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The Abortion You're Having pa When You're Not Nissa A French company has developed a new once a month pill for women, officially known as RU-486 or the "French Pill". A single pill can be taken once a month before anyone can know whether a woman is pregnant. It washes away any fertilised eggs that may be present, without the physical and emotional trauma associated with abortion. RU-486 is due for general release in French hospitals and family planning clinics later this year and could be in Australia soon. RU-486 is not strictly speaking a contraceptive, because it does not prevent fertilization. It has been tested on thousands of women in fifteen countries with great success and no reported side effects. There is no information about how the drug might affect a foetus if a woman decides to continue her pregnancy if RU-486 fails - although animal studies have shown no adverse side-effects. The question is whether you believe life begins when the sperm fertilises the egg or after the fertilised egg is implanted in the uterine wall, where it must lodge to develop. Forty to sixty per cent of fertilised fogs fail to become implanted and are discharged from the body. So is RU-486 an abortificant or should it be called a "contragestive" - for counter-gestation? In all cultures and throughout history, women have used herbs that will bring on periods. Is it time for technology to rediscover some old ‘wives tales’ and explore the possibility of mother nature providing a natural way to deal with this? Whatever one believes about abortion, a drug like this will have a dramatic impact on women and society. a woman VANISHING TWINS It appears that far more twins are conceived than are actually born, becoming known in medical literature as the "vanishing twin" phenomenon. First discovered a decade ago, its existence is now documented by ultrasound scan analayses. Research has _ established that the disappearing twin "vanishes", usually during the first month of pregnancy and never after the first trimester. What is intriguing about the studies is their estimation of twin disappearance rates: froma low zero per cent to a high 78% of twin conceptions. About a dozen "vanishing twin" studies have appeared in medical literature from 1979. A US team of obstetricians headed by Dr. Helain Landy of Philadelphia's Pennsylvania Hospital are now making a definitive study of the "vanishing twin". The Landy team followed 1,000's of US pregnancies with ultrasound and analysed all cases very carefully. They discovered a "minimum incidence" of conceptual twinning of 3.29%to a maximum incidence of 5.39% - higher than previously believed. "Vanishine" accuread in 219% af cancieved twin cacec The Landy team basically agrees that because of severe foetal genetic defects, the mother's pony either absorbs or rejects the damaged foetus throug! miscarriage, while leaving the healthy one perfectly intact. VANISHING TWINS It appears that far more twins are conceived than are actually born, becoming known in medical literature as the "vanishing twin" phenomenon. First discovered a decade ago, its existence is now documented by ultrasound scan analayses. Research has _ established that the disappearing twin "vanishes", usually during the first month of pregnancy and never after the first trimester. What is intriguing about the studies is their estimation of twin disappearance rates: froma low zero per cent to a high 78% of twin conceptions. About a dozen "vanishing twin" studies have appeared in medical literature from 1979. A US team of obstetricians headed by Dr. Helain Landy of Philadelphia's Pennsylvania Hospital are now making a definitive study of the "vanishing twin". The Landy team followed 1,000's of US pregnancies with ultrasound and analysed all cases very carefully. They discovered a "minimum incidence" of conceptual twinning of 3.29%to a maximum incidence of 5.39% - higher than previously believed. "Vanishing" occured in 21.2% of concieved twin cases. It was found to be accompanied very often by maternal vaginal bleeding. : ” Nexis Ne “4 By Nissa 19 ’ Nexus New Times