This is part three of a three part series on Post Abortion
Stress (PAS), for Abortion Recovery Awareness Month.
Part One talked about the effect of PAS on post abortive
women and recovery. Links to resources were provided, including information on
choosing the right recovery path for the individual.
In Part Two we discussed how PAS affected others who in any
way were participants in the abortion and survivors of the abortion, which led
to a look at Post Abortion Survivor Syndrome, or PASS. Part One was referred to
for recovery resources.
Now, in Part Three, our topic is PAS and the various
complications that can arise during and after abortion procedures. Since
psychological difficulties were the focus in parts 1 and 2, the emphasis in
part 3 is physical problems.
“Then when Herod saw that he had been
tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male
children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and
under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi. Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was
fulfilled: “A voice was heard in Ramah, Weeping
and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her
children; And she refused to be comforted, Because
they were no more.” (Matthew 2:16-18)
Post abortive women mourn and weep for
their children, refusing to be comforted, because in addition to the loss of their
children they have to deal with physical complications, often severe, sometimes
fatal. These physical problems begin during the abortion procedure, whether by
surgery or by pill or by both.
From November 2008 to March 2013, there
were 14 known medical emergencies at a single abortion clinic, Southwest Women’s
Options. This month, April 2013, Planned Parenthood in Delaware suspended
abortions at two of its 3 clinics that perform abortions, following five known emergency
calls since January 4.
According to Iowa Right to Life, complications of abortion
pills include nausea, vomiting, pain, severe hemorrhaging and death (for
RU-486), and nausea, diarrhea, pain, bone marrow depression, severe anemia,
liver damage and lung disease (for methotrexate). Surgical abortion
complications include infections, uterine cervical lacerations, perforations,
severe hemorrhaging, blood clots, very high fevers, breathing problems,
abnormally high heart rate, seizures, cardiac arrest, rupturing of the uterus, comas,
and death. Pregnancy complications may include difficulty getting pregnant, miscarriages,
fetal deformities and ectopic pregnancies.
http://iowartl.org/get-the-facts/abortion/abortion-methods/
National Right to Life has more information about the various abortion
methods and complications they cause, as well as information on making an
informed decision before getting an abortion and some abortion alternatives.
“Approximately 10% of
women undergoing elective abortion will suffer immediate complications, of
which approximately one-fifth (2%) are considered life threatening. The nine
most common major complications which can occur at the time of an abortion are:
infection, excessive bleeding, embolism, ripping or perforation of the uterus,
anesthesia complications, convulsions, hemorrhage, cervical injury, and
endotoxic shock. The most common “minor” complications include: infection,
bleeding, fever, second degree burns, chronic abdominal pain, vomiting,
gastro-intestinal disturbances, and Rh sensitization.” (From the Elliot
Institute, which specializes in after abortion issues and healing.)
Women who suffer physical complications during or after
abortion procedures are not just statistics, of course. These physical problems
could happen to any woman who chooses to go through with an abortion.
Donna from North Carolina developed severe endometriosis (development
of uterine-lining tissue outside the uterus) and was forced to have a
hysterectomy by the age of 27.
Shari Richards of Bloomfield, MI, following her abortion, “suffered
from severe abdominal pain, high fever, and hemorrhaging” and it took
weeks to recover “from the severe infection and physical complications”.
These are just bits of a few of the stories of women who suffered physical complications from abortions. You can read more about these and other post abortive women through the testimony directory of Silent No More Awareness:
http://www.silentnomoreawareness.org/testimonies/index.aspx
According to the Elliot Institute, abortions bring increased
risk for contributing health risk factors such as substance abuse, as well
lower general health demonstrated by post abortion increases in doctor visits.
Uterine perforations and cervical lacerations during abortions may cause
further problems later, and pelvic inflammatory disease and placenta previa are
post-abortion dangers that can also be fatal. In addition, there is an
increased risk of cancers such as cervical, ovarian and liver cancers.
According to one leading researcher, abortion has caused
over 300,000 breast cancer deaths since 1973, when abortion on demand became
legal, in the USA.
According to a new study, “Women who had a history of
induced abortion were 1.25 times more likely to have metabolic
syndrome compared to women who had never had abortions.” This means an
increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and stroke.
So clearly, having even one abortion can result in death by
a number of causes during or soon after the abortion procedure, or even years
later.
Death rates for all causes are 45% higher among women who have had
abortions, maternal death rates are four times higher, and the rate of suicide
is six times higher according to the following links, which in turn have
additional links about deaths and the many problems increased by abortion. The
problems, and the deaths, increase as women have more abortions.
Tonya Reaves, Jennifer Morbelli and Karnamaya Mongar are
just a few of the face of death by the “choice” of abortion, and there are many
more.
http://www.lifenews.com/2013/04/16/family-of-woman-gosnell-killed-in-abortion-weeps-at-murder-trial/
If you are considering an abortion or know someone who is, please
spare yourself or that person you know from the possible physical complications
abortion procedures can cause during the procedure or even years later. Please
don’t risk losing your life while losing the life of your unborn child. Please
read the entry on this blog of three days ago (4/16/13), “Post Abortion Stress
and Post Abortive Women. There you will find links for places where you can
find help before (or after) you get an abortion. Here is another help link to
the Elliot Institute:
If you are considering an abortion, please see an obstetrician or
gynecologist before deciding, and get help from a pro-life pregnancy center or
elsewhere. There are options besides abortions that will avoid complications
and save your child, providing the help you need to care for your child
yourself or allow a loving family to adopt your child.
If you have already had an abortion, please see a pro-life physician
who can provide specific post abortion treatment for physical complications.
If you are considering an abortion, it’s not too late to change your
mind and choose a life alternative. If you have had an abortion, there is hope
for medical help and healing that can help minimize and enable you to recover
from any physical damage or potential physical problems caused by abortion.
“Thus says the Lord, “Restrain your voice from
weeping and your eyes from tears; For your work will be rewarded,” declares the
Lord, “And they will return from the land of the enemy. “There
is hope for your future,” declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 31:16, 17)
Hmmm, my own experience would disagree with your statistics, but I suppose it's up to the individual woman. I'm certain my abortion was the right thing to do at the time, and I certainly have no regrets. The notion, though, that this makes me some sort of evil person is ridiculous, of course. It's unfortunate that women are expected to feel shame about their decisions to end a pregnancy. No one else was affected by my decision, and I wasn't in a position to raise a child. At any rate, not all women feel regret, nor should they be expected to.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment, Anonymous. I'm glad for your sake that you defied the statistics.
ReplyDeleteI don't know the circumstances of or the reason for your abortion.
What I do believe is that abortion kills a helpless, innocent child, and that it is always wrong, unless it is a therapeutic abortion, the only way to save the life of the mother.
Some people do expect women to feel shame for ending a pregnancy in some circumstances, others don't. Just like some women and families regret their abortions while others don't.
I don't expect anything one way or another. It is simply my hope that women and families will not have elective abortions in the first place, and that if they do, they will regret it so that they won't kill future children and hurt themselves even further.
It is of course also my hope that women who have had abortions will come to terms with it and find healing so that they are not overwhelmed by their regret.