Emotional and Psychological Responses to Abortion
Abortion is a highly controversial topic, with people on both the "Pro-Life" and "Pro-Choice" sides presenting different reasons for their views. One of the topics on which these two groups differ is the extent to which they believe a woman will be affected psychologically and emotionally after having an abortion. While the research doesn't definitively support one side or the other, there is evidence that women tend to experience more positive than negative reactions to abortion.
For many adolescents, or even older women who already have children, an unexpected pregnancy can be a real dilemma. The choice about what to do is sometimes one of the most difficult decisions she will ever have to make, especially when facing different alternatives, conflicting opinions and morals, and social pressures. For some women, who see their unintended pregnancy as a "problem," one possible solution might be to have an abortion. For this reason, many women often state the feelings of "doing the right thing" and "relief" afterwards (Broen 2004). Just as putting air into a bicycle tire is the way to fix a flat, some women solve their pregnancy quandary with this procedure, experiencing positive feelings of relief afterwards.
An unexpected pregnancy can affect many different aspects of a person's life. One of those aspects is their education, especially for young people. Many teens have to consider how carrying a pregnancy to term, giving a child up for adoption, and/or raising a child will affect their schooling. Although services exist to help teenage mothers continue their education, this process may nonetheless be difficult. In one study, for example, researchers found that "young women who had abortions had higher levels of subsequent educational achievement than those who became pregnant but did not have abortions" (Fergusson 2007). Thus when weighing the pros and cons of abortion, it is important to take into account the value a woman attaches to continuing and/or completing her education. For some, it may be extremely important, and for others it may be less so. This simply depends on the individual.
When evaluating abortion, many people often think of how it will affect the woman emotionally. Across numerous socioeconomic factors, depression plays a role is some people's lives. With regards to this topic, it is important to realize that having an abortion, and the alternative of giving birth may both be very difficult experiences. It is not easy to say if one is more difficult than the other. Importantly, research does point out that in terms of having an abortion or giving birth, there is no difference in the level of risk for major depression (Rees 2007). That is to say that neither electing to have an abortion nor deciding to give birth makes a woman more prone to depression. Knowing this, each woman who is prone to depression must choose what she believes to be best for her, with the knowledge that all options bring with them a risk of depression. Just as carrying a pregnancy to term can be an emotionally difficult experience that may incur depression, abortion can carry this same possibility.
Finally, when considering abortion, individuals must take into account the context in which it is occurring, namely the woman's life. Does she have a partner? Does her partner support her? Is she religious, and if so, does her religion tell her anything about abortion? Has she had an abortion before? All of these things and more can play a role and can affect how a woman will feel after the procedure. For example, a woman terminating a pregnancy that was caused by rape will likely have a very different experience than a 45-year old woman who already has grown children, and became pregnant by her husband when a condom broke. In this example, it is very clear that the context can be quite important.
In essence, "women who are terminating pregnancies that are wanted or who lack support from their partner or parents for the abortion may feel a greater sense of loss, anxiety and distress. For most women, however, the time of greatest distress is likely to be before an abortion; after an abortion, women frequently report feeling 'relief and happiness'" (Cohen 2006). Thus it is clear that before making this decision, women must evaluate the current life circumstances under which the abortion or pregnancy may occur, which includes things such as social support, lifestyle, education, and attitude toward the unintended pregnancy.
Even though the research is not definitive enough to support either the "Pro-Life" or "Pro-Choice" sides of the argument conclusively, there is good evidence that many women do have positive experiences after having an abortion.