Introduction
For centuries there has been a medical epidemic that has plagued expecting mothers around the world. Considered for so long to be simply a woman’s issue, men remained unconcerned and distant—if they even knew as often they were never told. Most everyone has heard whispers of it, but until recent years the medical and psychological communities did not recognize the lasting implications of this occurrence. Now as couples break historical norms and become more egalitarian-based, this issue is one that not only affects women, but their partners also.
Miscarriage, according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is “a [medical] condition in which a pregnancy ends too early and does not result in the birth of a live baby.” This condition is also called spontaneous abortion in some communities, mostly healthcare settings, which defines the occurrence as the “spontaneous expulsion of a human fetus before it is viable and especially between the 12th and 28th weeks of gestation” (Medical Dictionary’s online dictionary, n.d.). It is important to note the time frame provided within the medical dictionary. Miscarriage after 28 weeks is most often referred to as fetal death. On the earlier end of the range, 12 weeks, many women have just become aware of their pregnancy around six to eight weeks. For years this lead many professionals to believe that the woman would remain not only physically intact, but also mentally and emotionally because they were never able to form an attachment with the developing baby.
These ideas lead to another issue in considering the lasting effects of the miscarriage. Due to the fact that women may not have had knowledge of their pregnancy or were expected to not have lasting effects their male p...
... middle of paper ...
...246.
Sugiura-Ogasawara, M., Suzuki, S., Ozaki, Y., Katano, K., Suzumori, N., & Kitaori, T. (2013). Frequency of Recurrent Spontaneous Abortion and its Influence of Further Marital Relationship and Illness: The Okazaki Cohort Study in Japan. Journal Of Obstetrics & Gynaecology Research , 39 (1), 126-131.
Talaviya, P., & Suvagiya, V. (2011). A Review on Recurrent Miscarriage. Journal Of Death & Dying , 4 (11), 4243-4248.
Ungureanu, I., & Sandberg, J. (2010). "Broken Together": Spirituality and Religion as Coping Strategies for Couples Dealing with the Death of a Child: A Literature Review with CLinical Implications. Contemporary Family Theraphy: An International Journal , 32 (3), 302-319.
Van, P. (2012). Conversations, Coping, & Connectedness: A Qualitative Study of WOmen Who Have Experienced Involuntary Pregnancy Loss. Omega: Journal Of Death & Dying , 65 (1), 71-85.
Abortion, like any other medical procedure, carries some risks. When one considers, however, that “the risk of death associated with childbirth is about 10 times as high as that associated with abortion” (“Know the Facts”), the threat of abortion suddenly does not seem as perilous. Additionally, contrary to popular misconception, abortion does not contribute to future infertility or development of breast cancer. It is therefore safer and more prudent to have an abortion than an unwanted pregnancy.
...t won’t provide any shortcuts. However, religion can provide a good moral support network, and serve as a healthy place to begin processing the grief experience.
Having a child can be the happiest moment of a person’s life. A sweet little baby usually gives new parents tremendous joy. That joy can be accompanied with anxiety about the baby and the responsibility the new parents are faced with. The anxiety, in most cases, fades and joy is what remains. For some new mothers, however, the joy is replaced with a condition known as postpartum depression. “Postpartum depression is a serious disorder that until recently was not discussed in public…Women did not recognize their symptoms as those of depression, nor did they discuss their thoughts and fears regarding their symptoms” (Wolf, 2010). As such, postpartum depression is now recognized as a disorder harmful to both mother and infant, but, with early detection, is highly treatable with the use of psychotherapy, antidepressants, breastfeeding, and other natural remedies, including exercise.
Talking about abortion brings out an emotional response in many women. This is because having an abortion takes a massive emotional toll on some women. As Nanyjo Mann said, three weeks after having an abortion, “I became preoccupied with the thoughts of death. I fantasized about how I would die. My baby struggled for two hours” (Reardon, 1987, p. xviii). In the forward of the book “Aborted Women, Silent No More” Nanyjo, a women telling her story of abortion, goes on to tell about feeling unstable with herself after having an abortion. She wanted to prove to herself that destroying others didn’t hurt, but it does (Reardon, 1987, p. xix-xx). Continuing in reading Nanyjo’s story, she tells all of the effects and feelings she went through after having an abortion including stress, depression and low self esteem. Any girl under the age of 18 would have an even harder time dealing with this type of stress. Teenagers are already seeking their identity and worry about their grades, looks, and peer acceptance. Going through the post abortion stress all by themselves would be overwhelming and potentially put them at risk for mental breakdown.
Miller, Amanda J. "Cohabiting Men's Preferences For And Roles In Determining The Outcomes Of Unexpected Pregnancies." Sociological Forum 27.3 (2012): 708-731. Academic Search Complete. Web. 18 Feb. 2014.
The debate concerning abortion still exists and is causing a lot of controversy. One of the biggest is an issue concerning mother’s who are experiencing health compilations during p...
After Abortion. N.p., 23 Nov. 1999. Web. The Web. The Web. 15 Mar. 2012.
It is important to understand what women commonly experience during pregnancy. With a better understanding of what happens during prenatal development and childbirth, physicians can competently develop the best plan for the mother and baby. I interviewed two women who have been previously pregnant in order to evaluate how the ideas in the book translate into real-life experiences.
Pregnancy can be an exciting and sometimes frightening experience for many women. It was a snowy Sunday afternoon, and I was not feeling very well. I remember all week long, every morning I felt nauseated. I was craving odd foods, and foods I normally would not eat together. I was on the phone with my best friend explaining to her how I was feeling. She said “It sounds like you are pregnant.” That thought never even crossed my mind until that moment. Sure enough she was right, I was pregnant for the first time. I was excited to have a baby and never realized how many emotions or complications can take place during a pregnancy. Everybody that I knew that had babies, had such wonderful experiences. Unfortunately, this happy moment became such a monumental, emotional and stressful time in my life. During my pregnancy, I went through many emotional experiences from almost losing my child, to the uncertainty of a birth defect and early delivery.
...g, Virginia, to attend a five-day counseling session. Prior to the session, the participants were tested to assess their knowledge of the grieving process and determine the stage of grief they were in at the time. Each day focused on a specific stage of grief in the order in which human beings normally progress. Discussions included the topics unveiled during the literature survey along with spiritual and psychological counseling. At the end of the session, the participants were retested to reassess their knowledge and stage of grief.
Unintentional pregnancies statistically bring a host of economic, emotional, and physical ills to mother and baby. About half of the unintended pregnancies in Washington State are aborted, according to the state Department of Health. That rate is consistent with the rest of the US. Even though there is a demand for abortion providers, man...
Lawlor, Jessica. (2002). Long Term Physiological and Psychological Effects of Abortion on Women. Retrieved March 21, 2001 from http://www.cirtl.org/syndrome.htm
Losing a child is one of the most traumatic events a person can ever experience. This life changing experience is very difficult for parents to cope with. Grief is something we all experience as human beings; we will all lose someone that we love in our lifetime. We all go through the five stages of grief denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and last being acceptance (Bolden, 2007). However, this is arguably not the case for parents who experience the death of a child. Although, parents who have experienced...
Additionally, the reason miscarriages are under recorded at times is because they occur before the woman even knows she is pregnant, so they may be confused as a late period. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), 10-25% of all clinically recognized pregnancies will end in miscarriage. What is referred to as a “chemical pregnancy” also falls in this category, which accounts for 50-75% of all miscarriages. Moreover, chemical pregnancies are given this term because they are pregnancies that end very soon after a positive test result. Imagine taking a pregnancy test one day and having a faint positive result and testing again a few days later and getting a negative result. This is an extremely early misc...
Poster, E. (1984). Human Responses to Child Bearing. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 6(3), 99. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.