ABSTRACT
With the recent overturning of Roe V. Wade by the Supreme Court, access to abortions in many regions across the United States will become very limited as laws regarding fetal termination will be determined by state legislators rather than on a federal level. This article highlights the effects of Roe V. Wade's abolishment on individuals that can get pregnant, how unwanted pregnancies will affect society in general, and reasonable steps forward following the ban. We conducted an electronic search using PubMed, Google, and Google Scholar. The search was retrospective, and the preliminary results focused on articles about the rationale behind pregnancy termination and the overall effects of abortion and the ban. Review papers, original papers, and newspaper articles were eligible for use. Sample size and region of publication were not exclusionary criteria. Each author independently reviewed and extracted data to write up each assigned section, and group collaborations occurred to create the final draft. Out of the 93 resources reviewed, 32 sources were deemed eligible and used in this article. These resources included 23 journal articles, eight websites, and one book.. The data gathered showed that while abortions have many potential complications even when performed under regulated conditions, taking away the choice of those with a uterus is also not without consequence. The economic, familial, and societal implications should be considered moving forward as safety nets will need to be implemented for people with uterus and children involved.
ABSTRACT
Uterine fibroids are common, especially among women of African descent. Several women with fibroids are asymptomatic, which may contribute to underestimating its prevalence. Symptomatic uterine fibroids present with menstrual problems, anemia, infertility, miscarriages, an enlarged abdomen, pressure symptoms involving the bladder and bowels (such as frequent urination or constipation), and sometimes coital-related problems. This case report describes a 25-year-old African American woman with uterine fibroids who suffered from lower back pain radiating to the left lower extremity, along with paresthesias and weakness of the left leg. She was diagnosed with lumbar radiculopathy, early pregnancy, and an incidental finding of a Tarlov cyst. As the pregnancy progressed, the sciatic pain ceased within the first trimester. Sciatic pain can result from a sudden increase in the uterus size caused by an early pregnancy coexisting with large fibroids. The sciatic pain may not remain throughout the pregnancy as the growing uterus with large fibroids may be displaced from the site of nerve compression.
