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Abortion No Threat To Women's Mental Health

Thu, 08/14/2008 - 14:31
Submitted by Carlin Ross

Ok. It's official. The American Psychological Association has conducted one of the largest, most in depth studies on abortion and mental health EVER!

What they found that having an abortion was no greater threat to a woman's mental health than carrying a pregnancy to term.

HA! I remember when my mom found out that I had had an abortion. She kept waiting for me to try to kill myself and when I didn't thought that I was heartless. No, I was just normal. Abortion isn't a big deal. It's like getting a D&C at your gyno's office.

Birth control fails and when it does you can just take a pill now and it's all over. Betty and I were talking about this the other day: how we were thankful that we had abortions although Betty had an illegal one and it was fucking crazy painful and scary. We just don't realize how much other women have suffered so that we can enjoy a private, professional abortion experience.

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I always felt guilty that I

Thu, 08/14/2008 - 15:47
eleni223

I always felt guilty that I didn't feel guilty.......
I too remember when my mother found out and she said "pray for forgiveness" I burst out laughing, although she didn't find it funny, because all I was praying for was that we could keep abortions legal, having watched my older sister deal with an illegal abortion.

abortion

Sat, 08/23/2008 - 04:13
ktbrady

Noone should feel guilty about doing what they feel is right in their hearts. The right to an abortion is important and things should never go back to the way they were when illegal was the only way to get one, but I do not think that abortion and birth control should be equated as the same thing. don't get me wrong, if birth control slips and pregnancy happens to a responsible person, I understand abortion as an option. I do not understand women who do not educate themselves about birth control and use abortion left, right, and sideways as their only alternative. Class and upbringing can no longer be used as a defense, "I did not know", does not cut the mustard anymore when it comes to birth control. We have a society that educates from childhood on about using birth control.
I was seventeen years old when I became pregnant, but it was my choice to go through with the pregnancy and keep the baby. I am glad I did, but again that was my choice and I am glad I live in a country that gave me the option and I am grateful for those people that stood up and helped abortion to be legal. I know that sounds dualistic , but I saw both sides of the abortion issue and I can appreciate them with equal sincerity. As far as the mental health issue of having an abortion, any situation in life can bring a person to their knees and not all people will be brought to grief by the same situations and conditions. To say abortion causes psychological damage to all who have one is not true. Some women may regret their choice or wonder what would be if they would have chosen to give birth, but not all, some are just plain relieved after the fact. To those that would grieve, I say, we hold them in our hearts and give them the right to feel their sadness. To those women happy with their decision to abort, I say, support their right to do so and let them know we respect them for their decision.