Teen dies after taking abortion pill

Fly Free · 09-22-2003, 10:40 PM

http://www.cnn.com/2003/HEALTH/09/22....ap/index.html

Teen dies after complications from abortion pill

Monday, September 22, 2003 Posted: 2:02 PM EDT (1802 GMT)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Holly Marie Patterson went to a Planned Parenthood clinic two weeks ago to quietly consider ways to handle a life change she wasn't ready for. One week later, the 18-year-old lay dying on an emergency room table, the victim of complications after she took the abortion pill.

Patterson's death is likely to reignite the debate surrounding RU-486, the pill approved by the Food and Drug Administration two years ago as a way for women to end pregnancies themselves.

Her father is hoping the tragedy will encourage other women considering abortion to seek support, especially from their families.

"Every time I think about it, I think, 'She suffered in silence,"' said Monty Patterson, who said he did not know his daughter was pregnant or taking abortion drugs. "She felt she would disappoint everyone around her, and then she had to carry that whole load. I wish she could have told me so I could have helped her."

Holly Patterson, who lived in the San Francisco suburb of Livermore, visited a Planned Parenthood clinic September 10 to take the pill. She followed the prescribed procedure for using RU-486, taking two more pills at home three days later.

After experiencing bleeding and cramps so severe that she was unable to walk, her boyfriend rushed her to the hospital the following evening, where she was given painkillers and sent home. Three nights later, she was back in the hospital. She died the following day.

An autopsy has been scheduled to determine the cause of Holly's death. But Monty Patterson said he learned from an attending physician at the hospital that she had died after a massive infection caused by fragments of the fetus left inside her uterus caused her to go into septic shock. Planned Parenthood also said it is investigating Patterson's death.

A spokeswoman for Danco Laboratories, which makes RU-486, estimated that 200,000 women in the United States and more than 1 million worldwide have used the pill since it was invented in France in the 1980s.

Two women who took it in the United States have died, although the FDA says it is unclear if their deaths were directly related to the pill's use.

Patients who take RU-486 take the first pill under the care of a physician. A second medication called misoprostol, taken three days later, induces labor so the embryo can be expelled. In 5 to 8 percent of cases, surgery is required to stop the patient's bleeding.

Planned Parenthood's website compares the process to having a miscarriage. Five to eight percent of cases require surgery, either to stop a patient's bleeding or to complete the abortion.

Eric Schaff, chair of the National Abortion Federation, which promotes non-surgical abortion, said aspirin causes more deaths than RU-486.

But anti-abortion groups such as the National Right to Life Committee insist that the pills "offer a whole new set of significant risks," and makes abortion seem too simple. A report on the group's Web site says the pill gives "supporters of abortion a chance to change the image of abortion, making it seem as simple as taking a pill."

Although he said he did not blame the pill for his daughter's death, Monty Patterson regretted that she and her boyfriend hadn't received more information and support from family members, counselors and physicians.

"What's disturbing is these young couples, they are relying upon what they think is good, solid info, and relying on what they think is a supportive network telling them everything is OK," he said. "I would have said, 'You know what, they don't know everything. Let's get more information."'

Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Liza · 09-23-2003, 02:20 AM

My condolences to the family and friends of that teen. Making informed choices cant be beat. You dont know about something, just investigate it more thoroughly instead of relying on a product's advertisement.

However, the article didn't mention how long along the teen was before she took that pill. That could be an influential factor. Is this the first death case related with the abortion pill? In Norway, they call it "regret pill."

DeafSCUBA98 · 09-23-2003, 02:31 AM

why abortion for?.. simple give birth if u aren't responsible enough or not ready.. Too bad.. or give away for adoption..

CatoCooper13 · 09-23-2003, 03:17 AM

It's always been such a controversial issue surrounding abortion. It's sad that the teenaged girl died from complications in relations to the pill and mass infection in her uterus. Professionals should have had her in the proper clinic if she didn't want to carry the baby to term or have it and give up for adoption.

DeafSCUBA98 · 09-23-2003, 03:24 AM

I have one huge question here.. since it just popped up in my mind..

What if.. A girl is pregant.. doesn't want a baby and is considering an abortion.. And the Father.. Wants to keep the baby after it's born?

opposite question..

What if the father doesn't want a child.. and the mother wants a child.. can a father decide for abortion? most of you will say that father can't decide.. but my point is.. it's the same issue as the question above..

javapride · 09-23-2003, 03:38 AM

regardless of the fact, i can understand the underlying situation between them its the facts of uninformed situation that can get sticky, I do know one thing, I wouldn't have an abortion and if im not ready to have a kid or im not finacailly stabled enuff or emtionally stable enuff to have the child i would rather go thru the 9 months and give the child up as opposed to ending its life when u ll keep remembering the devstation of this kid will have been say 5 yrs old today if u didn t have the abortion, I for one symthized with the family and encourage them to teach them to make better informed decisison its not just the professionals that knows everything its also the poeple themselves who have experince life and know things beforehand. it's a wise way to make better desison before causing pain and anguish. Sad situation to happen to a teen like this!

***VamPyroX*** · 09-23-2003, 11:32 AM

The issue isn't really whether or not the kid should have a kid or not. It's the issue of the pill itself. They are now trying to determine whether it's okay to leave it out on the market or remove it. I think they should leave it. No, I'm not saying that I'm supporting abortion. But, I'm not going to deprive others of their needs and/or wants. If someone wants to have an abortion, fine with me. If they get emotional or sick over it, then they should have thought of it before they had an abortion. As for the pills, not every pill is 100% effective or safe. Some people have allergic reactions, some get sick, some are fine, and some need something else with it. For instance, they say that taking St. Johns Wort cancels the effects of birth control. St. Johns Wort is an ingredient that most doctors use in anti-depressants. If a woman is depressed and on birth control, then the doctor has to find something else instead of medicine with St. Johns Wort. However, St. Johns Wort does not always cancel the effects. It usually does, but that depends on the individual. I, myself, have higher tolerance for alcohol and drugs. I require three doses of novocaine when going to the dentist. I require three or four pills when taking allergy medicine or asprin. Like I said, leave it alone. If someone dies, don't blame the company. It works for everyone else, don't stop because it kills one person for a possible different reason. Hell, if they want to remove it, then they better remove asprin cuz it kills more people than those who take this pill!

crazyerica32 · 09-26-2003, 02:23 AM

but I never will take abortion pill cuz it's complicated.. but the teen is too young to have a kid shouldn't never take it only 18 and + can get it but 18 is too young u know? which is sad she lost a kid and died cuz of abortion pill she thought will kill teh baby but it wud kill the baby and teen too ugh

Liza · 09-26-2003, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeafSCUBA98

why abortion for?.. simple give birth if u aren't responsible enough or not ready.. Too bad.. or give away for adoption..

Easier said than done.

Liza · 09-26-2003, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VamPyroX

The issue isn't really whether or not the kid should have a kid or not. It's the issue of the pill itself. They are now trying to determine whether it's okay to leave it out on the market or remove it. I think they should leave it. No, I'm not saying that I'm supporting abortion. But, I'm not going to deprive others of their needs and/or wants. If someone wants to have an abortion, fine with me. If they get emotional or sick over it, then they should have thought of it before they had an abortion. As for the pills, not every pill is 100% effective or safe. Some people have allergic reactions, some get sick, some are fine, and some need something else with it. For instance, they say that taking St. Johns Wort cancels the effects of birth control. St. Johns Wort is an ingredient that most doctors use in anti-depressants. If a woman is depressed and on birth control, then the doctor has to find something else instead of medicine with St. Johns Wort. However, St. Johns Wort does not always cancel the effects. It usually does, but that depends on the individual. I, myself, have higher tolerance for alcohol and drugs. I require three doses of novocaine when going to the dentist. I require three or four pills when taking allergy medicine or asprin. Like I said, leave it alone. If someone dies, don't blame the company. It works for everyone else, don't stop because it kills one person for a possible different reason. Hell, if they want to remove it, then they better remove asprin cuz it kills more people than those who take this pill!

Agreed on people having choices and leaving the pill alone on the market. Guess they will have to learn their lessons from this unfortunate teen's death and what caused it.

It's like saying the CI caused one death from an infection then it should be outlawed outright... see the parallel?

Kai Onca · 09-26-2003, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeafSCUBA98

why abortion for?.. simple give birth if u aren't responsible enough or not ready.. Too bad.. or give away for adoption..

first of all, you're a guy- you just can't go off telling women what to do with their bodies... yes you have rights as a father to a certain limitations.. in the end its the womens body

Kai Onca · 09-26-2003, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VamPyroX

The issue isn't really whether or not the kid should have a kid or not. It's the issue of the pill itself. They are now trying to determine whether it's okay to leave it out on the market or remove it. I think they should leave it. No, I'm not saying that I'm supporting abortion. But, I'm not going to deprive others of their needs and/or wants. If someone wants to have an abortion, fine with me. If they get emotional or sick over it, then they should have thought of it before they had an abortion. As for the pills, not every pill is 100% effective or safe. Some people have allergic reactions, some get sick, some are fine, and some need something else with it. For instance, they say that taking St. Johns Wort cancels the effects of birth control. St. Johns Wort is an ingredient that most doctors use in anti-depressants. If a woman is depressed and on birth control, then the doctor has to find something else instead of medicine with St. Johns Wort. However, St. Johns Wort does not always cancel the effects. It usually does, but that depends on the individual. I, myself, have higher tolerance for alcohol and drugs. I require three doses of novocaine when going to the dentist. I require three or four pills when taking allergy medicine or asprin. Like I said, leave it alone. If someone dies, don't blame the company. It works for everyone else, don't stop because it kills one person for a possible different reason. Hell, if they want to remove it, then they better remove asprin cuz it kills more people than those who take this pill!

09-22-2003, 10:40 PM	#1 (permalink)
Fly Free Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Roosted in the DC area! Posts: 9,101	Teen dies after taking abortion pill http://www.cnn.com/2003/HEALTH/09/22....ap/index.html Teen dies after complications from abortion pill Monday, September 22, 2003 Posted: 2:02 PM EDT (1802 GMT) SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Holly Marie Patterson went to a Planned Parenthood clinic two weeks ago to quietly consider ways to handle a life change she wasn't ready for. One week later, the 18-year-old lay dying on an emergency room table, the victim of complications after she took the abortion pill. Patterson's death is likely to reignite the debate surrounding RU-486, the pill approved by the Food and Drug Administration two years ago as a way for women to end pregnancies themselves. Her father is hoping the tragedy will encourage other women considering abortion to seek support, especially from their families. "Every time I think about it, I think, 'She suffered in silence,"' said Monty Patterson, who said he did not know his daughter was pregnant or taking abortion drugs. "She felt she would disappoint everyone around her, and then she had to carry that whole load. I wish she could have told me so I could have helped her." Holly Patterson, who lived in the San Francisco suburb of Livermore, visited a Planned Parenthood clinic September 10 to take the pill. She followed the prescribed procedure for using RU-486, taking two more pills at home three days later. After experiencing bleeding and cramps so severe that she was unable to walk, her boyfriend rushed her to the hospital the following evening, where she was given painkillers and sent home. Three nights later, she was back in the hospital. She died the following day. An autopsy has been scheduled to determine the cause of Holly's death. But Monty Patterson said he learned from an attending physician at the hospital that she had died after a massive infection caused by fragments of the fetus left inside her uterus caused her to go into septic shock. Planned Parenthood also said it is investigating Patterson's death. A spokeswoman for Danco Laboratories, which makes RU-486, estimated that 200,000 women in the United States and more than 1 million worldwide have used the pill since it was invented in France in the 1980s. Two women who took it in the United States have died, although the FDA says it is unclear if their deaths were directly related to the pill's use. Patients who take RU-486 take the first pill under the care of a physician. A second medication called misoprostol, taken three days later, induces labor so the embryo can be expelled. In 5 to 8 percent of cases, surgery is required to stop the patient's bleeding. Planned Parenthood's website compares the process to having a miscarriage. Five to eight percent of cases require surgery, either to stop a patient's bleeding or to complete the abortion. Eric Schaff, chair of the National Abortion Federation, which promotes non-surgical abortion, said aspirin causes more deaths than RU-486. But anti-abortion groups such as the National Right to Life Committee insist that the pills "offer a whole new set of significant risks," and makes abortion seem too simple. A report on the group's Web site says the pill gives "supporters of abortion a chance to change the image of abortion, making it seem as simple as taking a pill." Although he said he did not blame the pill for his daughter's death, Monty Patterson regretted that she and her boyfriend hadn't received more information and support from family members, counselors and physicians. "What's disturbing is these young couples, they are relying upon what they think is good, solid info, and relying on what they think is a supportive network telling them everything is OK," he said. "I would have said, 'You know what, they don't know everything. Let's get more information."' Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. __________________ Enjoying life!

09-23-2003, 02:31 AM	#3 (permalink)
DeafSCUBA98 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: land of 10,000 lakes and living by one of them Posts: 4,645	why abortion for?.. simple give birth if u aren't responsible enough or not ready.. Too bad.. or give away for adoption.. __________________ Nucleus Freedom 04/18/05 activiated 05/16/05

09-23-2003, 03:17 AM	#4 (permalink)
CatoCooper13 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Sonoma County, California Posts: 6,443	It's always been such a controversial issue surrounding abortion. It's sad that the teenaged girl died from complications in relations to the pill and mass infection in her uterus. Professionals should have had her in the proper clinic if she didn't want to carry the baby to term or have it and give up for adoption. __________________

09-23-2003, 03:24 AM	#5 (permalink)
DeafSCUBA98 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: land of 10,000 lakes and living by one of them Posts: 4,645	I have one huge question here.. since it just popped up in my mind.. What if.. A girl is pregant.. doesn't want a baby and is considering an abortion.. And the Father.. Wants to keep the baby after it's born? opposite question.. What if the father doesn't want a child.. and the mother wants a child.. can a father decide for abortion? most of you will say that father can't decide.. but my point is.. it's the same issue as the question above.. __________________ Nucleus Freedom 04/18/05 activiated 05/16/05

09-23-2003, 11:32 AM	#7 (permalink)
*VamPyroX* bloody phreak from hell Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: 40.18, 58.41 Posts: 34,193	The issue isn't really whether or not the kid should have a kid or not. It's the issue of the pill itself. They are now trying to determine whether it's okay to leave it out on the market or remove it. I think they should leave it. No, I'm not saying that I'm supporting abortion. But, I'm not going to deprive others of their needs and/or wants. If someone wants to have an abortion, fine with me. If they get emotional or sick over it, then they should have thought of it before they had an abortion. As for the pills, not every pill is 100% effective or safe. Some people have allergic reactions, some get sick, some are fine, and some need something else with it. For instance, they say that taking St. Johns Wort cancels the effects of birth control. St. Johns Wort is an ingredient that most doctors use in anti-depressants. If a woman is depressed and on birth control, then the doctor has to find something else instead of medicine with St. Johns Wort. However, St. Johns Wort does not always cancel the effects. It usually does, but that depends on the individual. I, myself, have higher tolerance for alcohol and drugs. I require three doses of novocaine when going to the dentist. I require three or four pills when taking allergy medicine or asprin. Like I said, leave it alone. If someone dies, don't blame the company. It works for everyone else, don't stop because it kills one person for a possible different reason. Hell, if they want to remove it, then they better remove asprin cuz it kills more people than those who take this pill! __________________ Check out my city... C L I C K H E R E! (If you've already visited yesterday, visit again today!)

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09-23-2003, 02:20 AM	#2 (permalink)
Liza Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Jacksonville Posts: 4,367 Blog Entries: 2	My condolences to the family and friends of that teen. Making informed choices cant be beat. You dont know about something, just investigate it more thoroughly instead of relying on a product's advertisement. However, the article didn't mention how long along the teen was before she took that pill. That could be an influential factor. Is this the first death case related with the abortion pill? In Norway, they call it "regret pill."

09-23-2003, 03:38 AM	#6 (permalink)
javapride Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: hawaii Posts: 6,511	regardless of the fact, i can understand the underlying situation between them its the facts of uninformed situation that can get sticky, I do know one thing, I wouldn't have an abortion and if im not ready to have a kid or im not finacailly stabled enuff or emtionally stable enuff to have the child i would rather go thru the 9 months and give the child up as opposed to ending its life when u ll keep remembering the devstation of this kid will have been say 5 yrs old today if u didn t have the abortion, I for one symthized with the family and encourage them to teach them to make better informed decisison its not just the professionals that knows everything its also the poeple themselves who have experince life and know things beforehand. it's a wise way to make better desison before causing pain and anguish. Sad situation to happen to a teen like this!

09-26-2003, 02:23 AM	#8 (permalink)
crazyerica32 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: san jose, CA Posts: 4,765 Blog Entries: 5	but I never will take abortion pill cuz it's complicated.. but the teen is too young to have a kid shouldn't never take it only 18 and + can get it but 18 is too young u know? which is sad she lost a kid and died cuz of abortion pill she thought will kill teh baby but it wud kill the baby and teen too ugh

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