This may happen at any time of Pregnancy; but is before the second Month after Conception, it is properly call'd a false Conception. See CONCEPTION.
We have Instances of Abortions by the way of the Mouth, the Anus, the Navel, &c. See FOETUS, EMBRYO, &c.
The usual Causes of Abortion, are immoderate Evacuations, violent Motions, sudden Passions, Frights, &c. Other Cautes are the largeness and heaviness of the Fœtus, Irritations of the Womb, Relaxation of the Ligaments of the Placenta, Weakness, and want of Nourishment in the Fœtus ;excess of eating, long fasting or waking, the use of Busks for the Shape, offensive Smells, violent Purgatives; and, in the general, any thing that tends to promote the Menses.
The Symptoms usually preceding, are a Fever, either continual or intermitting; Pain in the Loins and Head, heaviness in the Eyes, a bearing down and Constriction of the Abdomen. When the Time of Miscarriage is just at hand, the Pains are much the same as those in Labour. See DELIVERY.
Abortion is dangerous where the Time of Pregnancy is far advanc'd so that the Fœtus must be large, where the Cause is very violent, the Patient strongly convulsed, a large Hemorrhage precedes or ensues, the Fœtus is putrify'd, &c.Under other Circumstances it rarely proves mortal.
The Treatment is to be adapted to the particular Symptoms and Circumstances: If the Patient be Plethoric, as soon as the first Symptoms discover themselves, a Vein is to be open'd : In case of Flooding, recourse is to be had to proper Astringents; or is those fail, to Fomentations, Injections, and Suffumigations: Is a Tenesmus attend, Rhubarb is to be us'd;and if there be an habitual Laxity of the Uterine Vessels, Guaiacum.
ABORTION is also used where the Child dies in the Womb ;tho it remain there many Years, or even as long as the Mother lives.