The region was shaken by a tragic story of a 17-year-old girl from Montenegro who died nearly a year ago after taking abortion pills. Despite the time passed, the official culprits remain unknown, and the case is still under investigation. This tragedy highlights the dangers of illegal abortion pills, which in Serbia cannot be bought in pharmacies without medical supervision and hospital conditions.
Gynecologists warn that intentional pregnancy termination in Serbia can be done surgically up to the 10th week of pregnancy or medically up to the 7th week, but only under a strictly defined protocol and medical supervision. Prof. Dr. Ana Mitrović Jovanović from GAK Narodni front explains that the morning-after pill is not an abortion pill but emergency contraception that can prevent pregnancy if taken immediately after unprotected sex, but it cannot terminate an existing pregnancy.
Medical abortion is performed using a combination of antiprogesterone and prostaglandin, administered in hospital settings. First, antiprogesterone is taken to block progesterone necessary for maintaining pregnancy, followed by prostaglandin which causes uterine contractions and bleeding. The procedure is done without anesthesia or invasive methods and has fewer complications compared to surgical abortion.
However, every abortion carries risks of complications including infections, heavy bleeding, organ damage, and even death. That is why abortion must be performed under strict medical supervision. In case of heavy bleeding, pain, or fever, the patient must seek immediate medical help.
This tragedy of the Montenegrin teenager is a warning to everyone not to play with their health and life, especially when it comes to abortion pills that are not prescribed and supervised by professionals. Medical experts and institutions urge adherence to protocols and legality to prevent such tragedies in the future.
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