堕胎时到底会发生什么？：英语精读讲义

56 million abortions occur annually worldwide

全球每年有5600万例人工流产。

and though opinions on the matter are strong,

虽然人们对此往往立场鲜明，

many are simply unaware of how they actually work.

但很多人其实并不了解人工流产究竟是怎么进行的。

So, regardless of whether you're pro-life or pro-choice, 講解

所以，无论你反对人工流产，还是支持女性自主选择，

what actually happens during an abortion?

人工流产过程中究竟会发生什么？

Abortion procedures range from taking a pill to surgical options, 語法

人工流产的方式从服药到手术都有，

often based on availability or how far along a pregnancy is 用詞

通常要看哪些方式可用，以及已经怀孕多久，

and 92% of legal US abortions

而在美国，92%的合法人工流产

take place within the first 13 weeks of gestation. 短語動詞

都发生在妊娠的前13周内。

The oral tablet is effective 49 days from one's last menstrual period.

这种口服药从末次月经开始算起，在49天内有效。

Often containing mifepristone,

它通常含有米非司酮，

it works by blocking the hormone progesterone. 語法

并通过阻断孕酮这种激素发挥作用。

Progesterone promotes smooth muscle relaxation

孕酮能促进平滑肌放松，

in the uterine wall throughout pregnancy

在整个孕期，子宫壁中的平滑肌都会保持这种状态，

and so the pill causes the uterus to contract 語法

因此，这种药会使子宫收缩，

and the embryo to be expelled in what seems like a heavy period. 語法

并将胚胎排出体外，整个过程就像一次经量很大的月经。

Vacuum aspiration is a surgical procedure 文化背景

真空吸引术是一种外科手术，

usually used up to 16 weeks after conception

通常用于受孕后16周以内，

and is typically performed under local or general anesthesia. 短語搭配

一般会在局部麻醉或全身麻醉下进行。

The cervix is numbed and opened wide enough 語法

医生会麻醉子宫颈，并将其扩张到足够宽，

to pass a slender tube into the uterus

以便把一根细管伸入子宫，

where suction is used to empty the contents.

再通过抽吸清除其中的内容物。

Within the same timeline,

在相同的孕期范围内，

a D&C or dilation and curettage abortion can be used. 文化背景

也可以采用D&C，也就是扩张与刮宫术。

First, the cervix is dilated 表達脈絡

首先要扩张子宫颈，

using small instruments or medication

方法是使用小型器械或药物，

and then a curette is used

然后再使用刮匙，

to remove the contents of the uterus.

清除子宫内的内容物。

If a pregnancy is between 12 to 24 weeks,

如果孕周在12到24周之间，

a D&E or dilation and evacuation abortion is likely used, 文化背景

通常会采用D&E，也就是扩张与排空术，

although only 1.2% of abortions occur after 21 weeks.

不过只有1.2%的人工流产发生在21周以后。

In a D&E abortion,

进行D&E时，

the cervix needs to be dilated wider,

子宫颈需要扩张得更宽，

often using osmotic dilators, 文化背景

通常会使用渗透性扩张棒，

which are short rods made of seaweed or synthetic material,

这种短棒由海藻或合成材料制成，

which absorb moisture and slowly stretch the cervix.

能吸收水分，使子宫颈缓慢扩张。

These are usually inserted the day before surgery.

扩张棒通常会在手术前一天置入。

Once dilated, 語法

完成扩张后，

fetal and placental tissue is removed via vacuum aspiration,

会通过真空吸引术取出胎儿和胎盘组织，

forceps and a curette.

同时还会使用手术钳和刮匙。

The decision to have an abortion after 24 weeks is extremely rare

选择在怀孕24周后进行人工流产的情况极其罕见，

and often due to severe fetal anomalies. 用詞

通常是因为胎儿存在严重异常。

When abortions are allowed by the local law,

在当地法律允许人工流产的情况下，

they are one of the safest procedures in medicine

它是医学上最安全的医疗操作之一，

with case fatality rates 用詞

其致死率

less than one death per 100,000 procedures.

不到十万分之一。

In the US,

在美国，

the risk of death associated with childbirth 短語搭配

女性因分娩而死亡的风险

is 14 times higher in women than that of an abortion. 語法

是因人工流产而死亡风险的14倍。

There are also myths that abortion is linked 短語搭配

还有一些错误说法，声称人工流产会增加

to an increased risk of cancer

患癌风险，

as well as difficulties in conceiving or carrying a future pregnancy, 短語搭配

也会导致日后难以受孕或维持妊娠，

but both of these claims have been refuted 用詞

但这两种说法都已被

by extensive medical research.

大量医学研究驳斥。

However, unsafe abortions 文化背景

然而，不安全的人工流产

practiced by individuals without the necessary skills

若由不具备必要技能的人实施，

or in an environment that does not conform to medical standards 短語搭配

或在不符合医疗标准的环境中进行，

cause an estimated 68,000 women to die yearly,

据估计每年会造成6.8万名女性死亡，

while a further 5 million suffer

另有500万名女性会出现

temporary or permanent disability.

暂时或永久性残疾。

Methods range from ingesting toxic solutions,

采用的方法包括吞服有毒溶液、

inserting foreign bodies into the uterus, 用詞

将异物插入子宫，

and even trauma.

甚至直接伤害身体。

The World Health Organization has called unsafe abortions

世界卫生组织将不安全人工流产称为

a preventable pandemic. 習語

一场本可避免的大流行病。

And laws that limit a woman's access to an abortion 短語搭配

而那些限制女性获得人工流产服务、

or make abortions illegal

或将人工流产定为非法的法律，

do not reduce the number of abortions.

并不能减少人工流产的数量。

Countries where abortions are illegal

在人工流产属非法的国家，

have roughly the same number of abortions.

人工流产的数量也大致相同。

What changes instead is the incidence of unsafe abortions. 表達脈絡

真正改变的反而是不安全人工流产的发生率。

A 2011 study did find 語法

2011年的一项研究确实发现，

that state-level anti-abortion laws in Texas

得克萨斯州的州级反堕胎法律

correlated with lower abortion rates in the state, 短語搭配

与该州较低的人工流产率存在相关性，

but these results did not account 短語動詞

但这些结果没有考虑到

for women traveling to other states

有些女性会前往其他州，

with less restrictive laws

这些州的法律限制较少，

to receive a procedure.

她们会在那里接受相关手术。

Conversely, researchers have found that sex education 表達脈絡

相反，研究人员发现，开展性教育

and access to contraceptive methods

并让人们更容易获得避孕措施，

do reduce the number of abortions

确实可以减少人工流产的数量，

by minimizing unwanted pregnancies.

因为这能减少非意愿妊娠。

This can be seen 表達脈絡

这一点可以从以下现象看出：

in the abortion rates decreasing significantly

人工流产率显著下降，

in the developed world since 1990.

自1990年以来，发达国家一直呈现这一趋势。

Ultimately, access to legal abortions

归根结底，能够合法获得人工流产服务，

make women's lives safer and healthier.

会让女性的生活更安全、更健康。

If you'd like to learn about Plan B 文化背景

如果你想了解Plan B

or emergency contraceptive,

或紧急避孕药，

which is not the same thing as an abortion,

这与人工流产并不是一回事，

you can check out our video on that here.

你可以点击这里观看我们的相关视频。

And don't forget to subscribe

也别忘了订阅我们的频道，

for more weekly science videos every Thursday.

每周四观看更多科学视频。