Post-Abortion Syndrome (PAS) is a term used to describe a long interval of
negative emotional and spiritual experiences following an abortion. PAS often
involves overwhelming levels of guilt and depression.
As is so common on matters relating to moral and ethical problems with a
religious component, the truth about PAS is difficult to discern:
Many pro-life organizations promote the belief that PAS is widespread
and quite common among women who have had abortions.
Many pro choice groups teach that PAS is extremely rare or
none-existent.
From what little information is available on PAS, it appears to exist.
However, it is less common than post-partum depression that women sometimes
start to experience shortly after childbirth.
PAS seems to occur mainly to women who:
Are pressured to have an abortion against their will,
Decide to have an abortion without having carefully thought out all
aspects of their decision, and/or
Have changed their beliefs about the nature embryo or fetus and who now
believe that the abortion ended the life of a human person.