“If Society Denies the Mother’s Loss, Her Body Does Not”

Society tells us that having an abortion will elicit no negative consequences on our conscience or our bodies. Is this the truth, or a lie foisted on vulnerable women by pro-choicers trying to sell a product? Examining the natural consequences of abortion on women’s bodies and minds will help us to see the real cost of abortion on women.

The NHS claims that “abortion is generally very safe and most women will not experience any problems”. The American Psychological Association claims that abortion is not linked to mental health problems, but rather restricting access to abortion has problematic impacts on women. This idea has permeated into our culture. It is now a common belief that having an abortion is empowering, and will leave women unaffected, without any future psychological, spiritual or physical side effects.

However, the idea of abortion not affecting women in a negative manner is not proved by all psychological data. The National Library of Medicine claims that

Smoking, drug abuse, eating disorder, depression, attempted suicide, guilt, regret, nightmare, decreased self-esteem, and worry about not being able to conceive again were the questions asked from the respondents as the psychological consequences of abortion… At least one-third of the respondents have experienced one of the above mentioned psychological side effects.

It seems to be clear, that at least for some women, abortion entails an array of heart wrenching consequences. Furthermore, each abortion a woman gets seems to compound her risk of negative psychological effects. The Lozier Institute claims that "..each exposure to abortion increases the risk of mental disorders (in women) by 23 percent.”. If any other medical procedure had these kinds of side effects, which are serious and detrimental to a woman's mental health, would we really be recommended and championed so strongly? At the very least we would make the risks and possible consequences explicit to them so they can make a conscious decision about what is best for them. However, even informed consent is denied to women, as abortion providers tell them they will feel no guilt or have no lasting negative consequences.

We cannot deny the truth of what abortion does to women. Even a woman's body often feels the consequences of her an abortion. Said profoundly by pro-life activist Sister Paula Vandegaar, "if society denies the mother's loss, her body does not… This is the basis of post-abortion trauma: the denial of the baby and the denial of our feelings.”. The physical risks of abortion, including horrible abdominal pain, hemorrhaging, and even death, speak to the trauma every woman undergoes during an abortion. Our bodies cannot lie - something has been destroyed and taken away. Women who have undergone abortions have a right to feel traumatized, and simply denying their feelings for them, as so many pro-choice activists try to do, will not allow them to heal their bodies or their minds.

Abortion has consequences on women. These consequences are serious enough that they must be fully explored and investigated, so that no woman unwillingly becomes the victim of lifelong psychological or physical trauma.

Sources:

 https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/abortion/risks/
 https://www.apa.org/monitor/2022/09/news-facts-abortion-mental-health

 Psychological Consequences of Abortion among the Post Abortion Care Seeking Women in Tehran

 https://lozierinstitute.org/fact-sheet-abortion-and-mental-health/