Abortion Mental Health Issues

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

Fetal pain has evolved into one of the main arguments for pro- life activists, despite 91% of all abortions happening in the first 13 weeks and 98% happening in the first 20 weeks. The fetal pain argument is often coupled with the myth, that abortions lead to a variety of mental health disorders like depression and drug abuse, but a study

Today, abortion has become another political issue, rather than the intimate choice of a woman. Abortion isn’t a new issue because in the case, Roe vs. Wade, the court’s decision was the first step, where women could do as they wish with their body in a safe, legal manner. So why, after forty-one years since this case was passed is abortion an issue again? Abortion is often presented as if it is new and people have just started doing it years ago, when in reality the practice of abortion has dated back to ancient times. Abortion is the trending topic once again because “The Affordable Care Act”, also known as ‘Obama care’, has made abortion an issue with its new expansion of abortion coverage. This paper will examine all of the harmful ways abortions can harm your body and also how they may affect you in a positive and in a negative way. Also, it helps you understand why people decide to get an abortion and the government has made abortion such a popular topic. Even though you may not agree with the decision of abortion, you have to have an open mind to other people’s decisions and opinions towards them.

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.

Abortion is a topic that when spoken about gives many individuals a sense of uncomfortableness and many tend to shy away from this topic; Because abortion is a topic which has sparked many debates on whether it is acceptable or not. Societies have developed different stigmas around abortion and it affects many woman and how they live there life. This topic is relevant to my generation as the stigma of abortion is still very prevalent. To properly look at this issue, one must look into many different aspects of the abortion argument. By narrowing down the research, I came to the conclusion of 4 major aspects that shape the stigma around abortion. The historical roles of a woman play a major role in the social construct of abortion. If historically a woman is meant to be a mother and a nurturer; how does abortion pertain to that idea and how can it effectively be justified? Additionally, the stigmatism around abortion currently and the main ideas of motherhood give abortion a tainted view for the individuals that are undergoing this operation or are in a situation to make that decision. If one is to be pushed away for her decision as well as affecting the individuals around her, what does that have to say about the already heavily stigmatised topic? As well, when looking into a topic, one must realize that traditions, norms, values and ideas come from years before and that the older generation plays a huge role in this. If the older generation was raised, and is raising

This journal address the relationship on abortions and how women are mentally affected by it. It address two issues, one the risk that occurs with abortion as opposed to the risk that its alternative brings up, and two how a women responds after she have the abortion. An important point that was stated in the journal was that women who have a first-trimester abortion of a pregnancy that they do not want is not greater than women who choose not to have an abortion and deliver the unwanted baby. I am going to use this journal in my research to help me further discuss how abortion affects the aborter. It will help me give credibility to the research that I am trying to prove on how many women have different affects and the reason why they may

Although all four of these causes stress remains the most prominently associated cause, meaning that it is also linked to the other three possible causes. In order to specify the primary cause of spontaneous abortion, a study should be performed that studies only the effects of stress, depression, antidepressant usage, and alcohol consumption. In this study women should be both medically examined throughout their pregnancy and asked questions about their mental state and well being. Researchers should analyze the pregnancies of 200 women, 50 of which will be used as a control. The remaining 150 expecting women should be separated into three categories, women who are depressed and are not using antidepressants, women who are both depressed and exposed to antidepressants, and women who are consuming alcohol during their pregnancy. Women in each category should be asked a set of previously established questions regarding their stress levels and possible causers of the recorded stress. Additionally, women within the three non-control groups should be asked predetermined questions about how their depression or alcohol consumption relate to the amount of stress they record. This study should as a whole determine if stress is the primary cause of spontaneous

Although abortion gives women that sense of gender equality and the right to their own body, it should not make one have to suffer through the dreading aftermath of destruction. When one is considering having an abortion for having a better life, one should consider that abortion is not a safety net but a safety hazard, it just depends the way one handles the situation. On the whole, responding to suffer more psychological side effects than physical or social. It seems reasonable that due to advances in medical technology and education, physical consequences of abortion decrease. Nevertheless, psychological consequences of abortion which refer mainly to very personal understanding and feelings of abortion practiced by individuals may be rooted

Many anti-choice activists suggest that there is a particular type of psychological trauma, which they refer to as Post Abortion Syndrome (PAS), which women experience after having had an abortion. Furthermore, they suggest that the presence of this syndrome, with its negative impact on women, is another reason bolstering the outlawing of legal abortions. In order to examine that argument, this paper will investigate PAS, try to conclude whether it is a legitimate disorder, and determine whether its existence should impact the availability of legal abortions.