What Is Abortion?

Activity 1

READING

Read the text carefully.
Double-click on any word to find the definition in the dictionary in bottom right position.

(From Google image)

Abortion is the spontaneous or induced loss of products of conception before the occurrence of fetal viability, measured as a gestational age of less than 20 weeks or a fetal weight of 500 g or less. Abortions that occur before the 21st week of gestation are termed early or first-trimester abortions; those occur between the 12th and 20th week are termed late or second-trimester abortions. This distinction is necessary because anatomic and physiologic changes in the later weeks of gestation make treatment more difficult. Spontaneous abortions are classified as threatened, inevitable, missed, incomplete, complete, habitual, and septic. Septic abortion is most commonly associated with self-induced instrumentations. Complications include hemorrhage, septic, or endotoxic shock, acute, renal failure, and death.

First-trimester abortions are associated with embryonic, fetal, or placental abnormalities caused by congenital or genetic defects and by alterations in the intrauterine environment due to endocrine imbalance or exposure to teratogens.

Second-trimester abortions are primarily associated with maternal problems, such as infection, endocrine dysfunction, severe malnutrition, drug ingestion (including alcohol or tobacco), manipulation or abnormalities of the reproductive viscera and possibly, RH iso-immunization and blood group incompatibility between the parents. The role physical and emotional trauma is suspect. 

 (Adapted from English for Midwives 2008)

Answer the following questions based on the text. You may read the glossary below first to help you understand the passage well before you decided to start answering the questions.

1. Explain by your own words what abortion is!
2. What are the meaning of early or first-trimester abortions and late or second-trimester abortions? Explain them one by one!
3. What is the difference between spontaneous and induced abortions?
4. Why is necessary to know the distinction between early and late abortions?

GLOSSARY
­NO	TULISAN	KELAS KATA	CARA BACA	ARTI
1	Spontaneous	adjective	spa:n’tei.ni.әs	spontan
2	Induced	adjective	-in.dju:st	diinduksi
3	Fetal	adjective	'fi:.tәl	janin
4	Viability	noun	,vaI. ә’bIl.I.ti	kelangsungan hidup
5	Measured	verb	"meƷ.әr	diukur
6	Gestational	adjective	dƷes"teI. ∫әnal	Kehamilan
7	Termed:	verb	t3`:md	disebut; diistilahkan
8	Distinction	noun	dI"stIƞk. ∫әn	perbedaan
9	Treatment	noun	"tri:t.mәnt	pengobatan
10	Threatened	adjective	"θret.әn	terancam
11	Inevitable	adjective	I"nev.I.tә.bl	tak terhindarkan
12	Septic	adjective	"sep.tIk	membusuk; menjadi infeksi
13	Instrumentations	noun	,In.strә.men"teI.∫әn	peralatan
14	Hemorrhage	noun	"hem.әr.IdƷ	pendarahan
15	Renal failure	noun	"ri:.nәl "feI.ljәr	gagal ginjal
16	Congenital	adjective	kәn"dƷen.I.tәl	bawaan
17	Alterations	noun	Ϸl.tә"reI.Sәn	perubahan
18	Intrauterine	noun	In.trә "ju:.tәr.aIn	di dalam kandungan
19	Dysfunction	noun	dIs"fɅƞk. ∫әn	kelainan fungsi
20	Severe	adjective	sI"vIәr	parah
21	Ingestion	noun	In"dƷes.t∫әn	pengkonsumsian
22	Viscera	noun	"vIs.әr.ә	jeroan; isi rongga perut
23	Incompatibility	noun	,In.kәm,pæt.I"bIl.I.ti	ketidakcocokan
24	Suspect	adjective	sә"spekt	tersangka/penyebab

Activity 2

LISTENING

While listening, complete the text. Click the audio to hear the text. 




Unsafe abortion has significant negative beyond its immediate effects on women’s health. For example, complications from unsafe abortion may women’s productivity, increasing the economic burden on poor families; cause maternal deaths that leave children motherless; cause long-term health problems, such as infertility; and result in considerable costs to already public health systems.

Source:

• Perwata, Annie, and Aniek Maryunani. 2008. English for Midwives. Penerbit Buku Kedokteran EGC: Jakarta.
• Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary (an application for PC)