This list of women known to have died from instillation abortions is by no means a complete accounting of instillation abortion deaths in the United States. I included only those deaths in which I could verify the abortion technique.
Jacqueline Bailey
Jackie hemorrhaged after an incompete saline abortion in Los Angeles County.
September 21, 1995: Linda Boom
Linda died of salt poisoning after an abortion in Wisconsin.
Marla Cardamone
Marla didn't want an abortion, but relented under pressure from a social worker.
Twila Coulter
On November 13, 1972, 21-year-old Twila traveled from her home in Colorado
to California for a saline abortion. She developed clotting problems and died of cerebral hemorrhage.
Angel Dardie
Angel's mother sued after her daughter died of a saline abortion. The court settlement gave her less than $5000 to raise Angel's two children.
Cristella Forte
Cristella, age 16, screamed, convulsed, and went into cardiac arrest 27 hours after instillation of saline for an abortion. at New Centre Hospital on January 14, 1986.
Lynn McNair
Lynn was 23 weeks pregnant when she was injected with saline by Dr. Edward Rubin at Jewish Memorial Hospital.
Natalie Meyers
Sixteen-year-old Natalie was brought to San Vicente Hospital in Los
Angeles by her mother on October 21, 1972.
Shelby Moran
Shelby, a 39-year-old mother of five, was given Prostaglandin F2 Alpha for an abortion at Illinois Masonic Medical Center in January of 1978.
Katherine Morse
After California legalized abortion-on-demand in 1970, a Texas company began selling referrals and air fare. One customer was 20-year-old Katherine Morse.
"Alice" Roe
Alice was 31 years old when she underwent a 14-week saline abortion in New York City in 1970.
"Eleanor" Roe
Eleanor was 20 years old and 19 weeks pregnant when she underwent her fatal abortion in 1973.
"Erica" Roe
Erica was 20 years old and 22 weeks pregnant when she sought an abortion in 1974.
"Malorie" Roe
This 35-year-old woman was 20 weeks pregnant when she underwent a saline abortion in 1974.
"Melissa" Roe
Melissa was 27 years old and five months pregnant when she checked into Lutheran Medical Center of Brooklin on May 1, 1992.
"Nancy" Roe
Nancy was 16 years old, and 16 weeks pregnant, when she underwent the saline abortion that ended her life.
"Sherri" Roe
Sherri was 20 years old and late in the second trimester of her pregnancy when she underwent an abortion in 1975.
"Wendy" Roe
Wendy was 23 years old and 16 weeks pregnant when she sought an abortion in 1972.
Elizabeth Tsuji
According to an LA County Death Certificate, Elizabeth died after a saline abortion performed by a Dr. Jurewitz.
Cheryl Tubbs
Cheryl died after a saline abortion in Los Angeles county.
"Patient 1"
This 31-year-old woman had pancreatitis and pontine myelinolysis and underwent an abortion by prostaglandin instillation. Due to her poor health, she might have died even had she not undergone the abortion.
"Abortion Deaths Associated with the use of Prostaglandin," Am Journ Obstet Gynecol 2/1/77
"Patient 2"
This 19-year-old woman had heart problems, and her doctor chose prostaglandin rather than saline because he thought it would cause less strain to her heart. She died of an apparent amniotic fluid embolism.
"Abortion Deaths Associated with the use of Prostaglandin," Am Journ Obstet Gynecol 2/1/77
"Patient 3"
This 38-year-old woman was referred for a prostglandin instillation abortion at 24 weeks due to hypertension and pre-eclampsia. She died of intracranial hemorrhage.
"Abortion Deaths Associated with the use of Prostaglandin," Am Journ Obstet Gynecol 2/1/77
"Patient 4"
This healthy 16-year-old girl underwent a prostaglandin instillation abortion at 18 weeks. She was given narcotics for the pain, and her death seemed to be due to a reaction to the anesthetic.
"Abortion Deaths Associated with the use of Prostaglandin," Am Journ Obstet Gynecol 2/1/77
"Patient 5"
This healthy 33-year-old underwent an oxytocin abortion, augmented with saline and prostaglandin, at 24 weeks gestation. She developed overwhelming infection and coagulation defects as well as damage to her kidenys.
"Abortion Deaths Associated with the use of Prostaglandin," Am Journ Obstet Gynecol 2/1/77
"Case 1"
A 35-year-old mother of six had prostaglandin instillation in a doctor's office, which was this doctor's routine practice. About five minutes later, she collapsed and lapsed into a coma from which she never recovered. She died five months later.
"Sudden Collapse and Death of Women Obtaining Abortions Induced with Prostaglandin," Am Journ Obstet Gynecol 2/15/79
"Case 2"
A 26-year old woman had an instillation of prostaglandin at a teaching hospital. She seemed to tolerate the prostaglandin well, and was given a second instillation five minutes later. Shortly thereafter she developed chest and head pain and difficulty breathing. Five minutes later she had a siezure and her heart stopped. She was resuscitated and transferred to an ICU, where she eventually passed the fetus but remained in poor condition. She died a month after the abortion was initiated.
"Sudden Collapse and Death of Women Obtaining Abortions Induced with Prostaglandin," Am Journ Obstet Gynecol 2/15/79
