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NRL News
New NRLC
Factsheet on Abortion’s Every abortion takes the life of an innocent child. That, sadly, is the aim of the whole procedure. But abortion’s destruction doesn’t end there. Even if she survives abortion’s physical assault, a woman may face a host of psychological and social problems as a result of her decision to take the life of her child. These issues are the focus of the National Right to Life Educational Trust Fund’s latest factsheet, Abortion’s Psycho-Social Consequences. What the factsheet does, at a glance, is to give the reader a quick, comprehensive overview of the ways that abortion can psychologically and socially affect a woman and those close to her. The new factsheet dispels many myths put out by the abortion industry and their supporters regarding how quickly and easily women deal with their abortion experiences. Dr. Randall K. O’Bannon, director of education and research for the National Right to Life Educational Trust Fund and one of the researchers responsible for the new factsheet, told NRL News, “Abortion’s Psycho-Social Consequences is a necessary companion to Abortion’s Physical Complications,” another factsheet put out by the Trust Fund in 2005. “Together, on one two-sided sheet of paper,” Dr. O’Bannon said, “these two factsheets lay out the range of ways that abortion can physically, psychologically, and socially impact a woman and her relationships. I don’t believe you can find a more comprehensive, compact, accessible outline of this critical data anywhere.” The Myths and the Reality Women who go to clinics to abort their babies are encouraged to believe they’re doing what is really in everyone’s best interest. They’re told that the dominant emotion they’ll feel after their abortion is relief. This may be what a woman is thinking and feeling in the immediate aftermath while others are urging her on and she’s trying to justify the violence in her mind, but doubts, regret, and loneliness ensue for many women in the months and years ahead. As the factsheet points out, over time regret is a very common phenomenon. A 1989 Los Angeles Times survey found that over half of women (56%) felt guilty about their abortions, while 26% said they mostly regretted their decisions. With studies suggesting that negative psychological reactions to abortion often take years to surface, there is reason to think that even these high numbers are too low. The factsheet outlines the symptoms of what has come to be known as Post-Abortion Syndrome, a cluster of reactions that fit the classic model of a post-traumatic stress disorder. Post-traumatic stress disorders are psychological dysfunctions resulting from a traumatic experience that overwhelms a person’s normal healthy defense mechanisms. Typical symptoms include intense fear, anxiety, emotional numbing, depression, flashbacks, sleep difficulties, relationship issues, substance abuse, suicidal thoughts, and sexual dysfunction. A complete list can be found on the factsheet. The factsheet looks at the self-destructive patterns that begin to characterize many women’s lives after their abortion, ranging from eating disorders to smoking and substance abuse and even suicide. Abortion’s effect on relationships is also detailed, showing how abortion affects not only the woman, but also her partner, her parents, her other children, and even future partners. One interesting fact revealed by the factsheet is how these individual psychological crises have a wider social impact. Large studies show that aborting women have higher psychiatric admissions and more mental health claims. Like all Trust Fund factsheets, the material in Abortion’s Psycho-Social Consequences has been carefully researched and double checked to insure that all the information is accurate and reliable. For those wishing to identify the scientific books, journals, and studies used to build the factsheet, or simply wanting to examine the issue in more detail, a six-page annotated list of sources and citations is available online or by mail. These factsheets, along with many other excellent Trust Fund resources, can be downloaded for free from the National Right to Life web site at www.nrlc.org. Simply follow the link to Abortion’s Psycho-Social Consequences on the front page or select the “Factsheet” option from the drop down “Issue Info” menu. Those who lack Internet access can obtain copies of our latest factsheets by contacting the Trust Fund by phone or by mail. “A more informed pro-lifer is a more effective pro-lifer,” says Dr. O’Bannon. “Not only will you be better prepared to make the case for life in your community, but you may be able to convince a few young women that there are better options for them and their unborn babies.” You can call the Trust Fund’s publications office at (202) 626-8829 or write us at Education, NRL-ETF, 512 10th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20004-1401. |