Abortion Methods, Assisted Reproduction, and Sexual Identity
Abortion Methods
- Surgical Abortion (Early): Up to 12 weeks, cervical dilation, strong suction vacuum, curettage.
- Surgical Abortion (Mid-Trimester): China, first week of 2nd trimester, suction curettage + comb (sometimes forceps). Bleeding and pain are expected.
- Intra-Amniotic Instillation: Article 5th week, amniotic saline solution (20%). Death within 12 hours due to dehydration, brain hemorrhage, convulsions, and organ failure.
- Late-Term Abortion: Similar to surgical intervention, Caesarean extraction of the fetus outside the womb, resulting in death.
- Medical Abortion: Provoked delivery. Complications include the possibility of a live birth and significant damage if used with RU-486.
- D&X (Dilation and Extraction): Head out, scissors, suction of the brain.
Risks and Complications of Abortion
Infections, cervical injury, uterine perforation, infertility, bleeding, increased risk with age.
Post-Abortion Syndrome
Depression, disinterest, anorexia/bulimia, frigidity, sexual dysfunction (40%), relationship issues (70%), self-harm/suicidal ideation (60%), inability to concentrate, anxiety attacks/aggression.
Assisted Reproductive Technologies
- Artificial Insemination (IA): Semen placed in the female genital tract.
- Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer (GIFT): Ovarian hyperstimulation, egg and sperm placed in the fallopian tube.
- In Vitro Fertilization (IVF): Hyperstimulation, egg and sperm incubation at 37°C, selection of best embryos, transfer to the uterus (10% success rate). [Supernumerary embryos? Freezing, donation, research, destruction after 5 years]
- Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI): Similar to IVF but with artificial insemination, increased risk of congenital malformations.
Ethical and Legal Implications
Entailment: Living embryo, pre-embryo question, free fecundation, co-creative role of God.
Ethical Implications: Living embryo, frozen embryo, preimplantation diagnosis, interspecific crosses, producing life through technology, experimentation with embryos.
Legal Implications: Parental rights, unauthorized use of genetic material, post-mortem fatherhood, uterus rental, frozen embryos.
Cloning and Stem Cells
- Cloning: Asexual process to obtain genetically identical organisms.
- Totipotent Cells: Stem cells from zygote (2-4 cells), undifferentiated, can develop into any cell type, embryo is eliminated.
- Pluripotent Cells: Stem cells from embryo (4-6 days), grouped into 3 main families, some differentiation, embryo is eliminated.
- Multipotent Cells: Specialized cells obtained through biopsy.
Technical and Ethical Problems of Cloning
Low success rate, therapeutic malformations, embryonic stem cells are difficult to control, adult stem cells show better results.
Ethical Implications: Many dead embryos, the action must be good (action, intention, and means), therapeutic benefit vs. embryonic life, privacy concerns, possibility of eugenics, distortion of parental and family relationships, false expectations for the sick.
Sexual Identity
Scientific Aspects
Biological Sex: XX, XY. Natural Reality: Men and women are born. Sex has multiple dimensions. Homosexuality affects 4% of the population. Intersex states exist.
Configuration of Sexual Identity
Sex markers, gonadal and hormonal development, psychological, emotional, and behavioral aspects (may be anomalies).
Etiology or Origin
Organic-genetic (apparently not), psycho-emotional (childhood trauma), sociocultural (environment, customs). A mix of all three.
Common Conflicts
Loneliness, sadness, depression, feelings of inadequacy, lack of self-acceptance and confidence, narcissism, excessive attachment to parents, sexual violence.
Itinerary
Up to the mother’s 3rd year, overcoming the Oedipal complex, identification with the father, confusion about orientation, peer labeling, teenage questioning, parental labeling, acceptance of homosexuality.
Gender Perspective
Since the 1960s, sex is assigned by society, not nature. Humans are sexually polymorphous. The need for a homosexual feminist revolution.