Often, abortion providers tell women that they will recover quickly from their abortion and not think about it again. And many women do say they feel relief immediately following their abortions.
However, some women begin having negative mental health issues within weeks, months, or years afterward. Experts have proven that an abortion can cause negative mental health issues. The Hope Women’s Center team offers the understanding and information you need.
You Can Be Affected Emotionally by an Abortion
Every woman’s abortion experience is unique, and many factors determine the level of trauma a woman may feel. If you are being pressured to have an abortion, you might be affected more deeply. Feeling isolated and needing to keep the abortion a secret can also cause emotional problems.
More research is necessary. However, one study published in the National Library of Medicine came to three conclusions:
- Abortion is consistently associated with elevated rates of mental illness compared to women without a history of abortion.
- The abortion experience directly contributes to mental health problems for at least some women.
- There are risk factors, such as pre-existing mental illness, that identify women at greatest risk of mental health problems after an abortion.
The same report quoted The American Psychological Association’s (APA) Task Force on Mental Health and Abortion (TFMHA) as saying, “it is clear that some women do experience sadness, grief, and feelings of loss following termination of a pregnancy, and some experience clinically significant disorders, including depression and anxiety.”
You Are Not Alone
At Hope Women’s Center, we are here to support you as you make this critical decision.
Here are some steps you can take to get the answers you need:
- Find a safe place where you feel free to talk about choosing abortion.
- Schedule an appointment with Hope Women’s Center for no-cost pregnancy services like pregnancy testing and an ultrasound to learn as much as possible about your pregnancy.
- Get the facts about the potential physical and emotional consequences of various abortion procedures.
- Learn about your other options.
- Don’t allow anyone to manipulate you or force you to choose abortion.
Visit Hope Women’s Center
Talk with a compassionate team member at Hope Women’s Center. We provide private counseling at no cost and offer factual, medically based information about abortion procedures, the possible side effects you may experience, and potential physical and emotional risks.
You can conveniently schedule an appointment online. Contact us today to learn as much as possible before deciding.
Hope Women’s Center does not perform or refer for abortion.
All abortion information sourced in this blog is based on accurate information at the time of writing.