Why is it risky to attempt to cause your own miscarriage?

Answer 1

Miscarriages occur naturally (in about 30% of all conceptions) if there is something wrong with the foetus or embryo (for some reason it cannot continue to live) or the woman (for some reason her body cannot support the foetus).

Because the body will naturally try to support the foetus if at all possible, to instigate a miscarriage when there is no naturally occurring fault with either the woman or the foetus, requires a threat to physical health of the foetus. This could be a toxin or bacteria that will affect the foetus more than the woman, but it will have some effect on the woman, as both are human organisms and have closely linked blood supplies.

Some types of toxin or bacteria will affect a growing organism more, (this is the same basic principle used in cancer chemotherapy), but are still not healthy for a fully grown person, and have associated risks of severe bleeding, permanent damage, illness, or death. Physical methods of attempting to cause a miscarriage, where there is an attempt to injure the foetus, are likely to cause an injury to the woman, because her body is surrounding and protecting the foetus. One common effect is severe bleeding which can be fatal.

Medical abortions are carefully set up to minimise the risk to the woman and are therefore the only truly safe option for the woman.