pregnancies   

怀孕，妊娠( pregnancy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Since the wartime population needed replenishment, pregnancies were a good sign. 最后一桩倒不失为好现象，战时人口正该补充。
• She's had three pregnancies in four years. 她在四年中怀孕叁次。

8 swollen   

adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀

参考例句：

• Her legs had got swollen from standing up all day.因为整天站着，她的双腿已经肿了。
• A mosquito had bitten her and her arm had swollen up.蚊子叮了她，她的手臂肿起来了。

9 blurred   

v.（使）变模糊( blur的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）难以区分；模模糊糊；迷离

参考例句：

• She suffered from dizziness and blurred vision. 她饱受头晕目眩之苦。
• Their lazy, blurred voices fell pleasantly on his ears. 他们那种慢吞吞、含糊不清的声音在他听起来却很悦耳。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 rupture   

n.破裂；(关系的)决裂；v.(使)破裂

参考例句：

• I can rupture a rule for a friend.我可以为朋友破一次例。
• The rupture of a blood vessel usually cause the mark of a bruise.血管的突然破裂往往会造成外伤的痕迹。

11 membrane   

n.薄膜，膜皮，羊皮纸

参考例句：

• A vibrating membrane in the ear helps to convey sounds to the brain.耳膜的振动帮助声音传送到大脑。
• A plastic membrane serves as selective diffusion barrier.一层塑料薄膜起着选择性渗透屏障的作用。

12 membranes   

n.（动物或植物体内的）薄膜( membrane的名词复数 )；隔膜；（可起防水、防风等作用的）膜状物

参考例句：

• The waste material is placed in cells with permeable membranes. 废液置于有渗透膜的槽中。 来自辞典例句
• The sarcoplasmic reticulum is a system of intracellular membranes. 肌浆网属于细胞内膜系统。 来自辞典例句

13 maternal   

adj.母亲的，母亲般的，母系的，母方的

参考例句：

• He is my maternal uncle.他是我舅舅。
• The sight of the hopeless little boy aroused her maternal instincts.那个绝望的小男孩的模样唤起了她的母性。

14 Fertilized   

v.施肥( fertilize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The study of psychology has recently been widely cross-fertilized by new discoveries in genetics. 心理学研究最近从遗传学的新发现中受益匪浅。
• Flowers are often fertilized by bees as they gather nectar. 花常在蜜蜂采蜜时受粉。

15 embryo   

n.胚胎，萌芽的事物

参考例句：

• They are engaging in an embryo research.他们正在进行一项胚胎研究。
• The project was barely in embryo.该计划只是个雏形。

16 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

17 abortions   

n.小产( abortion的名词复数 )；小产胎儿；（计划）等中止或夭折；败育

参考例句：

• The Venerable Master: By not having abortions, by not killing living beings. 上人：不堕胎、不杀生。 来自互联网
• Conclusion Chromosome abnormality is one of the causes of spontaneous abortions. 结论：染色体异常是导致反复自然流产的原因之一。 来自互联网