DO STATISTICS ON COMPLICATIONS OF INDUCED ABORTION COVER UTERINE PERFORATION AND OTHER ABDOMINAL PERFORATIONS?
1. WHAT CAUSES UTERINE (AND OTHER ABDOMINAL) PERFORATIONS? DILATION Morgentaler: ” During dilation.the doctor tries to widen the diameter of the cervical canal leading to the uterine cavity by pushing metal dilators through it. As he does this he encounters muscular resistance. A very thin dilator might pass through the cervical canal easily; however, as they progressively increase in thickness, the resistance of the muscles holding the cervix closed increases correspondingly. The doctor overcomes this resistance by steady pressure until it gives way and the dilator slips into the uterine cavity. Occasionally, the resistance gives way suddenly and the dilator is then propelled into the uterus with a force which might bring it in too far, thus perforating the uterine wall. In pregnancy, the uterine wall softens considerably and thins out in certain places; if a dilator hits a weakened spot, it might go through it. If the doctor is unaware of this, and often he has no way of knowing, he
