Abortion activists are constantly pushing for unlimited access and government funding of abortion through “reproductive health” and “reproductive rights” provisions. There are numerous negative physical, psychological, emotional, and social impacts and complications associated with abortion that can negatively affect women in for a lifetime, yet most women are never informed of these serious consequences until it is too late.
Studies show approximately 10 percent of women undergoing induced abortion suffers from immediate complications, of which one-fifth (two persons) of these complications are considered major. However, the majorities of complications, many of which are quite serious, take time to develop and may not appear for days, months or even years.
Abortion not only ends a human life but also carries and has lasting, devastating impacts for the mother. There are reported physical complications from abortion which include accidental tearing of uterine artery, heavy bleeding requiring blood transfusions, abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, infection, allergic reaction to drugs or anesthesia, heart attack, tearing of the cervix, scaring of the uterine walls, uterus perforation, damage to internal organs, breast cancer, miscarriage of future pregnancies, infertility, increased risk of subsequent tubal pregnancies, hepatitis, blood clots, embolisms, sterility, and death.
The negative effects of women as a result of abortion extends also to reported psychological complications from abortion include guilt, anger, anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, suicide, anniversary-grief, flashbacks of abortion, sexual dysfunction, relationship problems, convulsions, eating disorders, sleep disorders, sleep disorders, alcohol and drug abuse, and memory repression.
Research shows that, when compared to women who carried to term, women who had an abortion in the year prior to their deaths percent were 60 percent more likely to die from natural causes, seven times more likely to die from suicide, four times more likely to die of injuries related to accidents and fourteen times more likely to die from homicide.
About 10 percent of women who have an abortion experience complications immediately, including cervical injury and perforation of the uterus. Leading causes to death during the week after an abortion are hemorrhage, infection, embolism, anesthesia, complications, and undiagnosed ectopic pregnancies, and lung cancer.
Abortion in women significantly increases the risk of breast cancer, cervical cancer, and lung cancer. It increases self-destructive lifestyle practices, increasing the risk of promiscuity, smoking, drug abuse, and eating disorders, which all put women at an increased risk for other health problems. Abortion puts women at risk of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), a condition that is a major direct cause of infertility and that increases risk of ectopic pregnancies. After abortion, for subsequent pregnancies, there is a seven to 15 fold increase in placenta previa, a life threatening condition for the mother and baby that increases the risk of birth defects, stillbirth, and excessive bleeding during labour. Abortion can cause long-term and sometimes permanent damage to reproductive organs that can put future pregnancies at risk. After an abortion, women are more likely to experience ectopic pregnancies, infertility, hysterectomies, stillbirths, miscarriages, and premature births than women who have not had abortions. Women with a history of abortion are significantly more likely to have shorter relationships and more divorces.
A metal-analysis covering 14 years of research found that women with abortion history experienced an 81 percent increased risk for mental health problems including anxiety disorders, depression, substance abuse, suicidal behaviors. After an abortion, 65 percent of women experienced multiple symptoms of PTSD. A wide range of studies show women who have an abortion experience psychological trauma, including;
Anxiety – Women with no previous history of anxiety were 30 percent more likely to show symptoms of generalized anxiety.
Sleep disorders – Women were nearly twice as likely to experience sleep disorders after an abortion.
Eating disorders – After abortion, 39 percent reported eating disorders
Substance abuse – Women had a five times higher risk of drug and alcohol abuse.
Sexual dysfunction – 30-50 percent of post- abortive women report experiencing sexual dysfunctions, such as promiscuity loss of pleasure from intercourse, increased pain, and aversion of sex and/ or men
Seeing that abortion is generally a major threat to the human and life of women, Women’s need is not free access to abortion but to be given what they need to survive financially and socially as mothers. There should be provision of inexpensive, readily available child care, a workplace or school that acknowledges the needs of mothers e.g. providing flexible and maternity leave, state support that helps to reintegrate a woman into the workplace