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THE OTHER VICTIM: INCREASED PSYCHOLOGICAL RISK FROM ABORTION

The Other Victim: Increased Psychological Risk from Abortion

Jesse Watkins

Abstract

THE OTHER VICTIM: INCREASED PSYCHOLOGICAL RISK FROM ABORTION

The arguments of the Pro-Choice movement normally center around the mothers rights as an individual to decide if she should keep the child developing in her womb. Even though the Hippocratic Oath of the medical community says do no harm, the overwhelming evidence is that when a mother follows the route of abortion, she is increasing the chances of suffering in other areas of her life not limited to emotional, mental, and physical difficulties. This paper seeks to focus not on the baby, but rather on the mother as the victim in abortion who will deal with the stress of the decision for the rest of her life. By fully consulting all of the evidence, mothers will be able to make a more informed choice about the dangers that await on the other side of abortion.

In 1973, the pivotal case of Roe vs. Wade accomplished in the abortion arena what activists had been seeking for since the before the middle of the century. By legalizing abortion

THE OTHER VICTIM: INCREASED PSYCHOLOGICAL RISK FROM ABORTION

in all 50 states of the Union, Roe vs. Wade truly opened the door for the country to view how devastating the abortion industry would become. From 1973 till the present, there have been over 50 million abortions performed in the United States (Delahoyde, 2012, p.13). But long before that the founder of Planned Parenthood, Margaret Sanger, launched the Negro Project in 1939. This was an initiative to target black leaders who would promote the placement of birth control clinics in black neighborhoods. Her primary goal was to reduce the number of babies born to black women (Dean, 2012, p. 27). The battle in America was neither won nor lost in 1973; indeed it still wages on. In America, we lose more lives to abortion every single day (3,753) than we did in the World Trade Towers attacks (Alcorn, 2012, p. 37). Considering that 20% of American pregnancies will end in abortion, it seems out of place that in the black community 43% of new babies yearly are aborted (Dean, p. 27). Even more shocking than this is that 62% of black pregnancies in NY will end with abortion (Dean, p.30). Margaret Sangers letters to other planned parenthood leaders reveal her extreme racist tendencies. She aimed for population control by planting Planned Parenthood centers in areas where blacks were concentrated. Although blacks make up 12% of the US population, 62.5% of Planned Parenthood abortion clinics exist in black neighborhoods. The agenda from the outset was that the truth about Planned Parenthood and about abortions would be concealed. This is also true because of the limited disclosure given to abortion candidates about the devastating effects that occur after abortion. Their agenda is related to a historical move of population control, but also motivated because abortion is an industry and industries are financed by money. In 2009, Planned Parenthood performed 332,278 abortions. This might sound shocking at first, but even more so was that they received government grants and contracts for that year in

THE OTHER VICTIM: INCREASED PSYCHOLOGICAL RISK FROM ABORTION

the amount of 363 million dollars. That equates to about 1.1 million in public funding per abortion (Sears, 2012, p. 24). And for the most part, the public is ok with their tax dollars funding this population control agenda. People do realize that there are cases where young mothers may have not planned for a baby and the conception was not caused by normal circumstances. It is true that these things do occur, but not at the rate most would think. Less than 1% of abortions are performed for reasons of rape or incest; less than 20% of black abortions are performed on girls under the age of 18. This means the majority of abortions, specifically in the black community, are endured by adult black females who have been told that a baby will ruin their life (Dean, p. 27). The argument goes, that teenagers are going to have sex so aiming at proper education will not cure the problem of unwanted pregnancy. The only option is to give the mother the right to remove the life from their baby after conception has already occurred. But as Alan Sears noted in his article, Abortion in America, this methodology only produces less positive results. Psychologically, abortion on demand encourages the very behavior it supposedly remedies. (Sears, p. 24) So if abortion has not remedied the problem of unwanted pregnancy, the what problem can it remedy? Abortion is only to be legal in countries if there is reasonable medical evidence that abortion reduces the physical or psychological health risks associated with continuing the pregnancy (Ferguson, 2013). All medical procedures should produce a better outcome than was experienced before the procedure. People go to a doctor so they can become better; not so they can become worst. So the question remains: in the past 40 years, have mothers been given a better life because of abortion? Has America been given a better society because of abortion? In light of the evidence, the answer is a resounding no.

THE OTHER VICTIM: INCREASED PSYCHOLOGICAL RISK FROM ABORTION

The argument between the pro-choice and pro-life mother normally revolves around the rights of the mother with the former, and the rights of the child with the latter. But, until recently, evidence of the after effects of abortion have been rarely available. We know that in these cases, there are at least two victims of each induced abortion; the unborn baby and the babys mother. Other victims can include the father of the aborted baby and anyone who encourages the mother to have the abortion (Theresa, 1999). Normally, we dont associate a victim with someone who has been made better because of a medical procedure. A victim is normally someone who has experienced a sort of trauma that leaves the less off after the experience rather than better. So why are researchers referring to mothers having induced abortions as victims? The documented evidence begins as soon as 8 weeks after an abortion has occurred. Ashton (1980) reported that 8 weeks after an abortion 44% of mothers complained about nervous disorder, 36% experienced sleep disturbances, 31% had regrets about the abortion, and 11% had been prescribed psychotropic medicine within that 8 weeks. The pattern for reporting new psychological issues does not stop with medication by a physician. Unfortunately many mothers after abortion turn to self-medication in order to cope with the after-abortion stress. As least 21 different studies have linked abortion with substance abuse (Coleman, 2005). It could be said that someone who abuses a substance, and thereby abuses themselves, have a low self esteem. Self esteem is used in the psychology world to describe a person's overall emotional evaluation of his or her own worth. The link that can be stated is that substance abusers have a low evaluation of their own worth. With this being said, no self-esteem improvement has been documented by women who had abortions. Psychologist Nancy Russo of Arizona State University concluded that abortion has no substantial or important impact on a womans well

THE OTHER VICTIM: INCREASED PSYCHOLOGICAL RISK FROM ABORTION

being (Readon, 2002). In light of this observation, who is abortion helping? It is not helping the baby, and evidently it is not helping the mother. And not only does their current pregnancy result in grief, but studies indicate that future pregnancies will result in grief. Women with a history of induced abortion are 3 times more likely to use illegal drugs during a subsequent pregnancy, suggesting that later pregnancies may arouse unresolved grief over prior abortions (Coleman, 2005). Not only is there an increased link to substance abuse among those with induced abortions, but the risk for STDs among those who have abortions increase as well. Sears (2012) found that the legalization of abortion in 1973 cause an increase of reported gonorrhea by up to 35%, and an increase of syphillis by up to 38%. As Sears mentioned previously, abortion on demand is not actually curbing the behavior that causes unwanted pregnancy, but rather it is increasing that type of behavior. In the case of the black community, which has been targeted by Planned Parenthood, 71% of new gonorrhea come from the black community, even though they make up only 12% of the population (Dean, 27). If there was a small problem 40 years ago because of unwanted pregnancies, then there is a huge problem now. Abortion doesnt fix the behavior, just the result. And its not a fix that is positive on the mother psychologically. Being that the pro-choice argument includes that an unwanted baby would be extra mental stress a young mother shouldnt have to endure, one would think that the increase in abortions would decrease the cases of mental health issues reported each year. But as the number of abortions rise, the number of mental health cases because of them rises as well. With 1.3 million abortions performed annually in the US, a minimum of 130,000 new cases of abortion-related mental health problems appear each year (Coleman, 2009). These mental health cases begin with the smallest of issues, trailing their way through the mental health spectrum

THE OTHER VICTIM: INCREASED PSYCHOLOGICAL RISK FROM ABORTION

ending unfortunately with not only one death, but two because of the increased risk of suicide. Ertelt (2010) found that the number of cases of mental health issues rose by as much as 17% in women having abortion compared to women who carried their babies to term, and the individual risk for mental health issues rose by 145% for post-abortive women. But the problem with the evidence is it may be actually smaller than the real picture portrays. Readon (2002) documents that Married women reported 74% of expected abortions, while unmarried women reported only 30% of expected abortions. The explanation for the apparent concealment of reports from unmarried women is likely due to shame and guilt that is harbored from past abortions, which increases because of their lack of family status in the future. It may seem that married women are better able to deal with abortions, but they are at the same risk of mental health issues compared with unmarried women. Married women were 138% more likely to be at high risk of clinical depression after abortion compared to similar married women who carried their unintended pregnancy to term (Reardon, 2002). The damage occurs whether it is a young, unmarried, teenage mother, or a married woman with family support. There is also perhaps a third victim who deals with grief after an abortion. Pastor William Warren (2012) reports that fathers of babies who are aborted also experience extreme coping stressors including violent behavior, bonding poorly with future, children, sexual dysfunction, panic attacks, flashbacks, nightmares and inordinate fears leading to self medication. The perspective of the father rarely comes up in the abortion debate, but the emotional status of the father is always effected in the abortion decision, and because of current laws this occurs without consultation. In an effort to cope with the memory of an abortion, many fathers also turn to self-medication with drugs and alcohol. Paul Marshall recalls in his personal

THE OTHER VICTIM: INCREASED PSYCHOLOGICAL RISK FROM ABORTION

testimony Alcohol was my personal escape after living through two abortions in high school. I almost drank myself to death trying to cope with the loss (2012). Too often, the stress after an abortion is more than a mother can bare. The suicide rate among women who had abortions was six times higher than that of women who had given birth the prior year (Gissler, 2005). The link in increased suicide rates among post-abortive women points toward the untold trauma of the abortion experience that is endured. How many mothers who proceed with their abortion if they knew they would be six times more likely to commit suicide? Unfortunately, the proper information is not presented. K. Theresa describes the danger of the situation as Abortion shakes the ver foundation of ones soul. Feelings of alienation, fear, anger, victimization, denial, grief, and low self-esteem are common (1999). The effects are traumatic indeed. Ertelt reports that approximately 52% of early the early abortion group and 67% of the late-term abortion group met the APA criteria for PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) symptoms (2010). Post-abortive women are certainly sounding like victims now; victims who experienced trauma and effects in which they were not warned about. A study of medical records of 56,000 California medicaid patients revealed that women who had abortions were 160% more likely than delivering women to be hospitalized for psychiatric treatment in the first 90 days following abortion or delivery (Ashton, 1980). Speckhard found that the mean annual suicide rate for the population in 1987 was 11.3 per 100,000, but the suicide rate among women following abortions was 34.7 per 100,000. He also found that suicide rates were even more prevalent among post-abortive teenagers (1987). The damage is not short lived either. Ashton found that the rates for psychiatric treatment remained significantly higher for at least 4 years following an abortion (1980). Gissler reports that a study of women in Finland over a 13 year period found that deaths from suicide, accidents,

THE OTHER VICTIM: INCREASED PSYCHOLOGICAL RISK FROM ABORTION

and homicide are 248% higher in the year following an abortion (2005). This means that a women who has an abortion is more than twice as likely to die within the following year that a mother who carries the baby to term. Furthermore, he found that having a baby was statistically the safest thing to do for a mother. The risk of death from any cause was lowest among women who had given birth the prior year compared to all women. It seems as if having a baby could be the safest thing psychologically and physically for a mother. The evidence basically speaks for itself, and in light of the evidence, D. Ferguson also comments about the lack of evidence in the positive. To begin with he shows, there are no studies showing that abortion reduces the physical risks to women. Instead, every record linkage study examining mortality rates associated with abortions show that abortion is also linked with an elevated risk of maternal death in both the short and long term (2013). He concludes that it would be a mistake to assume that there is any evidence showing that abortion improves the social and economic well being of women. There is literally no evidence showing that the medical procedure of abortion benefits the mother in any way. It only benefits members of society who believes those babies are unwanted, because they never feel the effects that the baby, mother, or father will deal with till they die. As he says, if there are no benefits to abortion, and abortion actually increases the physical, psychological, and social risks to women, it should be the duty of the physician to recommend against these contraindicated abortions (2013). What is the only option that our country has not only in the interest of the babies, but in the interests of the mothers and fathers that inhabit our society as well? As Mark Camper says, Only human being were expressly created as Gods image-bearers, and this absolute conviction must be upheld by a society or it risks moral decay (2012). There is hope, there are options, and there are caring people trying to remedy one of the greatest threats to our culture. Pregnancy

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centers around the country are popping up in every city offering counsel, support and assistance to mothers who may be willing to cary their baby to term. Many of these pregnancy resource centers are affiliated with CareNet. Every year, more than 400,000 women visit CareNet pregnancy centers across the United States and Canada, finding the help necessary to cary their pregnancy to term (Delahoyde, 2012, p. 14) It is encouraging to know that 9 out of 10 women who visit a CareNet pregnancy center will decide to carry their baby to term (Dean, 2012, p.29). There is more than one silent victim in abortion. The baby will never be able to speak, but the mother will carry the burden of her choices for the rest of her life. However, there is a Savior who offers hope, forgiveness, and reconciliation to those who have made wrong choices. As Linda Cochrane says about those who help victims in abortion recovery, Jesus died for all sins, and abortion is forgivable (2012, p. 35).

References Alcorn, R. (2012). Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice. Christian Counseling Today, 19(1), 37. Camper, M. (2012). Celebrating Life in a Culture of Disregard. Christian Counseling Today, 19(1), 9. Cochrane, L. (2012). Creating a Safe Place for Abortion Recovery. Christian Counseling Today, 19(1), 35. Coleman, P. K. (2005) Substance use among pregnant women in the context of previous reproductive loss and desire for current pregnancy. British Journal of Health Psychology, (10), 255-268.

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Coleman, P. K. (2009). The Psychological Pain of Perinatal Loss and Subsequent Parenting Risks: Could Induced Abortion Be More Promlematic than Other Forms of Loss. Current Women's Health Issues, (5), 88-99. Dean, N., & King, A. (2012). Abortion and the Black Community. Christian Counseling Today, 19(1), 27. Delahoyde, M. (2012). Critical Point of Decision. Christian Counseling Today, 19(1), 13. Ertelt, S. (2010, September 28). Recent Studies Confirm Women Face Depression After Abortion, Other Problems | LifeNews.com. Retrieved from http://www.lifenews.com/2010/09/28/nat-6733/ Fergusson, D.M. (2013) Does abortion reduce the mental health risks of unwanted or unintended pregnancy? A re-appraisal of the evidence. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. Gissler, M. et. al (2005) Injury deaths, suicides and homicides associated with pregnancy, Finland 1987-2000. European J. Public Health 15 (5), 459-63.

References Continued Marshall, P. (2012). Unspoken Torment. Christian Counseling Today, 19(1), 45. Reardon, D. C. (2002). Depression and unintended pregnancy in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. British Medical Journal, (324), 151-152. Sears, A. (2012). Abortion in America. Christian Counseling Today, 19(1), 24. Speckhard. (1987) Psycho-social Stress Following Abortion, Sheed & Ward, Kansas City: MO. Retrieved from http://afterabortion.org/2011/abortion-risks-a-list-of-major-psychologicalcomplications-related-to-abortion/

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Swindoll, C. (2012). What the Bible says about the UnBorn. Christian Counseling Today,19(1), 19. Theresa, K. B. (1999, 01). After abortion. Liguorian, 87, 20. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/204258777?accountid=12085 William, W. (2012). The Pain of Fatherhood Lost by Abortion. Christian Counseling Today, 19(1), 52.

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