Abortion and health

Post-Abortion Syndrome: Who are vulnerable?
action by congress, research, example, support

Sponsored link.

Who are most susceptible to PAS?

The authors of the Planned Parenthood information sheet on PAS examined 50 studies from around the world that measured negative emotional reactions to abortion. ₁ They found that the women most at risk are those who:

Ohio Right to Life describes a survey taken among women who have had abortions, and later were sufficiently distressed by the experience to join a support group: "Women Exploited by Abortion" (WEBA). ₂ The survey was conducted by David Reardon. ₃ It involved 252 women contacted via WEBA chapters throughout the United States. The survey organizers made no attempt obtain a random sampling of women. Rather, they collected data from women who felt "exploited by abortion." Some of the factors reported by the women in the survey were:

These indicators may point to the need for a woman to:

However, of these precautions may be inadequate to prevent guilt and depression if the woman changes her beliefs, and later concludes that the life that was terminated was that of a human person rather than a potential human person.

Actions in Congress:

During the week of 2001-NOV-4, the U.S. Senate passed amendment 2085 which was sponsored by Senator Bob Smith (R-NH). It is attached to the Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services' funding bill. If the bill had become law, it would call upon the National Institutes of Health to "expand and intensify research and related activities... with respect to post-abortion depression and post-abortion psychosis." Representative Joe Pitts, (R-PA) introduced a bill in the House that would fund such a study. ₄ They did not proceed.

Senator Smith also introduced S. 2271 on 2002-APR-25. It is called the Post Abortion Support and Services Act of 2002. If passed, it would fund a study of the physical and emotional repercussions of abortion. It did not proceed. ₅

On 2004-JUN-9, Representative Joseph Pitts (R-PA) introduced H.R. 4543, a bill to provide for research on and services for individuals with post-abortion depression and psychosis. Its short title is: "Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act." It calls for the National Institute of Mental Health to "...expand and intensify research and related activities....with respect to post-abortion depression and post-abortion psychosis .... referred to as 'post-abortion conditions'." The bill has a total of 32 sponsors, all Republicans. A hearing in the House was conducted on 2004-SEP-29. _6,7 No action was taken; the bill died. 

Research on "PAS":

PAS/PASS has become a political hot potato. The PASS Awareness web site concludes that PAS is not accepted as an actual disorder by the medical community because of lack of information. Information comes from research. Money for research mainly comes from pharmaceutical companies. However, these companies are very reluctant to become involved because they may be the victims of:

"... protests and boycotts from both sides of the abortion war, regardless of how their research turns out...The prochoice majority says PASS 'does not exist', and that anti-abortionists are using it to try and scare women away from abortion, and to try to influence lawmakers that abortion is dangerous. The prolifers agree that PASS exists, but they use it (as the prochoicers fear) as a way to discourage abortion, and as a way to help revoke abortion rights. The woman who is suffering is left alone, as the two sides argue, and the medical community stays out of it." ₈

There may be some truth in the PASS Awareness statement. Both the pro-choice and pro-life movements probably have sufficient political power to urge federal government funding for a comprehensive study of PAS. However, neither group seems to be doing this. They might both consider the current lack of knowledge to be in their group's best interests. Meanwhile, those women who suffer PAS must endure the pain.

One woman's experience:

We received this note in an Email from a woman in her late 20s who had an abortion for medical reasons about a year before. Her experience emphasizes the importance of a woman being fully informed in advance about all aspects of the procedure, including the possibility of future emotional suffering from PAS:

"I am not saying that I condone this practice. I do think that one thing should be changed and I want to tell you why because if my story can help just one person then it was worth while. Never in my time of having this procedure done did anyone go over the aftereffects of what this procedure can do to you mentally. I thought that by detaching myself that I wouldn't have to deal with the mental pain it caused. I was wrong and since then I have learned to grieve for my loss because after all it is a loss. I believe that women who are thinking about having this done should be told of the after effects it has and the loss they will feel."

"I have been pretty open about my decision to have an abortion so that I may hopefully be able to help someone make the right decision for them and hope that if they do go through with the procedure that they understand the lasting after effects it has. I know that this will be with me till my dying day and I have to accept that to be able to get through this. My only hope it that I can change one persons mind who is border line on their decision. By no means am I saying to have an abortion is wrong or right I just think that there should be a little more honesty involved in it. I put postings on websites in hopes to reach out to someone who needs the honest truth. Nothing can ever prepare someone for what they will deal with afterwards but the truth from someone who has been there. I hope that this is seen and I hope that I can reach as many women as humanly possible."

Support for women experiencing PAS:

References used:

The following information sources were used to prepare and update the above essay. The hyperlinks are not necessarily still active today.

1. Planned Parenthood has an information sheet on "Post-traumatic Abortion Syndrome." See: http://www.igc.apc.org/ppfa/ab-emot.html  
2. Ohio Right to Life, "A Survey of Aborted Women" at: http://www.pregnantpause.org/aborted/reardon.htm 
3. David Reardon, "Aborted Women: Silent No More," Crossway Books, Westchester IL, (1987)
4. Charles R. MiVille, "Senate Recognizes Post-Abortion Syndrome," Focus on the Family at: http://www.family.org/cforum/
5. "Post-abortion support and services act," at: http://thomas.loc.gov/
6. "PMDD 'real,' and PASS not? 'It's the politics and money'...", Pass Awareness, at: http://www.afterabortion.com/
7. "Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act," Office of Legislative Policy and Analysis, 108th Congress, at: http://olpa.od.nih.gov/
8. "Legislation to Provide for Research On, and Services for Individuals With, Post-Abortion Depression and Psychosis," Family Research Council, at: http://www.frc.org/
9. Anne Speckhard and Vincent Rue, "Post-Abortion Syndrome a Growing Health Problem," Journal of Social Issues, 1992-FALL. Available at: http://www.forerunner.com/forerunner/X0464_Post-Abortion_Syndro.html
10. N. Adler, statement on behalf of the American Psychological Association before the Human Resources and Intergovernmental Relations Subcommittee of the Committee on
    Government Operations, U.S. House of Representatives, 1989-MAR-16, Pages 130-140.
11. "The Myth of the Abortion Trauma Syndrome," Commentary in Journal of the American Medical Association, (JAMA) 268:15, 1992-OCT-21.
12. Ann, "Recognizing Post Abortion Syndrome" at: http://www.pregnantpause.org/aborted/seepas.htm 
13. Vincent M. Rue, "The Psychological Realities of Induced Abortion," article in Michael T. Mannion, Ed., "Post-Abortion aftermath: A Comprehensive Consideration," Sheed & Ward, (1994), Page 543.
14. LifeLinks lists a group of "post-abortion recovery" links at: http://www.sehlat.com/lifelink/postab.html
15. Ava Torre-Bueno, "Peace after Abortion," Pimpernel Press, San Diego CA.
16. Ms. Torre-Bueno has a Web page at: http://www.peaceafterabortion.com/ It contains a form for ordering her book ($11.95 US). It also describes some women's stories about handling depression after an abortion. It lists centers in the United States and in Alberta, Canada which specialize in post-abortion counseling.
17. "The American Psychological Association on post-abortion syndrome," APA press release reprinted at: http://www.catholic.net/HyperNews/get/abortion/133.html
18. Dawn Rizzoni, "Senate Approves Research of Post-Abortion Syndrome," CNSNews, 2001-NOV-29. at: http://www.cnsnews.com/