This section is from the book "Sexology - Aug 1941", by Professor Dregs. Also available from Amazon: Our Sexuality.
A year and a half ago, I had an abortion, brought about by medical means. Since then the menstrual flow, though regular, has been scant and dark, with mucus. I have taken estrogenic (female) hormones by injection for some months. The uterus is tipped back, ever since my miscarriage. Do you think I should continue this treatment, or have a curettement? The doctor says the uterus is larger than it should be. Or will a major operation be necessary?
Q. 1620. Poisoning, whether from a natural illness or drugs, may cause miscarriage. Part of the products of pregnancy may remain and cause internal trouble by infection.
Mrs. O. G., California.
Answer:
Your condition is, in all probability, the result of the abortion, which was perhaps performed in an unskilled manner; and it is quite possible that some residual tissue was left in the uterus. Or it may be that the chemicals which were injected caused some intra-uterine condition.
I have serious doubts as to whether the estrogenic hormones will be of any benefit to you. A curettement, or scraping, of the womb will probably be necessary to restore the proper normal menstrual function; and this should be performed only by a skilled gynecologist, under the most aseptic conditions, preferably in a hospital.
-Editor.
Will taking drugs when you are less than two weeks late in menstruating make you guilty of getting rid of a baby, or will it just bring on the natural flow quicker?
Mrs. D. D., Indiana,
Answer :
Drugs used to bring on the menstrual flow are called emmenagogues, and are quite dangerous to use for the purposes you state in your letter. Any method of interrupting a pregnancy is known as an abortion, no matter how early the pregnancy is. Serious hemorrhages often are produced by such drugs which frequently are extremely dangerous to life.
I must say, however, that most emmenagogues are useless, once conception has taken place.
Then, too, it is not infrequent for a "period" to be skipped, as a result of gland conditions, a slight illness, or even mere nervousness, in the absence of pregnancy. This is even more common in unmarried young women.
-Editor.
 
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