D&E

WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS SICKENING GRAPHIC IMAGES. YOUNG CHILDREN SHOULD NOT READ FURTHER.




Dilate and Evacuate, more commonly known as D&E, is an abortive process that takes place over two to three days. First, the cervix is numbed, and then dilators are inserted to open the uterus. Overnight, these expand.[1] When the dilators are removed the doctor has access into the uterus. S/he then proceeds tears the baby apart by using specialized forceps and the pieces of the child are removed from the womb one at the time. Larger babies’ heads must first often be crushed to fix through the cervix.

The doctor then scraps the wall of the uterus
trying to get out all of the remaining pieces from the womb. This is a very dangerous process as the uterus can be punctured, and a punctured uterus means hemorrhaging. After the doctor scraps the uterus, the baby must be reassembled to make sure all of the pieces are been removed from the uterus so infection does not set in.[2]

[1] Feminist Women’s Health Center

http://www.fwhc.org/abortion/ab-procedures.htm

(accessed 18 October 2007)

[2]Tennessee Right to Life

<http://www.tennesseerighttolife.org/human_life_issues/human_life_issues_abortion_methods.htm>

(accessed 21 October 2007)