Are women hurt by abortion?

Yes. Abortion fails women who are in crisis. It does not address the needs of women who are hurt and scared or alone and unsure – and adds to their hurt by killing their child.

Abortion does not help women.  In fact, research has repeatedly shown that women can be seriously hurt by the abortion procedure and many women regret it afterwards.  Abortion can leave many long-lasting physical and mental scars that women must deal with for years.

A 2008 study conducted by Dr. David Fergusson and published in the British Journal of Psychiatry found that women who had abortions were 30% more likely to experience mental disorder. (1)

A 13-year-long study by Gissler et al published in the European Journal of Public Health in 2005, found that the suicide rate among women who had abortions was six times higher than that of women who had given birth and double the number of women who had had miscarriages. (2)

When Irish women are killed or maimed by abortion, the media largely ignores these horrific cases. Aisha Chithira, from Ireland, was 22 weeks pregnant when she bled to death after an abortion in a Marie Stopes clinic in West London, in January 2012. The abortionist and two nurses are currently being prosecuted in the British courts. (3)

Another Irish woman almost died in the same Marie Stopes clinic in 2006 when abortionist, Phanuel Dartey, perforated her uterus and left pieces of her baby inside her body. (4)

What Women Say

While abortion campaigners often dismiss the suffering that women experience following abortions, many post-abortive women have spoken up about the pain and hurt that has followed their abortions.

“I felt that there was a black hole inside of me, a wound that would never heal…I suffered from depression, especially around the anniversary of the abortion and the date.”

Bernadette Goulding, founder of Rachel’s Vineyard

“I had an abortion at 17 and it was the worst thing I ever did…I would never recommend it to anyone because it comes back to haunt you.”

Sharon Osbourne, TV personality

“It was the hardest thing I have ever gone through…It has haunted me all my life.”

Nicki Minaj, hip-hop artist

Far from helping women, abortion exploits and hurts them.  A far more positive answer to a crisis pregnancy is to work to eliminate the crisis and not the pregnancy.

References

(1)    David M. Fergusson, L. John Horwood and Joseph M. Boden, “Abortion and mental health disorders: evidence from a 30-year longitudinal study,” The British Journal of Psychiatry (2008), 2008, pp. 444-451

(2)    The European Journal of Public Health 2005 15 (5): 459-463, Injury deaths, suicides and homicides associated with pregnancy, in Finland by Mika Gissler, Cynthia Berg, Marie Helene Bouvier-Colle and Pierre Buekens.

(3)    Marie Stopes doctor and nurses ‘bungled woman’s abortion then sent her home despite symptoms of internal bleeding that killed her just hours later’. Daily Mail. 19 June 2015

(4)    ‘Doctor struck off as abortion nearly kills Irish woman’. Irish Independent. 12 February 2011.