Abortion trauma hits both women, men

[Phillygirl]

WASHINGTON (BP)--Martha Shuping knows the trauma of abortion.

The Winston-Salem, N.C., psychiatrist recently told the story of a client who was a happily married, stay-at-home mom until she found out she was pregnant with another baby. Her husband said he had no room in his life for another child and asked her to abort the baby. After consulting with their pastor, who supported the husband's decision, the woman terminated the pregnancy.

"After the abortion took place, my patient became severely depressed, unable to function in her role as a mom and homemaker, and she ended up being admitted to the hospital," Shuping said. "When I talked to her at the time of admission, she identified the abortion as the cause of her problems."

Shuping described the incident at an Oct. 9 panel discussion about post-abortion trauma and its effects on women and men. The session, titled "Post-abortion Mental Health Effects, Awareness and Politics," was held at the Family Research Council in Washington, D.C.

A recent Elliot Institute poll shows 85 percent of 626 Americans surveyed believe negative emotional problems are common after having an abortion.

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Interesting article.

[YupItsMe]

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Interesting article.

How could it not. It's a life-ending decision. :(

[Gingersnap]

Having known women who have had abortions, I'd say that there is absolutely a problem for some of them. The problem may not show up for years. However, when those women find that they are too old or infertile to have their own children or when they happily do give birth to their own child, it can come roaring back pretty abruptly. I've seen this happen.

I wouldn't be at all surprised to find that some men experience problems themselves.

[Phillygirl]

I don't know anyone currently that has had one (or I should say that has told me that they've had one). But when I was in college a friend of mine's girlfriend aborted their child. He was an emotional wreck. It was the first time I had ever seen a man cry...and he bawled. They later married. I always wondered how the marriage withstood that. From what I could see at the 10 year reunion, not very well.

[Lager]

I know how divided the whole country, maybe the whole human race is on abortion. With all the powerful feelings on both sides, I was thinking about one positive out of it all. At least we're having the debate.

How sad if, as civilized creatures, we didn't debate, analyze, philosophize and agonize over such a monumental moral and philosophical question. Imagine how terrible it would be if the question of abortion didn't inspire such strong feelings. I don't know if we could call ourselves human, if we had callously just accepted the concept for our own convienence and never questioned how it affects us as a civilized society, or the ramifications, morally, spiritually and emotionally on individuals, families and the larger connected communities that unite us as a species.

[nacho]

That is a remarkable post, Lager. Well said.

[jediab]

I believe that is some cases, the trauma for men is much much worse because leaglly men have zero say in the matter. If he wants to be a father, but she doesnt want to give birth, then he has no choice but to watch his child be destroyed. And there is absolutely nothing he can do about it. Many court cases have been filed, but always the women have won.

[linda22003]

It is sad when the sides can't agree, but I understand the stakes are somewhat higher for women in this.

[noonwitch]

I have two friends and many aquaintances who have had abortions.

First was a cousin, who had an illegal, pre-Roe abortion at 5 months that almost killed her. I'm not supposed to know about it, so I have no idea what her feelings are about it at this point. She has two really good, grown-up kids, though, at this point, but she had a hysterectomy at a relatively young age (in her 30s) due to scarring from the illegal procedure. According to my mom, it was a med student who performed the abortion, they used saline and allowed her to see the fetus after delivery.

An older friend of mine had one when she was in her 20s. She had a job and could have afforded to be a single mom, but the father was physically abusive to her and she just wanted to be out of the relationship. She never had any children, and has some regrets about that, but not necessarily about the abortion. She said she felt somewhat guilty at the time.

My best friend from college also had an abortion in her 20s. She has no regrets, never wanted any children and always said "if I have children I will abuse them".

Then I drove a friend to PP for an abortion when we were in college. The day she found out she was pregnant, she drank a fifth of Jack Daniels. She was not going to stay sober for 8 more months, so I personally think she made the right choice.

As far as I'm concerned, well, I've tried to live my life in a way that prevents me from ever being in a position where I would consider abortion to be my best option. If I ever found myself in such a position, things in my life would have to be pretty awful, but I can imagine situations where that is my best option. I am a responsible adult-it is an insult to me for the government to assume that I cannot determine what situation I should be allowed to end a pregnancy and when I should not be allowed to.

[jediab]

I will always be against abortion except for incest/rape/health of the mother, until men have legal abortion rights too. If that happens, then I might change my tune. But for now it is totally unequal, thus why I am against it.