Pro-life propoganda or real-life results?
I'm decidedly pro-choice, as many PW readers know. But I'm interested in this question of mental health issues for women who get abortions. LifeNews.com's editor Steven Ertelt released an article saying that Planned Parenthood is misleading women by telling them that for most, abortion doesn't affect them negatively. The pro-life movement, naturally, says women are emotionally scarred for years.
My experience and the experience of my friends shows that abortion needn't be traumatizing. I thought I'd have emotional problems as a result, but I didn't. My friends didn't either. But the article linked below suggests otherwise. In fact, a researcher featured in the piece says, "Our study is strongly suggestive of a link between abortion and developing mental illness." Sounds like total hogwash to me, but I'm willing to hear otherwise.
Planned Parenthood Misleads Women on Abortion's Mental Health Risks
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Comments
My experience is anecdotal, of course. But abortion was a massive relief for me and allowed me to continue putting one foot in front of the other. I suffer enormously from PTSD and depression. The consequences of continuing a pregnancy would have been devastating. I consider safe, legal abortion a gift from God in my life. Thanks for doing your blog, by the way.
Posted by: Susan | January 30, 2007 05:00 PM
I'm sure having chemo also makes you depressed. What about raising a kid you are not ready for? I'm sure that has no effect.
Posted by: jesus jones | January 30, 2007 06:54 PM
It would be interesting to hear otherwise, but you won't hear it from me.
My first BP episode was a couple years before my first abortion. People might be shocked to hear the other abortion was when I was married. But we had no health insurance at that point - another issue.
I have never felt guilty about it! Relieved, especially the first one, as it had just become legal a year or two before.
I think the growing fundamentalism has seeped into the national psyche, and young women feel guilty afterwards sometimes, if they listened to the fundamentalist POV in any way. And that might be just listening to Country stations on the radio.
Posted by: Annette | January 30, 2007 09:44 PM
Also worth reading is the January 21 New York Times Magazine feature article, "Is there a Post-Abortion Syndrome".
Posted by: Joe | January 31, 2007 12:10 AM
The problem with some of these studies that say women are worse off afterwards is that they don't also look at the likelihood of them being in a class that would dispose them to depression or anxiety later in life anyway. Also, at what point are they asking?? Immediately after an abortion, any range of from "relieved" to "guilty" to "numb" might be expected. Ten years down the road when you actually want a baby and are in a good place for it and for some reason can't -- sure, you might be depressed or anxious. Also, inclination towards religion would factor in. The Roman Catholic Church goes so far as to call those who are Pro-choice as "Pro-Abortion" or "Anti-life." Probably most people in crisis don't think their philosophy that far out. However, if the Church (or any religion for that matter) condemns abortion, that could add to the inflated "post-trauma" statistics. Also, are they asking these questions around the date of the annual pro life march or anniversary date of an abortion? These factors could furher aggravate a sense of temporary depression or anxiety that probably mostly is otherwise felt as a sense of relief.
Posted by: Laura | January 31, 2007 05:15 PM
"Our study is strongly suggestive of a link between abortion and developing mental illness." I find that statement offensive.
Other than having to get that off my chest, I agree with what the other posters had to say.
Posted by: Karen | January 31, 2007 11:09 PM