This is Life!: Revolutions Around the Cruciform Axis

Understanding Abortion's Aftermath

From the Project Rachel (a Catholic Pro-Life organization) comes this summary of the after effects of abortion on the women who've had them:

Evidence of post-abortion trauma is increasingly attested to by psychologists, counselors and those involved in post-abortion ministry. We now know, for example, that women hurt by abortion may have some or many of the following symptoms:

*Low self-esteem

*Grief (mild to profound)

*Depression (sometimes to the point of suicidal thoughts and attempts)

*A sense of alienation from family and friends

*A feeling of being 'numb,' not able to feel joy from activities that used to be pleasurable

*Isolating self from others to avoid discussing the abortion experience with them

*Guilt and shame

*Difficulty concentrating

*Anger toward self, or the child's father, or others involved in the abortion decision

*Sleep disorders

*Abortion-related nightmares, flashbacks or even sounds of a baby crying

*Alcohol and drug problems, to dull the sorrow

*Desire for a 'replacement' baby

*Anniversary reactions of grief or depression on the date of the abortion or the baby's expected due date

*Problems bonding with her other children (being over-protective but emotionally distant)

*Fear that God will punish her, or is punishing her

Some, especially young girls, experience symptoms soon after the abortion. Counselors tell us, however, that it is more common for the symptoms to occur over the course of five to twelve years after the abortion before a woman seeks help.

Abortion's aftermath is largely ignored by the general public. Groups organized to protect the availability of abortion claim that abortion is no different from any surgical procedure and that pro-life groups are fabricating the existence of post-abortion suffering. Consequently, many women think that their grief reactions are somehow abnormal and believe that there is nowhere to turn for help.

The site also links to these important research articles:

Psychiatric Sequelae of Abortion: The Many Faces of Post-Abortion Grief
Adverse Psychological Reactions - A Fact Sheet

See also my post from last October, which references the article The Nightmares of Choice.