Is there any psychological consequences related to abortion?



Is there any psychological consequences related to abortion?

Introduction

Abortion is one of the most widely criticized and debated issue both socially and morally. On one hand the conservatives tend to argue that human life should be preserved at any cost giving the unborn fetus more priority over the mother herself whereas on the other the liberals tend to believe that a woman should have the right to control her body and anything related to it, even the natural phenomenon of the development of a new being. Although both sides presents logical and rational arguments but what most people tend to forget is the post-abortion stress and health issues that a woman undergoes. (Lawlor, Jessica. 2010)

This research paper not only discusses abortion and its implications but also stresses on the post abortion mental health syndrome which is indeed a major cause of concern prevalent in our society today.

Discussion

Abortion, a medicinal terminology associated with pregnancy. It refers to the discharge or the removal of the fetus or the embryo from a women's uterus. Abortions whether spontaneous or planned are subjected to a great degree of complications and tend to pose a global threat to women's health and lives worldwide. According to World Health Organization, unsafe abortion accounts for almost 13% of the pregnancy related deaths every year. i.e. approximately 67,000 women a year whereas 10 to 50% women having an abortion are subjected to intense medical care. (Corbett, Maureen. & Turner, Katherine. 2003)

Abortion and mental health

The relationship between abortion and mental health has been a cause of political controversy dating as far as 1988. The American Psychological Association has conducted various studies on the subject since 1990 and came to the conclusion that severe negative reactions associated with the termination of the first unplanned pregnancy tend to be quite rare, however, these tend to accelerate when a women is subjected to multiple unwanted pregnancies thus ultimately resorting to abortion. (Lawlor, Jessica. 2010)

Post Abortion syndrome

Post abortion syndrome can be explained as a type of post-traumatic stress order which tends to affect almost any women who have undergone the process of making an abortion choice. Experiencing the entire procedure and even more, living with that grief, pain and regret can be excruciating and a traumatic point in a women's life. Although most women refuse to acknowledge their distress yet at some point, the daunting memories do tend to resurface and grief of the loss can indeed be harrowing. (Lawlor, Jessica. 2010)

Some of the most prevalent emotions that are part of the post abortion syndrome include guilty feelings, anxiety and depression, a sense of loss, anger, frustration and even suicide. Moreover, clinical researches have also found that women who are in trusting, sharing relationships, they tend to report deep seated feelings of exploitation over their abortion experience. (Alliance Action Inc 1993)

Post Abortion syndrome has been recognized as a serious issue within the past few years. According to studies 65% of the American women tend to suffer multiple ...