墮胎時到底會發生什麼事？：英語精讀講義

56 million abortions occur annually worldwide

全球每年有5,600萬例人工流產。

and though opinions on the matter are strong,

雖然人們對此往往立場鮮明，

many are simply unaware of how they actually work.

但許多人其實並不了解人工流產究竟是怎麼進行的。

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

所以，無論你反對人工流產，還是支持女性自主選擇，

what actually happens during an abortion?

人工流產過程中究竟會發生什麼事？

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

人工流產的方式從服藥到手術都有，

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

通常要看哪些方式可用，以及已經懷孕多久，

and 92% of legal US abortions

而在美國，92%的合法人工流產

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

都發生在懷孕的前13週內。

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

這種口服藥從最後一次月經開始算起，在49天內有效。

Often containing mifepristone,

它通常含有美服培酮，

it works by blocking the hormone progesterone. 文法

並藉由阻斷黃體素這種荷爾蒙發揮作用。

Progesterone promotes smooth muscle relaxation

黃體素能促進平滑肌放鬆，

in the uterine wall throughout pregnancy

在整個孕期，子宮壁的平滑肌都會保持這種狀態，

and so the pill causes the uterus to contract 文法

因此，這種藥會使子宮收縮，

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

並將胚胎排出體外，整個過程就像一次經血量很大的月經。

Vacuum aspiration is a surgical procedure 文化背景

真空吸引術是一種外科手術，

usually used up to 16 weeks after conception

通常用於受孕後16週以內，

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

一般會在局部麻醉或全身麻醉下進行。

The cervix is numbed and opened wide enough 文法

醫師會麻醉子宮頸，並將它擴張到足夠寬，

to pass a slender tube into the uterus

以便將一根細管伸入子宮，

where suction is used to empty the contents.

再利用吸力清除子宮內的內容物。

Within the same timeline,

在相同的孕期範圍內，

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

也可以採用D&C，也就是子宮頸擴張與刮除術。

First, the cervix is dilated 表達脈絡

首先要擴張子宮頸，

using small instruments or medication

方法是使用小型器械或藥物，

and then a curette is used

接著再使用刮匙，

to remove the contents of the uterus.

清除子宮內的內容物。

If a pregnancy is between 12 to 24 weeks,

如果孕期介於12到24週，

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

通常會採用D&E，也就是擴張與排空術，

although only 1.2% of abortions occur after 21 weeks.

不過只有1.2%的人工流產發生在21週之後。

In a D&E abortion,

進行D&E時，

the cervix needs to be dilated wider,

子宮頸需要擴張得更寬，

often using osmotic dilators, 文化背景

通常會使用滲透性擴張棒，

which are short rods made of seaweed or synthetic material,

這種短棒由海藻或合成材料製成，

which absorb moisture and slowly stretch the cervix.

能吸收水分，讓子宮頸慢慢擴張。

These are usually inserted the day before surgery.

擴張棒通常會在手術前一天置入。

Once dilated, 文法

完成擴張後，

fetal and placental tissue is removed via vacuum aspiration,

會透過真空吸引術取出胎兒和胎盤組織，

forceps and a curette.

同時也會使用手術鉗和刮匙。

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

選擇在懷孕24週後進行人工流產的情況極為罕見，

and often due to severe fetal anomalies. 用詞

通常是因為胎兒有嚴重異常。

When abortions are allowed by the local law,

在當地法律允許人工流產的情況下，

they are one of the safest procedures in medicine

它是醫學上最安全的醫療處置之一，

with case fatality rates 用詞

其致死率

less than one death per 100,000 procedures.

不到十萬分之一。

In the US,

在美國，

the risk of death associated with childbirth 片語搭配

女性因生產而死亡的風險

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

是因人工流產而死亡風險的14倍。

There are also myths that abortion is linked 片語搭配

另外也有一些錯誤說法，聲稱人工流產會增加

to an increased risk of cancer

罹患癌症的風險，

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

也會導致日後難以受孕或維持懷孕，

but both of these claims have been refuted 用詞

但這兩種說法都已被

by extensive medical research.

大量醫學研究駁斥。

However, unsafe abortions 文化背景

然而，不安全的人工流產

practiced by individuals without the necessary skills

若由不具備必要技能的人進行，

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

或在不符合醫療標準的環境中實施，

cause an estimated 68,000 women to die yearly,

據估計每年會造成6.8萬名女性死亡，

while a further 5 million suffer

另有500萬名女性會出現

temporary or permanent disability.

暫時或永久性失能。

Methods range from ingesting toxic solutions,

採用的方法包括吞下有毒溶液、

inserting foreign bodies into the uterus, 用詞

將異物放入子宮，

and even trauma.

甚至直接傷害身體。

The World Health Organization has called unsafe abortions

世界衛生組織將不安全人工流產稱為

a preventable pandemic. 慣用語

一場可以預防的全球大流行。

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

而那些限制女性接受人工流產、

or make abortions illegal

或將人工流產列為非法的法律，

do not reduce the number of abortions.

並不會減少人工流產的數量。

Countries where abortions are illegal

在人工流產屬於非法的國家，

have roughly the same number of abortions.

人工流產的數量也大致相同。

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

真正改變的反而是不安全人工流產的發生率。

A 2011 study did find 文法

2011年的一項研究確實發現，

that state-level anti-abortion laws in Texas

德州的反墮胎州法

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

與該州較低的人工流產率有相關性，

but these results did not account 片語動詞

但這些結果並未考慮到

for women traveling to other states

有些女性會前往其他州，

with less restrictive laws

這些州的法律限制較少，

to receive a procedure.

她們會在當地接受相關手術。

Conversely, researchers have found that sex education 表達脈絡

相反地，研究人員發現，推動性教育

and access to contraceptive methods

並讓人們更容易取得避孕措施，

do reduce the number of abortions

確實可以減少人工流產的數量，

by minimizing unwanted pregnancies.

因為這能減少非預期懷孕。

This can be seen 表達脈絡

這一點可以從以下現象看出：

in the abortion rates decreasing significantly

人工流產率顯著下降，

in the developed world since 1990.

自1990年以來，已開發國家一直呈現這種趨勢。

Ultimately, access to legal abortions

總而言之，能夠合法取得人工流產服務，

make women's lives safer and healthier.

能讓女性活得更安全、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,

或事後避孕藥，

which is not the same thing as an abortion,

這和人工流產並不是一回事，

you can check out our video on that here.

你可以點這裡觀看我們的相關影片。

And don't forget to subscribe

也別忘了訂閱我們的頻道，

for more weekly science videos every Thursday.

每週四收看更多科學影片。