The Truth About Abortion: Uncovering the Truth about the Effects of Abortion on the Mother

Women who are facing an unplanned pregnancy and are considering abortion need accurate information. The abortion issue is no different than other health care issues women face today. There are always pros and cons as well as potential short and long-term side effects that consumers are entitled to know before they make a decision as important as whether or not to have an abortion. What is the truth?

Pro-choice advocates claim that abortions are as much as 10 times safer than giving birth. However a recognized Finland study in 1997 showed that in the 12 months after an abortion, a woman's risk of death is 4 times greater than if she carries her baby to term.

Two of the biggest challenges in getting to the truth on the safety of abortion is that we have no national recording system for this data, nor is there agreement on what is a major versus minor complication. Not to mention the safety of labor and birth also is heavily dependent on the mother's pre-existing risk factors as well as the choices she makes during labor.

Statement 2 - Abortions are safe and do not have any short-term risks for the mother.

Even pro-life advocates acknowledge that the majority of abortions that occur in high quality settings do not lead to complications for the mother. However, as with any medical procedure, there may be short-term risks to the mother as a result of abortion. Immediate risks include hemorrhage, uterine perforation, complications with anesthesia and embolism. In general, the risks tend to increase with the gestation of the pregnancy.

One of the most common side-effects from an abortion is pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) which occurs in about 5% of mothers within 4 weeks after having an abortion. In women who have chlamydia at the time of their abortion, 23% will develop PID. PID can cause chronic pelvic pain, reduced fertility, painful intercourse and ectopic pregnancy.

New questions have also arisen about the safety of the abortion pill RU-486 after the death of 8 women and 1,100 who have reported medical problems since December 2006. The truth is that a woman's risk of complications from taking RU-486 will increase if she already has high blood pressure, heart problems or she is a heavy smoker.

This issue continues to be a debated one for both the pro-life and pro-choice camps. The pro-choice side denies that there is a link between breast cancer and abortions. Researchers rely on women accurately disclosing their reproductive history and there is evidence that shows that as many as 50% of women do not tell the truth when it comes to whether they have had an abortion. So in actuality, some of the case controlled studies that the pro-life movement uses to support the link between breast cancer and abortion may not be valid because women who had breast cancer might have been more likely to admit they had an abortion than those who did not have breast cancer.

The question remains however that if abortions lead to mutations in breast cell tissue, it makes scientific sense. Abortions deny the mother the protective balance of estrogen by carrying her baby to term and breastfeeding. When a woman becomes pregnant, her breast cells begin to rapidly divide and differentiate. These immature breast cells are exposed to large quantities of estrogen, which prepare her body for pregnancy. When her hormones are stopped short by abortion, the estrogen cannot be balanced by other pregnancy hormones. These immature breast cells are more vulnerable to mutation, resulting in abnormal cell tissue.

The Planned Parenthood website explains correctly that women have a myriad of emotions after abortion. However to claim that most women feel relief after an abortion is difficult to prove.

One survey conducted by the Elliott Institute of 260 women reports that more than half of the mothers had feelings of guilt, depression, sorrow, regret, shame, unworthiness and self-condemnation immediately after their abortion. Only 2-3% of mothers had feelings of power, happiness, inner peace or liberation after their abortion.

Statement 5 - Serious, long-term emotional problems are uncommon after an abortion.

Questions continue to arise about long-term emotional or psychological effects from abortion. Pro-choice advocates refer to studies that show that long-term psychological problems occur more often with women who already have pre-existing psychological issues prior to their abortion.

However a recognized 2006 study in New Zealand showed that teens had a significantly higher incidence of substance abuse, depression, anxiety and suicidal behaviors after an abortion. This study caused enough doubt about the long-term emotional problems after abortion that the American Psychiatric Association withdrew their official statement that abortion does not increase the likelihood of subsequent emotional problems.

The Elliott Institute survey also reveals that long-term emotional problems after abortions are not rare. About 25% of women reported having flashbacks, hysterical outbreaks and difficulty in maintaining and developing personal relationships following an abortion. 22% of women became preoccupied with thoughts of death. About 1/4 of mothers surveyed felt that they had experienced a major personality change after having an abortion and 28% reported attempting suicide. Over 40% of mothers considered that their emotional problems after their abortion were severe.

One of the biggest problems with research in the area of abortions is not only is this an emotionally-laced issue with strong opinions on both sides, it becomes socially and politically divisive. We can agree on a few issues with regard to abortion. One is that we need more independent research that is not funded by one party or the other. Another issue is that we both care about women. Above all, we want women to make educated decisions and not make ones based on fear or ignorance.

Nov 19, 2008 6:41 AM

Guest :

abortion should be a womens choice in any situation i have been through an abortion and the after effects are horrible. you get depressed and wonder why. but honestly so many people judge and they do not even understand the situation.

Dec 2, 2008 6:56 AM

Guest :

as far as abortion is concerned, im pro choice im curently doing a study on abortion and im finding it difficult to get anything evidence based from a medical or scientific point of view to suggest that a feotus feels pain or is even aware from 12 weeks and under.

Dec 2, 2008 4:42 PM

Brenda Lane :

The fetus at 9 weeks of gestation has nerve endings. That should be sufficient scientific evidence that there is sensation and therefore pain.

Jan 12, 2009 2:13 AM

Guest :

I believe that if a woman does not want a child she should not enter in the act in which a child is produced. I think if a woman is raped it is harder to decide wether it is right or not. You see it is not the childs fault nor the womans that this happened so in the end the child most of times is discarded like garbage. If GOD did not have a plan for this child it would have never been made. Now when if comes to life or death and the doctor knew the baby and the mother would not live then that would be good enough to have one. why let go of two lives if only the one will live. Anyways everyone has their own views on this and I hope I have not offended anyone on this just thougt I would share mine.

Jan 26, 2009 2:38 PM

Guest :

Abortion is murder, plain and simple. All these pro-choice people have no idea about the bad truth of abortion. These babies are at the age where they have a beating heart and can feel pain. Absolutely disgusting. It's very saddening to hear that women kill their babies because of their own irresponsibility. When will this murder end?

Feb 15, 2009 8:19 PM

Guest :

it's been two weeks since my abortion. the physical after effects were nothing compared to the emotional. i've been fighting with my boyfriend nonstop and i can't control my emotions. one minute i'm really happy, and i almost feel liberated, and then a second later i'm crying because i feel extremely lonely. regardless, i don't regret my decision.

Feb 24, 2009 8:54 PM

Guest :

this is just my opinion but having an abortion is killing a life even if its not out of the womb its still alive, its just like someone going up to you and killing you without you knowing a reason why. i dont believe that you would like if someone did that to you.

Mar 26, 2009 3:04 PM

Guest :

I feel that LIFE is a gift from GOD and we should all cherish it and make the best of it. Here is a poem that maybe will help soften the heart of many mothers out there struggling to decide wether or not to abort:
"I hear my mommy cry, night after night, because my daddy tells her he does not want her by his side, my mommy does not know who to turn to so she keeps it all inside, oh how I wish I could see my mommy,so I can tell her how much I love her and regardless of what happens we will be all right, but I can't, I'll be inside of her for seven more months. But I know we are going to be ok because I heard a man say he would help us.He asked her if she's ready,ready to go through the abortion and mommy said yes. Mommy I don't know what abortion is but I nknow that we'll be okay."

Mar 31, 2009 5:40 PM

Guest :

i think abortion is verry in human we are killing a baby and saying that it is only a human if we want it but if some one hits a pregnt laydi in a car acident they get charged with murder but the motthers can turn around and kill there babys and notings done about it what if u wheren reading these right now or u whearnt here then would u see its whron!!! you say pro chioce but the baby doesent have a say well i could go on and on but one last thing is itis a madur sin and theres resons why it hurts the mouthers i hope i have helepad u in seeing how its whron prolife!!!!!!

Jul 4, 2009 5:22 AM

Guest :

Unless you've been in a situation where you had to choose what to do around keeping a pregnancy or not it's really easy to sit on a high horse and call it murder. I disagree with women who use it as a form of birth control. Nothing is black and white, there are good reasons and bad reasons for every choice we make. For all the women out there trying to make a choice, really way your options, seek counseling, get good information from a medical physician, not a website. This is a choice you will live with forever, not matter what you choose it is always in your heart, but it is your choice.

Oct 5, 2009 4:56 AM

Guest :

My fiancee had an abortion a couple of months ago without me knowing it. She did it because her parents wanted her to and also becuase of the fact that her parents where not going to support us if we did have the child. I was told after she did the abortion and it really pissed me off. I really don't know what to do til today cos I felt that I had missed out on one of the most important decissions of my entire life. I have given her every support and help she could get, but during her visit to her parents, that was when she did the abortion. I can tell you that she really killed me and my love for her for sure. I did cried for days, and can even feel the hurt deep inside as I am speaking. I left her because I couldn't face her anymore, but still when I see other children with their parents, I sometimes cry deep within. Before anyone does think of going through an abortion, just think about this; Will you be here if your parents have decided to do the same thing to you? How could you do that? That is simply murder and not only the unborn baby that you have killed, but yourself as well.