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Social psychology conflict and abortion
Roe vs wade law
Looking at abortion through the history lens
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It is shown that many people have studied the mental effects of abortion on women. Depending on the questions asked and the information women were willing to give varied the results to a point of making it very difficult to come up with a complete conclusion. Many of the women who were surveyed had either had an abortion with their first pregnancy, after having a child, or giving birth to an unwanted pregnancy. In this paper I will discuss the history, the different effects, and reasons of the women who have abortions.
History and Background
In 1973 the Supreme Court of the United States legalized abortion in the well known case of Roe v. Wade. The public debate of the mental health risk of abortion can be traced back to 1987 when President Reagan asked the Surgeon General Koop to report on the psychological and physical effects of abortion. Mr. Koop never turned in a report instead writing the President a letter stated that the information was inadequate to support the findings of the psychological nature of abortion. Koop did not report on the physical effects of abortion because the obstetricians and gynecologist had already concluded that there was no difference in the women who had had an abortion or carried an unwanted baby to term. The Surgeon General in his letter to the President also stated that the individual cases could not allow him to come to a scientific conclusion but felt that it was clear to him that the psychological effects of abortion are very small from the public health perspective. In 1989 another task force was put together and concluded that “severe negative reactions after legal, nonrestrictive, first-trimester abortions are rare and can best be understood in the framework of coping with ...
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..., 17(4), 268-290. doi:10.1080/10673220903149119
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Warren, J. T., Harvey, S., & Henderson, J. T. (2010). Do Depression and Low Self-Esteem Follow Abortion Among Adolescents? Evidence from a National Study. Perspectives on Sexual & Reproductive Health, 42(4), 230. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
As to any argument, there are two opposing sides when it comes to the matter of abortions. These two opposers usually refer to themselves as “pro-life” and “pro choice”. Pro-life supporters maintain that abortion is wrong and pro-choice believe that it is a woman’s freedom to choose her pregnancy decisions. When it comes to the topic of abortions, most of us will readily agree that it’s a woman’s choice to decide what her reproductive decisions are, i.e. pro-choice. Where this agreement usually ends, however, is in the question of whether or not abortion is a fundamental right granted to women by the Constitution. Whereas some are convinced that a fetus is considered alive at conception, usually citing the word of God, others maintain that
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.
The article “Abortion Harms Women” suggests supporters of legalized abortion downplay the health and mental risks associated with abortion. Research has indicated there is short and long-term physical and mental harm related to abortion (“Abortion Harms Women”). Abortion can cause many physical complications for the women, such as infections, excessive bleeding, and blood clots. They can even be life-threatening in some cases. In the article “Abortion Harms Women” the writer points out abortion is surprisingly the fifth leading cause of death maternally in the United States. There are certain complications, including infection, hemorrhage, pulmonary embolism (blood clot), and complications from anesthetics that are responsible for a woman’s death (“Abortion Harms Women”). Also, there is a greater risk of mortality the further along a woman is when she has an abortion. Along with the physical risks associated with abortion, there are the psychological risks. Abortion can cause women to feel ashamed or guilty, resulting in an increase in emotional pain. In the article “Abortion Harms Women” the writer explains many emotional problems that can affect women after an abortion. Some women experience an increase in the use of alcohol and drugs. Studies have shown that 34% of women are at a greater risk for anxiety and depression. Also, there is a 60% increase for women to
The most common conflicts that cause a woman to get an abortion are based on their own personal responsibilities. Sixteen percent of women, who get abortions, believe that their life would be changed too much to acquire a child. Twenty-one percent of expectant mothers feel that they are not ready for the responsibility to care for an adolescent. Few as twelve percent have complications with relationships or are unmarried. One perecent have been raped and/or incested. Twenty-one percent have financial disputes. Eight percent currently bare children and have all they wish for. Three percent have discovered that the baby in the womb has health issues. Four perecent of the abortions are other reasons. Lastly, the abortion pill used to minimize the fetus, does not work, therefore the woman receives an
Abortion is a very controversial and sensitive topic in today’s society. Two different sides to this argument is pro-life and pro-choice. Pro-life proponents believe in the right to life for unborn fetuses saying that abortion should be considered murder regardless of how far along in the pregnancy the woman is. Pro-choice advocates people who believe the woman carrying the fetus should be able to make her own decision on aborting the fetus.
In America abortion is one of the most heavily debated topics in recent years. Pro-life or pro-choice? Many people believe it is immoral and even consider abortion to be murder. The definition of abortion states “The termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to being capable of normal growth” Did you know that 1 in 3 women in the U.S. will have an abortion in their lifetime? (Baker, Aspen. "A Better Way to Talk about Abortion." Aspen Baker:. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Aug. 2016.) When first researching this topic I wondered, “What’s the big deal? Why would it matter if someone who was never even born, died?” And I realized that babies that would have been born due to abortion,
Pro choice vs pro life has divided people for numerous reasons. Abortion is expected to date back to the 1800s, it is now seen as taboo and inhumane to some. Fact of the matter, whether abortion is wrong or not it is the fight for giving a woman a natural right to her own body. For decades, legislators that are full of man have created laws and regulations on abortion. Abortion ideally ought to be pro choice for women everywhere for the victims' own protection, expanding young girls life opportunities, and individual freedom.
Abortion has so many different viewpoints on the topic, some positive, some negative. Roe and Wade played a huge part in the decision making process on abortion. Everyone has their own opinions about abortion, but the opinions concerning when life begins have a significant effect on a person’s views concerning whether they are for or against abortion. Studies of the long-term effects of abortion on women are traumatic and devastating. They can include mental, physical, and emotional problems after an abortion.
Abortion is an issue which separates the American public, especially when it involves the death of children and women. When an abortion occurs, the medical doctor removes the fetus from the pregnant woman. This particular act has separated the public. Many believe that abortion is not morally and ethically correct. On the other hand, some people believe that carrying and delivering the unborn child will hinder the safety of the mother, then an abortion is needed. Each view has its own merit in the debate. This debate has separated the public into two sections: pro-life and pro-choice. A pro-lifer opposes abortion, whereas, a pro-choicer believes that the decision to abort the child should be left to the mother because she is the one carrying the child. In this paper, there will be topics that will be discussed concerning pro-life and pro-choice. I hope at the end of this paper, the reader is able to gain more knowledge concerning each topic. Every woman has the right to control her own body.
Being a mother is a lifelong job that requires copious time, energy, and money. There are myriad different reasons in which a woman would consider getting an abortion. The decision is often tragic and painful for the mother. It is one of the biggest choices a woman will make. Many people have strong beliefs about abortion, and if a mother makes a decision that they do not agree with they sometimes turn against the mother, and enkindle egregious feelings about their decision for the rest of their life. Indeed a woman may not get an abortion for selfish reasons or out of convenience, but out of a desire to protect certain important values such as her own health or a decent standard of living for the other members of the family. Additional intentions for having abortion include rape, financial difficulties, obligation by family members, or danger to the baby’s health (Roleff
Every day, an overwhelming amount of human beings’ lives are terminated. The culprit: unwanted pregnancies. Many woman are (not by choice), becoming pregnant as a result of unsafe sex, rape, and other things. So what is one to do when they discover that they’re pregnant? They have some alternatives: (1) have the child and raise it (2) have the child, then give it up for adoption (3) get an abortion. Sadly, many women choose alternative three, unaware of what they’re getting themselves into.
Women who reported in this concluded in the idea that they chose abortion becsue they felt that a child would interfere with their future success and that they don’t want to waste their youth on their mistakes. Others want to give their baby a better life and they know that the baby will only be living in misery if they kept the baby. Immaturity and lack of independence is another factor for abortion, younger women fall in this category because they feel that they have not yet lived life to the fullest and that having a baby would be a drastic thing that could affect their
Lawlor, Jessica. (2002). Long Term Physiological and Psychological Effects of Abortion on Women. Retrieved March 21, 2001 from http://www.cirtl.org/syndrome.htm
One of the most controversial issues in society today is abortion, and as of now, is morally acceptable because of Roe vs. Wade. However, when a study taken by Minnesota reveals that women who have had an abortion have 10 times the risk of committing suicide than women who have not had an abortion, it’s time to seriously think about whether or not abortion should be acknowledged as morally right. Considered by some to be a form of murder, anti-abortion laws should apply to all women in order to prevent any emotional mishaps of the abortion victim and to save the lives of the innocent human beings not yet born.
Strahan, Thomas W., J.D. “Therapeutic Influence in Abortion Counseling and Procedures: Creating the Illusion of Well-Being.” Association for Interdisciplinary Research in Values and Social Change. March / April 2002. 1 March 2004. <http://www.nrlc.org/abortion/facts/Vol%2017%20No%201%20Mar%202002.pdf>