Abortion : Causes And Effects

In the United States “1.7% of women aged 15–44 have an abortion” (“Induced Abortion in the United States”). Twenty-one percent of all pregnancies end in abortion (“Induced Abortion in the United States”). Women most commonly have abortions before the end of her first trimester, twelve weeks into the pregnancy, however, abortions may also be performed after the first trimester. Abortions are quite common, but they also lead to numerous issues for the parents such as regret, depression, drug abuse and even suicide. The parent’s choice of abortion has lasting physical and psychological effects on the parents of the aborted child, even years after the abortion process.

The practice of abortions throughout the United States are safe. Abortions have become safer since the procedure was reluctantly legalized in the United States-by the Supreme Court-in 1973. According to The American Medical Association’s Council on Scientific Affairs the number of deaths associated with abortion drastically dropped from roughly four out of every one hundred thousand women in 1973 to .6 per every one hundred thousand women in 1997 (Abortion is Safe). These statistics show that procedure in how an abortion is performed has become safer since legalization. Legalization of abortion permitted the procedure to be performed in a sterile setting- such as a hospital operating room. The medical risk associated with an abortion procedure is highly overestimated. An abortion performed exactly as medically advised carries half the risk of a tonsillectomy (Abortion is Safe). (A tonsillectomy is a simple procedure that is performed on many children in their childhood.) On the other hand, anti-abortion advocates point to emotional problems that could harm the pregnant woman after an abortion. These advocates attempt to show there is a link to mental disorders in post abortion women. A New Zealand study looked to verify this claim. The analysis showed that there was a credible link between depression, suicide attempts and substance abuse in post abortion women (Cords). Researchers also aimed to connect having an abortion with post-traumatic stress disorder

One of the most widely discussed issues within the topic of abortion is the mental health of the mother. Research by Guttmacher Advisory says “Based on the best scientific evidence currently available, there is no credible evidence that abortion, in and of itself, causes mental health problems for most women.”(2008). Guttmacher backs their claims with studies and research done by the American Psychological Association (APA). The APA states that many studies didn’t take into account how a woman’s mental health was before thinking about abortion. They also point out that any significant life event is stressful such as divorce or a death so one cannot say abortion

Abortion can cause periods of depression in which the pain can encysted. Some women become aggressive or nervous, or even hyperactive. Anxiety can find an answer food such as bulimia or, conversely, anorexia. For others, psychosomatic reactions will take over with stomach aches, absence of periods, headaches, the loss of self-esteem ("I'm bad, I'm unworthy, painful for others"), the fear of not being pregnant again or anxiety of existential insecurity are consequences commonly observed. Some episodes of a woman’s life can relive the acutely suffering felt at the time of abortion: the date in which the child had been born, or the anniversary date of the abortion, the desire to make present the dead child, are conducive to outbreaks of suffering intensely lived as, for example, anxiety or depressive

In the overarching state of humanity, few topics are as important to the long term societal standpoint as abortion. Even more important and contested is the controversial subject of whether or not a woman will endure long term psychological effects or disorders after said abortion. This subject has been highly debated, with valid points made by both sides. It is important that we all look into these repercussions, especially since approximately 33% of women will undergo an abortion by the time they reach forty-five years old. This often challenged subject has many aspects. The main ideas that I researched where whether or not having an abortion leads to a higher risk for mental health issues, whether or not “post-abortion syndrome” is a

Nearly 81% of women who receive abortions experience subsequent mental health problems according to a recently published study by The Royal College of Psychiatrists. The study demonstrates that the aftermath of an abortion can result in higher rates of anxiety, depression, various forms of substance abuse, and suicidal behavior. As a result of the study, it shows that women who have an abortion face almost double the risk of mental health problems as women who have their baby. This outcome is due to the fact that most women who are terminating pregnancies “may feel a greater sense of loss, anxiety and distress due to lack of support”, as summarized in the Guttmacher Institute, a non-profit reproductive health organization. In fact, a five-year study shows that 25% of

After a woman has an abortion, the chances are three to four times higher of the mother having a miscarriage because of damage to the uterus. There is a higher chance of the mother dying from having an abortion than there is from her dying from natural childbirth. Even though after an abortion the mother feels relief that the ordeal is over, feelings of “numbness” soon set in on their emotions. It’s not any different from what soldiers feel after being in the midst of war. It has been found in a study of 500 aborted women, 50 percent of them were dealing with negative feelings and 10 percent had “serious psychiatric complications.”

Sharon Salzberg once said, “As we look around, it's very clear that in this world people do outrageous things to one another all of the time. It's not that these qualities or actions make us bad people, but they bring tremendous suffering if we don't know how to work with them”. The wake of devastation abortion leaves behind could not be described better. It is argued that it is the woman’s body; therefore it is the woman’s choice. What many do not know, however, is that abortion not only affects the mother, but the father, and of course the child. Guilt, anger, anxiety, depression, broken relationships, “numbing”, and even suicide; all of these are symptoms of Post-Abortion Syndrome (PAS). PAS is the emotional/psychological damage women may experience after having an abortion. According to Dangers of Legal Abortion by Ann Saltenberger, women who have had abortions are nine times more likely to attempt suicide than women in the general population. Men, or the father, portray a range of emotions after their partner’s abortion. These include grief, guilt,

Cohen, Susan A. "Abortion and mental health: myths and realities."Guttmacher Policy Review 9.3 (2006): 8-16. Web 27 Jan. 2016.

Many studies have shown that abortions can cause psychological damage including an increased risk of depression and anxiety. “A peer-reviewed 2005 study published in BMC Medicine found that women who underwent an abortion had ‘significantly higher’ anxiety scores on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale up to five years after the pregnancy termination.” (ProCon 6) Those who are pro-life believe that abortions will help the mother live a normal life instead of having to take care of an unwanted baby. Studies have shown that people who get abortions usually end of regretting their decision. Getting an abortion may have seemed to be the right choice at the time, but when the mother’s relieve what they actually have done it can cause them to become depressed as shown in these studies. Not only can abortions cause psychological damage, but also physical damage. Many studies have linked an increased risk of breast cancer to abortion. “A Feb. 2014 study published in the peer-reviewed Cancer Causes and Control found that abortion ‘is significantly associated with an increased risk of breast cancer’ and that ‘the risk of breast cancer increases as the number of [abortions] increases.’”(ProCon 16) Based on the number of abortions you have your risk of breast cancer can increase. Additional, most women who get an abortion end up getting more than one. In their case their risk of

One argument against abortion is that it can cause not only emotional defects to the mother, but psychological and spiritual harm as well. In the aftermath, the woman will most likely experience unfortunate emotional and spiritual scars. Many Americans who are opposed to women having the right to an abortion usually don 't speak out for fear that they will be called radicals for telling women it 's morally wrong to seek an abortion prematurely (Wilson). Post-abortive women often experience depression, pain, sadness, and significant amounts of

Various studies have been conducted to show the psychological effects following an abortion. According to the results some women experience depression and anxiety. These psychological effects reflect on several factors. Abortion may relieve stress by ending an unwanted pregnancy, but the event itself may simultaneously be experienced as a stressor causing anxiety grief, guilt, despair and anger. These factors could lead to depression, as feelings of powerless, anger and self-condemnation are emotions that underlie depression. Controversies exist whether abortion is linked with mental health or not. Future research requires a better understanding of the conditions that lead to unwanted pregnancy and abortion with the ultimate goal of improving women’s lives and well being.

Statement of Problem: Abortion is defined as the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy, most often performed during the first 28 weeks of pregnancy. Today, especially here in the United States of America, there is a growing issue and debate around the idea of abortion. There is a stigma against abortion because of the possibility of negative religious, political, medical, emotional, and mental consequences it may cause. Each year, worldwide there is an estimated 42 billion abortions that take place. This number does not include abortions that are not performed by professionals. The big issue alongside with abortion itself, is the affects it has on the mental health of females who undergo the procedure.

Women have been found to suffer emotional distress after having had the abortion. Around 42 million women worldwide obtain a legal abortion each year, although many experience emotional relief over 30 % have experienced significant psychological distress that does not vanish over time. By examining California state Medicaid records of more than 56,700 low-income women, the research team found that women who aborted were 72 percent more likely to be admitted to hospital for "adjustment reactions," depressive psychosis and bipolar disorder in the first four years after their pregnancy than those who carried their babies to term. Statistics show that it is better for a woman to give birth to their baby rather than terminate their pregnancy regardless of their age of conceiving. Thoughts of suicide, a horrific mark of mental illness, the figures should be enough to convince anyone who cares about young women to desire a ban on abortion for minors, no pregnancy: 23%; pregnancy, no abortion: 25%; abortion: 50%. In December 2005 report, the South Dakota Task Force to Study Abortion, appointed by Gov. Mike Rounds (R.), cited

The risk of breast cancer increases almost twice as much with each abortion performed. The mother is also prone to cervical, ovarian, and liver cancer. This is related to the disruption of the hormonal changes in the woman’s body during pregnancy and untreated cervical damage (“A List of Major Physical Related to Abortion”).