Abstract
Unsafe abortion is one of the major causes of maternal mortality and morbidity. It is defined as a procedure for terminating an unwanted pregnancy either by persons lacking the necessary skills or in an environment lacking minimal medical standards or both. According to the WHO, between 2010 and 2014, 25% of pregnancies ended in induced abortion and among them approximately 25 million were unsafe. Here, we present a case of 26-year-old female who presented to emergency department with complaints of vaginal bleeding and abdominal pain after dilatation and curettage followed by incomplete expulsion of fetus. Surgical abortion was attempted by an unqualified provider resulting in uterine rupture along with displacement of decapitated fetal head into the abdominal cavity. This case report highlights the grave complications that may arise during the abortion if done by untrained hands. It also warns about the prevailing unethical medical practices and aids to prevent such medical mishaps.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Anjana Kafle, Maimoona Ashraf, Sara Khan Niazi, Parshal Bhandari