Myth: Women who have abortions suffer from “Post Abortion Syndrome”
Fact: It is rare for women to suffer long-term emotional problems after having an abortion—in fact, studies show that the rate of post-partum depression (depression after childbirth) is higher than the rate of serious depression after abortion. However, anti-choice activists have invented “post abortion syndrome”, and claim women who have had an abortion suffer from a set of emotional symptoms such as sever depression, anxiety, and guilt, in order to scare women and prevent them from choosing abortion. In 1989, the American Psychological Association convened a panel that found no evidence that such a condition exists. Instead, they found most women experience the most stress before choosing abortion. Every women and every situation is different. You might experience a range of emotions after the procedure. Some women feel relief or a sense that they did the right thing after having an abortion. Others may feel anger, guilt, or sadness for a short time after having an abortion. Anti-choice activists have also sought to attack women’s rights to choose by offering so-called “post-abortion counseling” that promotes anger against the health care provider, rather than helping women explore their feelings about their situation in an unbiased, supportive atmosphere. Exhale, a San Francisco-based group, offers unbiased post-abortion counseling to women nationwide. They can be reached at 1-866-4-EXHALE or at http://www.4exhale.org.
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