This is the result of a prostaglandin abortion at 4 months into the pregnancy.
In this method, the mother is given a type of drug called "prostaglandins". These may be injected into the womb, or given as a pill. In either case, the drugs cause her to go into premature labor, with much stronger contractions than in normal labor. The fetus is normally crushed to death by the violent labor, but if not, and it is delivered alive, it will usually die within a few hours from exposure.
While this method was popular in the 1970's and 1980's for second trimester abortions, it is rarely used today, because the violent labor can be dangerous to the mother. It has been largely replaced by D&E, Dilation and Evacuation.
Photo courtesy Dr Jack Willke and Hayes Publishing Company
Posted 30 Sep 2000.
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