|
Q & A: Finding Real Answers about Abortion
Why do women have abortions?
Most women -- at least 70% -- say they believe abortion is
immoral.(1) But they choose
against their conscience because of pressure from others and their circumstances. They
choose abortion out of fear -- fear of not being able to raise a child, fear of losing
their partner if they do not have an abortion, fear of losing control over of their lives,
etc. Many women lack support from their families and loved ones. More than 80% say they
would have completed their pregnancies under better circumstances or with more support
from the people they love.(2)
Abortion is not a true "choice" on the woman's
part; it is an act of despair. On a very basic level, it is precisely because women who
abort are acting against their consciences and their maternal instincts that the
psychological impact of abortion is so profound.
Didn't former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop
conclude that there are no psychological consequences from abortion?
Actually, no. Dr. Koop was assigned by President Ronald
Reagan to produce a report on the psychological impact of abortion on women. What Koop
told the President is that he could not find any studies at that time which were not
seriously flawed. As a result, the data was simply inadequate to determine the extent and
degree of psychological impact of abortion, if any. He made a recommendation for a
government-funded study to evaluate this question, but unfortunately this was never done.
Extremists who want to deny any psychological importance to
the abortion experience have repeatedly misquoted and twisted Koop's statements. In
essence, Koop's official statement was simply that we need to do more research before we
can arrive at any irrefutable conclusions. Radicals have twisted this to mean, "Koop
didn't find anything, so nothing exists." In numerous interviews, however, Koop has
refuted this misrepresentation of his views. He has stated he is personally convinced by
the existing evidence that many women do suffer serious post-abortion psychological
problems. Speaking as the Surgeon General, however, he conservatively, and properly,
concluded that more research needs to be done.(3)
So what are the psychological aftereffects of abortion?
Every woman is different. They have different responses that
may appear in a different time frame. Some women repress or are unaware of any
aftereffects for years. Many reactions are delayed but are triggered later by significant
events such as the birth of a child, the death of a loved one or the end of a
relationship, or a religious conversion.
Commonly reported reactions include: feelings of guilt,
shame, anxiety, helplessness, grief and/or remorse; uncontrollable crying; feelings of
anger, bitterness, and resentment; feelings of distrust and betrayal; lowered self-esteem;
avoidance of babies, small children, or anything to do with pregnancy; fear of future
pregnancies or desire to have a "replacement" baby; flashbacks to the abortion
experience; nightmares or sleeping disorders; depression; sexual dysfunction; eating
disorders, substance abuse or other self-destructive behavior; broken or abusive
relationships; problems bonding with other children; suicidal thoughts or tendencies; and
other problems.(4)
A major problem is that women and men may feel unable to
share their grief with others. When they turn to people who are "pro-choice,"
they will probably be told "Forget about it. It wasn't really a baby, yet, so there's
nothing to feel bad about." Such "comforting" words actually deny the
reality of one's grief and stymies the healing process. On the other hand, women and men
are likely to feel afraid to share their pain with people on "pro-life" side
because they fear they will be rejected and condemned. As a result, women and men who are
struggling with a past abortion are likely to feel "boxed" on both sides. To
whom can they turn? Who will acknowledge the reality of their grief without making them
feel even more guilty? This is why so many carry the burden of their grief alone, and this
burden can place an enormous strain on their ability to function and relate to others.
You said that some of these reactions might be delayed or
repressed. Are there times or circumstances when they are more likely to occur?
As mentioned before, significant changes (such as the birth
of a child, death of a family member, the break up of a relationship, or even physical
changes like menopause) in a woman's life might trigger some of these reactions. Many
women often have "anniversary reactions" on the day the baby was aborted, or
around the time when her baby might have been due.
Can abortion effect children who are born later?
Yes. Many women who have abortions experience physical
problems with future pregnancies, including miscarriages, ectopic (tubal) pregnancies,
stillbirths, and premature birth (with effects children's development). Other physical
complications could lead to sterility or difficulty conceiving a child.
Children can also be affected by the mother's emotional
problems. Many women either have difficulty bonding with their children or become very
overprotective.
Are you saying abortion can even affect one's parenting
skills?
Yes. Women may be afraid or unable to bond with or love their
child because they are obsessed with the aborted child. They may see the child as a
"replacement child" for the one who was aborted and be constantly comparing them
to "what might have been." They may experience depression which leaves them
unable to care for their children or anger which could lead to abuse.(5) For example, in the case of Renee
Nicely of New Jersey, post-abortion trauma triggered a "psychotic episode" which
resulted in the beating death of her 3-year-old son, Shawn. She told the court
psychiatrist that she "knew that abortion was wrong" and "I should be
punished for the abortion." Unfortunately, Shawn became the victim of her
frustrations.(6)
Or the mother might be extremely overprotective, afraid that
God will punish them for aborting their child by harming or taking away their later
children.
What kind of impact does abortion have on a relationship
with a boyfriend?
Many women choose abortion in an effort to save their
relationship or "keep" a boyfriend from leaving. The idea may be very subtle --
an "it's your decision" mentality -- or an outright threat to leave if the woman
does not abort. But this never works. Most relationships do not survive the abortion.(7)
For many couples, there may be resentment or anger if one of
them only "went along with the abortion" to please the other. Women who feel
they were not supported by their partner, or men whose partners aborted against their
wishes, are especially likely to have problems coping with an abortion. Either or both of
them might be feeling grief or guilt, but are unwilling to share their feelings their
partner for fear of upsetting them. This can be especially problematic for men, who are
often taught to hide their emotions. All of this can lead to a break-up between the
couple.
What is the impact of abortion on marriages?
If the abortion takes place before the marriage, with a
person other than the spouse, it can still have an impact on the person involved who
brings this emotional baggage into the relationship. This is especially problematic if the
person keeps the abortion a secret from their spouse, who will not understand their
emotional problems. Secrets can be devastating to a marriage, since they keep a person
from giving and receiving unconditional love.
If the abortion takes place within the marriage, it can be a
breeding ground for anger and resentment between the spouses. They are more likely to feel
resentment, anger, and rage toward each other. Several famous cases of domestic violence
involved abortion: including the Lorena Bobbitt(8) case and the O.J. and Nicole Brown
Simpson case.(9)
Are you saying abortion can increase the risk of domestic
violence?
Yes. It is no accident that the abortion rate and the
domestic violence rate have risen almost side by side. Abortion tends to create feelings
of anger, bitterness and resentment between partners. A woman who is self-destructive or
suicidal, but afraid to deliberately harm herself, may be more likely to become involved
with a violent man. She may feel unconsciously that she "deserves to be
punished" because of her abortion. Because her abortion has destroyed her
self-esteem, she may think that she does not deserve a better relationship than the
abusive one she is in.
The most troubling concern of domestic violence counselors is
that so many abused women stay in abusive relationships. In many of these cases, the best
explanation for this victimizing behavior may be found in the self-punishing aspects of
post-abortion trauma. Therefore, until domestic violence counselors begin to address the
underlying problems associated with post-abortion trauma, they may never help this group
of women escape from the cycle of violence in which they are trapped.
Does abortion have any impact on men?
Yes, it does. Men involved in abortion have reported many
problems they say were a direct result of the abortion experience, including broken
relationships; sexual dysfunction; substance abuse; self-hate; risk-taking and suicidal
behavior; increased feelings of grief over time; feelings of helplessness and guilt;
depression; greater tendencies toward becoming angry and violent, and a sense of lost
manhood.(10) (For more
information on men and abortion, see the related article in this insert).
I'll admit that abortion is not a good thing. And it may
have physical and psychological risks. But don't you have to admit that legal abortion is
safer than illegal abortion?
No. Legality reduces the risks abortionists face because they
are not doing anything illegal when they perform abortions. Legalized abortion allows them
to lower their standards because they do not fear exposure. Remember, most illegal
abortions were performed by doctors. The skill level hasn't increased, only the ease of
advertising.
I still think that legal abortions must be at least
marginally safer than illegal abortions. Certainly women who suffer physical complications
can get emergency medical treatment faster now without being afraid of becoming involved
in a criminal investigation.
That's true. And that is the only health benefit of legalized
abortion. But the overall impact is still very negative because the total number of women
having abortions increases dramatically. Why? Because legalizing abortion has made it
easier to pressure reluctant women into having abortions. Before abortion was legal women
at least had the excuse that abortion was not safe. But now, since abortion is seen to be
safe, they no longer have that reason to refuse abortion. As a result, the number of
abortions has skyrocketed with only a minimal improvement, if any, in safety. So, while
the percentage of deaths from hemorrhage and infections may go down, the actual number of
women suffering these complications goes up. Plus, since psychological complications are
even more common than physical complications, the number of women experiencing
complications of one type or another is increasing dramatically.
Notes:
1. Los Angeles Times Poll,
March 19, 1989. See also Mary K. Zimmerman, Passage Through Abortion (New York:
Praeger Publishers, 1977) and David C. Reardon, Ph.D., Aborted Women: Silent No More
(Chicago: Loyola University Press, 1987).
2. Reardon, Making Abortion
Rare (Springfield, IL: Acorn Books, 1996).
3. "Revisiting the Koop
Report," The Post Abortion Review, Summer 1995, 1-3. See also "Surgeon
General C. Everett Koop's Statement on Post-Abortion Syndrome," Life Cycle,
September 1989, 2.
4. For more information about
studies documenting these symptoms, see the list of resources on the back page of this
insert. You can also visit the web site of the Elliot Institute for Social Sciences
Research at www.prolife.org/afterabortion/ for documents on post-abortion research.
5. See Philip Ney, et al.
"Relationship between induced abortion and child abuse and neglect: four
studies," Post-Abortion Syndrome: Its Wide Ramifications, Peter Doherty, ed.
(Portland, OR: Four Courts Press, 1995)
6. See Reardon, Aborted Women,
op cit.
7. Linda Bird Franke, The
Ambivalence of Abortion (New York: Random House Inc., 1978) p. 63. See also Reardon, Aborted
Women, 45.
8. See "The John and Lorena
Bobbitt Mystery Unraveled." The Post-Abortion Review, Spring/Summer 1997.
9. Paraphrased from a letter by
Christine Shaw, quoted in Abortion and Violence: Is there a connection? by Linda D.
Bartlett (Lutherans for Life, 1229 South G Ave., Bldg. B, Suite 100, Nevada, IA 50501)
10. Strahan, Thomas,
"Portraits of Post-Abortive Fathers Devastated by the Abortion Experience," Assoc.
for Interdisciplinary Research in Values and Social Change, Nov./Dec. 1994.
Reprinted from The Post-Abortion Review, 5(4), Fall 1997.
Copyright 1997, Elliot Institute.
|
