A study published in the Journal of Sociology reviewing four years of abortion provision in an Irish hospital showed that one in eight women who had undergone medical abortion in a hospital then made unplanned visits to the emergency department – and 25% of cases led to “ongoing pregnancy” or “incomplete” abortion requiring further intervention.
Less than half of the women involved (47%) opted for “non-directive counselling with a social worker”, while 38.3% “had no documentation stating it had been offered” – and 14.8% declined such counselling
The study also pointed to the fact that: “a limited portion of healthcare professionals participate in service provision raising concerns regarding the sustainability of the service”.
The study examined 149 cases of medical abortion that had taken place in a large maternity hospital between 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2022 in Ireland South. Researchers said that “individuals” had “either self-presented to the emergency department or were referred by an abortion provider working in the community in counties Cork, Kerry, Waterford, and Tipperary.
Abortion on demand is available in Ireland since 2019. More than 50,000 abortions have taken place since that time according to the latest figures from the Department of Healtgh
Abortions are generally provided in GP clinics in cases when unborn babies are less than 10 weeks gestation, but referrals to a hospital are made between 10 and 12 weeks gestation, or where a surgical abortion will be carried out, or where the woman had medical comorbidities.
In the cases under review, six patients required a blood transfusion after estimated blood loss greater than 500ml, with three receiving a red blood cell transfusion – while two women required high dependency unit level care for one-on-one monitoring following significant blood loss.
The report said that a medical review following discharge from the hospital was sought by 34 of the 149 cases – and that in 18 cases the reviews followed “unplanned presentations” by women to the emergency department.
“Presentations for emergency review were primarily due to concerns regarding infection or heavy/irregular vaginal bleeding,” the study found.
It also noted that in cases of “ongoing pregnancy” or incomplete abortion- which occurred for 38 women or 25% of cases – “whereby there is retained pregnancy tissue” after one round of medical abortion, “one of the following treatment options were provided: additional doses of misoprostol were administered, pregnancy tissue was manually removed on speculum examination on the ward, or a surgical TOP was performed”.
Reacting to the study, Sandra Parda of the Life Institute said that the study gave an insight into the complications following medical abortion when they took place in hospitals, and said that many women who had spoken to her and to other organisations were “shocked at how disturbing and painful the abortion process could be when they had been led to believe that aborting their child was a simply removing a cluster of cells.”
She pointed to another study published in the same edition of the Journal of Sociology, which acknowledged that “the level of pain and bleeding surprising those who have medication abortions is a common finding in global research on medication abortion”.
“One story was particularly disturbing in that study,” Ms Parda said, telling of a woman who said: ‘I was sitting here at our fire here in the kitchen and around 9 o’clock that evening and I was getting pains, they weren’t that bad like, they weren’t too bad. And I stood up and next minute I got this pain and the whole sac came out and fell on to the ground in the kitchen. It came out of my trousers, right on the, and that was real traumatic. And only because my husband is so, he’s like “you go into the bathroom, I’ll sort this out”, you know.’
“That was very distressing to read, I don’t think women expect that,” Ms Parda said. “The authors of the study on abortion provision in hospital describe abortion as “efficient and safe” but these revelations are quite shocking, I feel.”
“That study refers to women as “individuals” throughout: which seems to be a nod to the ridiculous pretence that men can get pregnant and the use of ludicrous description we see in HSE information of “pregnant persons”, Ms Parda said.
“The study looks at just 149 cases, but with over 50,000 abortions being carried out in Ireland until end of February this year, it is dreadful to think of how many women have been left deeply distressed or even harmed.”
The Pro-Life Campaign also commented on the study, saying an “urgent rethink on current abortion policy is required at the highest levels of government”.
They also pointed to a parliamentary question reply to Deputy Carol Nolan which stated that during the period 2019-2024, there were 29 incidents where ‘moderate harm’ was reported for women undergoing abortions, a category which includes an increased length of stay in hospital and the possibility of ‘causing permanent or long-term harm or loss of function’ for the woman.
“This new data further undermines the infamous claim before the 2018 referendum that abortion would be “safe, legal, and rare”. As we know, abortion is neither ‘safe’ for the unborn baby or the woman,” the organisation said.
The “Termination of early pregnancy in Ireland: Review of the first four years of inpatient service at a tertiary maternity unit” study concluded that “medical TOPs before 12 weeks’ gestation conducted in the hospital setting are both efficient and safe”, while acknowledging “a small number of complications were observed, providing insight into areas for improvement”.
It also said: “a limited portion of healthcare professionals participate in service provision raising concerns regarding the sustainability of the service”.