Major Psychological Complications Related To Abortion

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

Since the 1973 court case of Roe v. Wade, around 38 million women have gotten away with murder (Williams 54). An abortion is the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy, most often occurring in the first 28 weeks (Merriam). The Supreme Court case of Roe v. Wade ruled that abortions performed in the first trimester are legal and abortions performed out of that time period were to be decided by the individual state (Blackmun). The history of abortions goes all the way back regardless of whether it was legal or not. Women would either find costly doctor 's willing to do it or use dangerous methods to do it themselves. As time

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

The definition of abortion is the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy, most often performed during the first 28 weeks of pregnancy. Inasmuch as it is true, in our society abortion is an extremely controversial subject, however, it is also safe to say that it is a very opinionated matter between those who do and do not believe in it. Abortion has been legal in the United States since the case of Roe v. Wade in the winter of 1973 labeling it as a “fundamental right”, it has since been a moral issue within our society. The decision to terminate ones own pregnancy is in their own hands and the effects of termination mentally and physically are their own to contract with.

Right after the abortion they have short term side effects such as abdominal pains, cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, spotting, and bleeding. (americanpregnancy.org) These symptoms could go on for a few hours, many days, or close to a week. One may not be affected by the short term effects but they can later feel the long term effects of abortion. These effects could get as bad as breast cancer. Which the risk of getting breast cancer increases by forty nine percent before the age of fifty. Another thing that could affect their life is drugs and or alcohol. It is a known fact that most women get into illegal drugs after their abortion looking for an emotional escape. It’s sad to think after everything these women have gone through or are going to go through think that their only option is to resort to illegal substances. Breast cancer is two words that a women never wants to hear. What has been said is the women who put their bodies through this procedure are more susceptible to getting breast cancer. The risk of them getting breast cancer increases by forty nine percent before the age of fifty. All women want a family at one point in their life and after women have their first abortion, they will have a hard time getting pregnant for the second time. So once one decides to have an abortion, it could ruin their chances at a family in the future. When you had the choice to start a family

Many women who have had an abortion say that they have been diagnosed with clinical depression and post-traumatic stress disorder also known as PTSD. They have also taken into substance abuse, using drugs and alcohol to escape the fact that they have prematurely ended a life. Along with all of that many women almost all have their relationships suffer because of their abortion, it’s a very sad thought that all of these lives have been impacted with one silly decision to not be careful and to not be responsible. After this traumatizing event many women put up mental walls to shut out their friends and family that only want to help and love them, because they’re afraid of what they may think of their decision to end a life before it ever began. Spiritual relationships suffer after an abortion, many women and even the men associated with the women feel uncomfortable and unworthy in the eyes of their god and therefore only losing more hope for an already bleak

Abortion is defined as terminating a pregnancy before the fetus has been born. Abortion has been and still is very controversial and has had an increasing amount of cases all over the world. In 2000 there were over one million abortions in the United States (Harper, et al, 501). Abortion is one of the most common procedures women undergo. According to the current abortion rates about thirty percent of women will have an abortion by the age of forty-five (Jones and Kavanaugh, 2011). Most abortions are attributed to unplanned pregnancies. In 2001 half of the 6.4 million pregnancies were not planned and half of this number resulted in having an abortion (Jones and Kavanaugh, 2011). Abortion is one of the biggest aspects that healthcare faces. Although the view of abortion is very controversial there are still many aspects that people do not know about the issue.

What is abortion? An abortion is a medical or surgical procedure used to terminate a pregnancy. A medical abortion is an abortion that is brought about by taking medications that will end a pregnancy. (1) A Surgical abortion is an abortion which ends a pregnancy by emptying the uterus (or womb) with special instruments. (1) Some of the reasons for a woman to get an abortion may be that they can't afford a/another child, health reason of the child's or her own safety, social reasons such as unwanted child or not ready for having a child, and rape or incest. Abortions performed in the seven to nine weeks of the first trimester are medical abortions. (2) All abortions after nine weeks are surgical abortions. Surgical abortions are

Many women choosing to have an abortion are unaware of the psychological effects it will have on them. Many are affected for years or maybe even lifetime after the procedure. Abortion can affect each woman differently, some claim that abortion has negative effects on women’s mental health. Women have abortions for different reasons within different personal, social, economic, and cultural contexts. All of these may lead to variability in women’s psychological reactions following the abortion. This paper will focus on answering the following questions:

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.

A study was conducted among 843 women at 30 different United States abortion facilities between 2008 and 2010. This study used a series of questions to assess women’s emotions a week after their abortions. It was found that 95% of the women who obtained an abortion reported having the procedure done was the right decision for them. Among those who reported negative feelings toward the abortion, 84% felt it was still the correct choice for them. And finally, among those who felt some regret about the abortion, 89% still expressed it was the right choice for them (Rocca, C. H., Kimport, K., Gould, H., & Foster, D. G., 2013). While post abortion emotions vary from woman to woman, this study shows that of the 843 women, although for many it

Despite certain pro-abortion group beliefs, evidence found in personal testimonies and psychological research proves that post-abortive women suffer from the mental health effects of abortion such as Post Abortion Syndrome, regret, and depression. Research has been conducted which combats pro-abortion movements regarding the truth behind Post Abortion Syndrome. Women tell their own stories, which reveal the immense amounts of regret that they experienced. Moreover, these testimonies reveal God’s mercy in abortion and child loss

Studies by pro-choice researchers also conclude that women often have difficulty coping in life after an abortion. One study found that “17% of women felt guilt after the procedure… 56% of women experienced a sense of guilt about having had an abortion and 26% said they mostly regret the abortion.” (Dube 24). Sometimes, women have abortions and then carry such guilt with them that when they do want to become pregnant, they are not capable to because of the psychological stress associated with guilt. “In cases of selective abortion, there is grief for a wanted child, questions about the characteristics of the baby – not usually seen by the parents – worries about future pregnancies, ambivalence about abortion itself, and guilt – terrible guilt” is what Susan Borg and Judith Lasker had written in When Pregnancy Fails (Borg 50).

Abortion is a very tedious act to remove a fetus out of the womb before it has the chance to live on its own. There are two different types of abortions, medical abortion and surgical abortion. Medical abortion is the act of taking “methotrexate or mifepristone, which may be followed by another drug called misoprostol within the first forty-nine days”(pamf.org, “abortion”). Surgical abortion is a procedure done by vacuuming out the uterine lining during pregnancy typically in the first trimester.(pamf.org,”abortion”). There have been problems with abortion for centuries. The most known case concerning abortion is a case called Roe V. Wade in 1973. The case ruled a Texas law banning abortions other than those to save a mother unconstitutional because it violated the right to privacy. A woman named Norma L. McCorvey (“Jane Roe”) “claimed that although her life was not endangered, she could