Psychosocial problems in post abortive women
Joy Roe
University of Phoenix
Essentials of College Writing
COMM/215
David Lebhart
May 9, 2014
Psychosocial problems in post abortive women
As women we know that it is not natural to kill our children. When we have an abortion we are going against nature and our instinct to protect our children. Are there psychosocial problems in post abortive women? Many of us have no clue if this is even a possibility. But for those who have lived through it, the reality is, there are problems that exist after an induced termination of pregnancy. Though the relief may be instantly felt after the decision is made, the regret and psychosis that can and do come later may affect women for the rest of their lives. Healing is offered through post-abortive classes and pregnancy centers but usually it is years before a woman can bring herself to do this, if at all. Many government studies have been done that say it doesn’t occur and that Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome is not one of many malady’s that occur post abortively.
The test can’t be positive, can it? I am in trouble now was all I could think. Mom was waiting on the other side of the bathroom door and had made me take the test. At 16 this was not the summer fun I had planned. My boyfriend was 15 and we had been together for 2 years but this just could not be happening. Mom, It is positive. The crying and crying that my mom did was hard enough, but telling dad was something mom said leave to her. We left the house the day mom told dad and didn’t come back for hours. Actually, we were out planning a wedding and thinking how wonderful life would be. When I got home, Kevin dropped me off and I told him it would be better if he stayed outside. Dad was in a state, yelling at me and stated we will fix this as soon as possible. You will have an abortion and that is that. Mom was to afraid to stand up to him and so was I. I did however have a God that could make things right even though I had messed them up. I prayed that He would intervene and so He did. At the abortion clinic the doctor asked me why I was having an abortion. I stated “My dad said I have to”. The doctor then said he wouldn’t do it and discussed it with my dad and I walked out whole. By the grace of God I didn’t have to be a statistic but I well could have been. She is 35 years old now and would say she is glad to be alive. I did marry her father a few years later and am still married to him.
I have many, many friends at work and church who were not so blessed. These women will tell you that post abortive syndrome is real. Holly is one lady who has undergone 2 abortions, one due to malformation of the child and one due to circumstances. She said the pain was nothing, compared to the emptiness she felt after the procedures. She has suffered from low self-esteem and many body dysmorphic issues. She stated to me if she could go back and do things differently she would, but she cant. She has two grown children now and says they will never know about this. She has been through 3 divorces and now is living with a sweet man. When asked if she would like to go through post abortive counseling she stated there was no way she could relive it and deal with it. It is so hard for her to talk about but as a good friend I listen and try to console. Laure is another coworker with an abortive past and has only one child since. She suffers as well and just tears up when she thinks about it. She also stated the pain of the abortion was nothing compared to having to live with knowing what she did. Brenda another coworker, has not been able to have children since the abortion. She has seen an infertility specialist and there was nothing he could do. She had too much of the lining of the uterus scraped off by the abortive doctor and there will be no pregnancies for her now. That is just 3 examples of women I work with, not counting the multiple women I have come into contact with
