As the debate to legalize abortion (termination of pregnancy) progresses, health experts warn about complications of the procedure.
Dr Ignatius Kibe, a renown gynaecologist, asserted that abortion is only recommended under certain circumstances.
He was discussing ‘Complications of Abortion’ on TV47’s breakfast show Morning Cafe which airs every weekday from 6am to 10am.
“The first time that you notice you are pregnant you should go for an ultrasound scan. It will tell us whether the baby is forming properly, where the baby is forming, whether the baby has a heart, forelimbs, head, central nervous system and so on,” he explained.
When to take a pregnancy test
Dr Kibe challenged women to seek pregnany tests once they suspect that their period is taking longer to show especially after having unprotected sex.
“Pregnancy can be detected 17 days after having sex. You can count 17 days after the day you had sex and visit any laboratory to have your urine or blood tested and do an ultrasound immediately if found pregnant.”
It is at this stage, he says, that doctors assess certain factors to determine whether it is safe to proceed or terminate the pregnancy.
“Within these first few weeks of pregnancy we may notice when there is something drastically wrong with the foetus, or the health of the mother.
“You find a lady who is anemic, having very complicated Diabetes (Type II). Sometimes the lady could be having HIV/AIDS. We correlate all these and decide whether a pregnancy is viable or not,” Dr Kibe added.
Complications leading to abortion
Beyond five months into the pregnancy, it becomes dangerous to conduct an abortion as the gynecologist says, but certain conditions necessitate for it.
“Malformations can lead to abortion past five months. When we do ultrasounds sometimes we find the baby’s heart did not form properly, the brain is not forming, the spinal cord is not forming properly. Sometimes we see even if this baby is born they will live in hospital.”
Full interview here>>
This comes as France nears to include right to abortion in their Constitution, a first in the world.
