Abortion does not ALWAYS cause 'long-lasting emotional damage' so can those who spout this please desist.

[Bubble99]

Abortion, on the whole, is a 'necessary evil', IMO.

There will, of course, be women who suffer from infertility in later life - who regret abortion during their younger years. But, for the vast majority, I imagine, there is an overwhelming sense of relief that they do not have to give birth to a child that they cannot give loving and willing care to.

I'm waiting for the 'adoption' view but this, IMO, is fraught.

I think my miscarriage caused more long-lasting emotional damage than her abortion.

Agreed, abortion can sometimes be a necessary evil- people in abisive relationships who cannot escape themselves- why bring a child into that? Or people who are expecting a child to disabled to live (my Mumc caught rubella and as carrying a child incompatible with life)

So very many reasons for abortion, how can anyone possible judge them all (although still abit at those who cant be bothered to use contraception then have a termination)

I've no idea how it feels to have an abortion, I've never been in the position of needing to have one. However I don't think it can be very helpful for people to keep insisting that it always inevitably leads to terrible guilt and misery and permanent emotional scarring. Women have always borne the brunt of the difficult decision-making, we all do our best with the circumstances we have, and it does rather smack of judgement to assume that abortion is always a damaging and catastrophic event. Generalisations usually are unreliable anyway

agree with Bubble99

of course, there will be women who have suffered long term emotional trauma....but, from what i have read here and what i know in RL, it seems to be that for many women, being able to have a safe legal abortion is not a bad thing.

women can be traumatised by birth, we don;t stop women having babies on the off chance some might be traumatised by the experience, or make it really difficult for women to have babies.

so many things can cause trauma, but being forced to have an illegal or unsafe abortion or being forced to carry a baby to term and give that baby up for adoption is likely to be extremely traumatic IMO

I di agree with HC that women who do experience distress/regret etc should be supported and their feelings validated and listened to. I just that in making the assumption that abortion always carries this huge grief and guilt we run the risk of implying that abortion is something a woman should always feel guilty and miserable about. Women who don't experience massive emotional trauma and who are comfortable with their decision shouldn't be made to feel heartless.

I have no problem with abortion for special circumstances like medical reasons or rape etc - what I object to is the 400 / day in this country - there is no excuse for that many...none whatsoever. If it wasn't abused by so many I doubt anyone would have a problem with it.....

AFAIK 3 women I know have had abortions. My mum being the main one. She recently admitted to me that she wants to kill herself, a lot of which stems from having an abortion. I would love you to be right bubble, but for the two friends also, it messed up their lives.

I do support abortion however. For my mum, counselling wasn't the done thing, my friends both refused. I know this isn't what people want to hear on this thread but I'm feeling a little sore over her revelation.

Agree with bubble's OP.
I'm not sure how I'd cope with such a decision, personally, but the women I know who have had a termination have been relieved and generally comfortable with their decision.
I believe very strongly in a woman's right to choose. Older Mners and many of our mothers know what life was like before safe, legal terminations were available. 1967 is a shockingly short time ago really.

I agree that abortion doesn't necessarily scar one for life but surely it is better to tell women that having an abortion a very big deal indeed because it is a very big deal indeed. When one has an abortion one is taking the life of another. You can argue semantics all day long but it doesn't change the basic facts.

Abortions are very easy to get, carry almost no social stigma any more and are being used as a form of contraception. Obviously there are exceptions but I think that using abortion as your method of birth control is wrong.

I agree that using abortion as a meythod of contraception is worng, but I think it should extend beyond medical reasons- I mean, if a Mum, for example, had a severely Sn child alreadya nd couldnt cope with another- thats not medical reasons, but its very important that she should have choice (and contraception fails. It just does).

I've never terminated and cant imagine I would ever, my Mum was forced to terminate due to medicalr easons after several stillbirths which must ahve been devastating- I came after, and then 2 more. But just because I cannot imagine I would, doesn't give me some magical wand to say nobody else can. I DO think termination is allowed too far into normal pregnancies, but whats that they say- walk a mile in my moccains and all that!

For zephyrcat - www.unplannedpregnancies.co.uk.

I am quite sceptical about this notion that anyone actually thinks of abortion as a form of contraception.

Carelessness about contraception is a different thing.

I feel that carrying a baby. giving birth to it and then giving it up for adoption would cause far more emotional damage than an abortion tbh

satine it does happen- I ahd to babysit for a client who thought exactly that way! Its probably very rare but there are people out there who take the 'ball of cells' idea to extremes

Susannah:
"Abortion does not ALWAYS cause 'long-lasting emotional damage' so can those who spout this please desist

Does for the poor baby.... "

How has it longlasting emotional effect on the Baby?

not Susannah..susanjayneh

I totally agree bubble. I've given up on the other thread, I haven't got the energy today.

I've had 2 abortions and they were both absolutely the right thing for me, at the time and in the circumstances. And I'm not scarred or anything. Of course it's not pleasant, but I'm bloody glad I had access to legal, safe abortion. I'd hate to go back to the time before it was available (it's not that long ago is it? 67 or something?)

Peachy, but that is already covered in the guidelines, anyway....there is something about mental health in it, which is where that ties in, I believe.

Bubble, but, even if there is a sense of relief etc...< I think it may still catch up with that woman at one point or another...I am sure there are those women that can jsut move on, and I suppose hurrah for them, as surely for their mental health that is a very good thing, but like Rhubarb says, a lot of women do have problems...
We are women, we have inbuild guilt, I believe...I eman, how many women feel guilty to "fail" breastdfeeding, how many women feel guilty to have "failed" given Birth vaginally, and the list goes on, so, isn't it just human nature to feel guilt and remorse, etc....!

I am not arguing, by the way, that legal abortions shouldn't happe, etc...I think they are very important, as indeed illegelising would have devastating effects.

Oh and 'too easy' ? nope, it isn't. NHS first time involved 3 separate appointments and having to kick up a fuss to get it done before 12 weeks despite having started proceedings VERY early on. They told me it didn't make any difference if I waited and luckily, becuase I knew they were talking crap I made a fuss and got what I wanted, which was before 12 weeks.

Second time I paid at 6 weeks, still needed 2 appts beforehand although it was all a lot quicker.

But anyway, as someone said on the other thread, I'm a grown woman, people shouldn't make it difficult for me.

I'm in!

3andnomore, i agree- but anything that causes stess (eg an unwanted preganancy) is classed as stressful and possible detrimental to mental health in the case of abortions, I have heard people use it as a plea when they think their GP will object.

Which as I said I think is probably fair enough- I think i'd like to see some program implemented for women who ahve ahd a certain number of abortions (just a very sympathetic meeting with a trained counsellor for an hour and a chat- something not linked to the abortion process itself but in between conceptions) beyond that (and the reduction in the age a foetus can be aborted at) i cn't say, as I don't have the eprsonal experience

peachy I know what you mean, and the councelling does sound good and should be happening.
But, the timing factor...like I said in teh otehr thread...dangerous ground, because once we give the "gods in white" or a politician the right to intervene in favour of the fetus, women could also be forced to loose their right of choice of Birth, etc..

here

I cant get my head around 24 weeks as some babied have survived birth younger, I get severe medical conditions (which imo doesnt include the baby that was terminated post 24 weeks with a cleft pallette a few years ago) but I would think 16 weeks is a limit that should be kept to except where the mother has severe medical needs (including mental health requiring in patient treatment), is under 16 (because of kids who hide their pg) or the baby is severely disabled

Tahts just my personal opinions, of course.

not doing th abby erminolgy for emotie reasons btw- just my phrasing. i am NOT anti abortion.