Testimonies

many women in this country have suffered both physically and emotionally from their abortions. They will always regret their decisions. Here, a few of them share their experiences with you hoping you won’t make the same mistake they did.

"the next five days were a living hell for me as I contracted a gross infection called peritonitis. My fever soared rapidly and I remained in guarded condition for four days. One of the nurses said, ‘it’s going to take more than prayer to pull this one out of it.’ at that moment I knew I was on the verge of death... The reason the infection had set in was due to the fact that the abortionist did not abort my entire baby the first time around, making it necessary to repeat the procedure."

cindy ortegus, phoenix, az

"when I returned home I had very heavy bleeding and severe cramps for two days. I was so afraid that something was wrong that I called planned parenthood who referred me for my abortion. The said I was okay without suggestion an exam. At my after-school job at a dime store, I went into the restroom. It was then that I found my baby on my sanitary pad. He had arms and legs with tiny hands and feet. I could make out his little nose and dark spot that I now know was his eye. Even after 10 years, it’s still hard for me to think about it."

kathy bartlett, waco tx

"planned parenthood suggested only an abortion. No other options were ever discussed. They never said the word ‘baby’ – only ‘fetus’. You can’t imagine my shock and horror when I saw my dismembered baby after my ‘nice and easy’ abortion. They deceived me. I’ve suffered severe emotional problems."

karen sullivan-ables, taylor, az

if you still feel abortion is your only solution you need to know the answers to the following questions. Be sure to ask the clinic or hospital these questions. It’s your body – your life – you have the right to know.

1. Have people sued your chosen abortion clinic because they have been injured by an abortion?

2.Can you be permanently damaged by you abortion?

3.Were any of the risks outlined in this article mentioned to you when you asked the above question? If not, ask why.

4.Will you be asked to sign a paper releasing the doctor and clinic of all responsibility in case you suffer physical or emotional damage because of your abortion?

5.If you sign a release form and then have physical problems (as cindy did) will the clinic or the doctor pay for medical costs to repair the damage?

Do you have doubts? Do you wonder if you are making the right decision? Are you scared? Do you want to talk to someone who cares and can help you?

National help lines
counseling
·bethany christian services: 1-800-bethany (8am-12pm est, 7 days/week)

·several sources foundation: 1-800-662-2678 (early to late)

24 hour pregnancy hotlines

·national life center 1-800-848-love
· birthright: 1-800-550-4900

hotlines that refer to places for help

·birthright: 1-800-550-4900 (24 hour)

·catholic charities: 1-800-care-002

·carenet: 1-800-395-help

·the national crisis pregnancy helpline 1-800-521-5530 (24 hour)

·the nurturing network: 1-800-tnn-4mom (m-f, 9-5)


adoption information

·bethany christian services: 1-800-bethany (8am-12pm est, 7 days/week)

international hotlines

·birthright international 1-800-550-4900 (24 hour)
·national life center 1-800-848-love (24 hour)

Abortion as a public health issue

in 1973, the united states supreme court struck down every federal, state, and local law regulating or restricting the practice of abortion. This action was based on the premise that the states no longer had any need to regulate abortion because the advances of modern medicine had now made abortion "relatively safe." therefore, the justices concluded, it is unconstitutional to prevent physicians from providing abortions as a "health" service to women.

National abortion policy is built upon this judicial "fact" that abortion is a "safe" procedure. If this "fact" is found to be false, then national policy toward abortion must be re-evaluated. Indeed, if it is found that abortion may actually be dangerous to health of women, there is just cause for governments to regulate or prohibit abortion in order to protect their citizens. This is especially true since over 1.5 million women undergo abortions each year.

Since the court's ruling in 1973, there have been many studies into the aftereffects of abortion. Their combined results paint a haunting picture of physical and psychological damage among millions of women who have undergone abortions.

The physical complications of abortion

national statistics on abortion show that 10% of women undergoing induced abortion suffer from immediate complications, of which one-fifth (20%) were considered major.

Over one hundred potential complications have been associated with induced abortion. "minor" complications include: minor infections, bleeding, fevers, chronic abdominal pain, gastro-intestinal disturbances, vomiting, and rh sensitization. The nine most common "major" complications are infection, excessive bleeding, embolism, ripping or perforation of the uterus, anesthesia complications, convulsions, hemorrhage, cervical injury, and endotoxic shock.

In a series of 1,182 abortions which occurred under closely regulated hospital conditions, 27 percent of the patients acquired post-abortion infection lasting 3 days or longer.

While the immediate complications of abortion are usually treatable, these complications frequently lead to long-term reproductive damage of much more serious nature.

For example, one possible outcome of abortion related infections is sterility. Researchers have reported that 3 to 5 percent of aborted women are left inadvertently sterile as a result of the operation's latent morbidity.

The risk of sterility is even greater for women who are infected with a venereal disease at the time of the abortion.

In addition to the risk of sterility, women who acquire post-abortal infections are five to eight times more likely to experience ectopic pregnancies.

Between 1970-1983, the rate of ectopic pregnancies in usa has risen 4 fold.

Twelve percent of all maternal deaths due to ectopic pregnancy.

Other countries which have legalized abortion have seen the same dramatic increase in ectopic pregnancies.

Cervical damage is another leading cause of long term complications following abortion. Normally the cervix is rigid and tightly closed. In order to perform an abortion, the cervix must be stretched open with a great deal of force.

During this forced dilation there is almost always caused microscopic tearing of the cervix muscles and occasionally severe ripping of the uterine wall, as well.

According to one hospital study, 12.5% of first trimester abortions required stitching for cervical lacerations. Such attention to detail is not normally provided at an outpatient abortion clinic.

Another study found that lacerations occurred in 22 percent of aborted women. Women under 17 have been found to face twice the normal risk of suffering cervical damage due to the fact that their cervixes are still "green" and developing.

Whether microscopic or macroscopic in nature, the cervical damage which results during abortion frequently results in a permanent weakening of the cervix. This weakening may result in an "incompetent cervix" which, unable to carry the weight of a later "wanted" pregnancy, opens prematurely, resulting in miscarriage or premature birth.

According to one study, symptoms related to cervical incompetence were found among 75% of women who undergo forced dilation for abortion.

Cervical damage from previously induced abortions increases the risk of miscarriage, premature birth, and complications of labor during later pregnancies by 300 - 500 percent.

The reproductive risks of abortion are especially acute for women who abort their first pregnancies. A major study of first pregnancy abortions found that 48% of women experienced abortion-related complications in later pregnancies.

Women in this group experienced 2.3 miscarriages for every one live birth. Yet another researcher found that among teenagers who aborted their first pregnancies, 66% subsequently experienced miscarriages or premature birth of their second, "wanted" pregnancies.

When the risks of increased pregnancy loss are projected on the population as a whole, it is estimated that aborted women lose 100,000 "wanted" pregnancies each year because of latent abortion morbidity.

In addition, premature births, complications of labor, and abnormal development of the placenta, all of which can result from latent abortion morbidity, are leading causes of handicaps among newborns.

Looking at premature deliveries alone, it is estimated that latent abortion morbidity results in 3000 cases of acquired cerebral palsy among newborns each year.

Finally, since these pregnancy problems pose a threat to the health of the mothers too, women who have had abortions face a 58 percent greater risk of dying during a later pregnancy.

Researchers investigating post-abortion reactions report only one positive emotion: relief. This emotion is understandable, especially in light of the fact that the majority of aborting women report feeling under intense pressure to "get it over with."

temporary feelings of relief are frequently followed by a period psychiatrists identify as emotional "paralysis," or post-abortion "numbness." like shell-shocked soldiers, these aborted women are unable to express or even feel their own emotions.

Their focus is primarily on having survived the ordeal, and they are at least temporarily out of touch with their feelings.
Studies within the first few weeks after the abortion have found that between 40 and 60 percent of women questioned report negative reactions.

Within 8 weeks after their abortions, 55% expressed guilt, 44% complained of nervous disorders, 36% had experienced sleep disturbances, 31% had regrets about their decision, and 11% had been prescribed psychotropic medicine by their family doctor.

In one study of 500 aborted women, researchers found that 50 percent expressed negative feelings, and up to 10 percent were classified as having developed "serious psychiatric complications."

thirty to fifty percent of aborted women report experiencing sexual dysfunctions, of both short and long duration, beginning immediately after their abortions.

These problems may include one or more of the following:

loss of pleasure from intercourse, increased pain, an aversion to sex and/or males in general, or the development of a promiscuous life-style.

Up to 33 percent of aborted women develop an intense longing to become pregnant again in order to "make up" for the lost pregnancy, with 18 percent succeeding within one year of the abortion. Unfortunately, many women who succeed at obtaining their "wanted" replacement pregnancies discover that the same problems which pressured them into having their first abortion still exist, and so they end up feeling "forced" into yet another abortion.

In a study of teenage abortion patients, half suffered a worsening of psychosocial functioning within 7 months after the abortion. The immediate impact appeared to be greatest on the patients who were under 17 years of age and for those with previous psychosocial problems.

Symptoms included:

self-reproach, depression, social regression, withdrawal, obsession with need to become pregnant again, and hasty marriages.

The best available data indicates that on average there is a five to ten year period of denial during which a woman who was traumatized by her abortion will repress her feelings.

During this time, the woman may go to great lengths to avoid people, situations, or events which she associates with her abortion and she may even become *vocally defensive of abortion in order to convince others, and herself*(maybe some on this board), that she made the right choice and is satisfied with the outcome.

In reality, these women who are subsequently identified as having been severely traumatized, have failed to reach a true state of "closure" with regard to their experiences.

Repressed feelings of any sort can result in psychological and behavioral difficulties which exhibit themselves in other areas of one's life. An increasing number of counselors are reporting that unacknowledged post-abortion distress is the causative factor in many of their female patients, even though their patients have come to them seeking therapy for seemingly unrelated problems.

Other women who would otherwise appear to have been satisfied with their abortion experience, are reported to enter into emotional crisis decades later with the onset of menopause or after their youngest child leaves home.

Numerous researchers have reported that postabortion crises are often precipitated by the anniversary date of the abortion or the unachieved "due date." these emotional crises may appear to be inexplicable and short-lived, occurring for many years until a connection is finally established during counseling sessions.

A 5 year retrospective study in two canadian provinces found that 25% of aborted women made visits to psychiatrists as compared to 3% of the control group.

Women who have undergone post-abortion counseling report over 100 major reactions to abortion. Among the most frequently reported are:

depression, loss of self-esteem, self-destructive behavior, sleep disorders,

memory loss, sexual dysfunction, chronic problems with relationships, dramatic personality changes, anxiety attacks, guilt and remorse,

difficulty grieving, increased tendency toward violence, chronic crying, difficulty concentrating, flashbacks,

loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities and people, and difficulty bonding with later children.

Among the most worrisome of these reactions is the increase of self-destructive behavior among aborted women. In a survey of over 100 women who had suffered from post-abortion trauma, fully 80 percent expressed feelings of "self-hatred."

in the same study, 49 percent reported drug abuse and 39 percent began to use or increased their use of alcohol. Approximately 14 percent described themselves as having become "addicted" or "alcoholic" after their abortions.

In addition, 60 percent reported suicidal ideation, with 28 percent actually attempting suicide, of which half attempted suicide two or more times.

1. "abortion in hawaii", family planning perspectives (winter 1973) 5(1):table 8.

2. "annual ectopic totals rose steadily in 1970's but mortality fell", family planning perspectives (1983) vol.15,p.85.

3. Ashton,"they psychosocial outcome of induced abortion", british journal of ob&gyn.(1980),vol.87,p1115-1122.

4. Atrash, et.Al., "ectopic pregnancy in the united states, 1970-1983" mmrw, center for disease control, vol.35, no.2ss9.29ss.

5. Badgley,et.Al.,report of the committee on the operation of the abortion law(ottawa:supply and services,1977) pp.313-321.

6. Cavenar, et.Al., "psychiatric sequelae of therapeutic abortions", north carolina medical journal (1978),vol.39.

7. Chung, et.Al. Effects of induced abortion on subsequent reproductive function and pregnancy outcome, university of hawaii (honolulu, 1981).

8. Francke, the ambivalence of abortion (new york: random house, 1978).

9. Frank, et.Al., "induced abortion operations and their early sequelae", journal of the royal college of general practitioners (april 1985), vol.35,no.73,pp175-180.

10. Friedman,et.Al.,"the decision-making process and the outcome of therapeutic abortion", american journal of psychiatry (december 12, 1974), vol.131,pp1332-1337.

11. Grimes and cates, "abortion: methods and complications", human reproduction, 2nd ed., 796-813.

12. Harlap and davies, "late sequelae of induced abortion: complications and outcome of pregnancy and labor", american journal of epidemiology (1975), vol.102,no.3.

13. Heath,"psychiatry and abortion",canadian psychiatric association journal (1971), vol.16, pp55-63)

14. Hilgers, "the medical hazards of legally induced abortion," in hilgers and horan, eds., abortion and social justice(new york: sheed and ward, 1972).

15. Hogue,"impact of abortion on subsequent fecundity", clinics in obstetrics and gynaecology (march 1986), vol.13,no.1.

16. Hogue, cates and tietze, "impact of vacuum aspiration abortion on future childbearing: a review", family planning perspectives (may-june 1983),vol.15, no.3.

17. Kent, et al., "bereavement in post-abortive women: a clinical report", world journal of psychosynthesis (autumn-winter 1981), vol.13,nos.3-4.

18. Kent, et.Al., "emotional sequelae of therapeutic abortion: a comparative study", presented at the annual meeting of the canadian psychiatric association at saskatoon, sept. 1977.

19. Lembrych, "fertility problems following aborted first pregnancy",eds.Hilgers, et.Al., new perspectives on human abortion (frederick, md.: university publications of america, 1981).

20. Levin, et.Al., "ectopic pregnancy and prior induced abortion", american journal of public health (1982), vol.72,p253.

21. Mattinson, "the effects of abortion on a marriage",1985 abortion: medical progress and social implications,(ciba foundation symposium, london: pitman, 1985).

22. Pare and raven,"follow-up of patients referred for termination of pregnancy",the lancet(1970) vol.1,pp635-638.

23. Reardon, aborted women-silent no more, (chicago: loyola university press, 1987).

24. Reardon,"criteria for the identification of high risk abortion patients: analysis of an in-depth survey of 100 aborted women", presented at the 1987 paper session of the association for interdisciplinary research, denver.

25. Russel, "sexual activity and its consequences in the teenager", clinics in ob&gyn, (dec. 1974). Vol.1,no.3,pp683-698.

26. Schulz, et.Al., "measures to prevent cervical injury during suction curettage abortion", the lancet (may 28, 1983),pp1182-1184.

27. Stallworthy, "legal abortion, a critical assessment of its risks", the lancet (december 4, 1971) pp1245-1249.

28. Wadhera, "legal abortion among teens, 1974-1978", canadian medical association journal (june 1980), vol.122,pp1386-1389.

29. Wallerstein,et.Al., "psychosocial sequelae of therapeutic abortion in young unmarried women", archives of general psychiatry (1972) vol.27.

30. Wilke, abortion: questions and answers,(cincinnati, hayes publishing co., 1985).

31. Wilke, handbook on abortion, (cincinnati, hayes publishing co., 1979).

32. Wren, "cervical incompetence--aetiology and management", medical journal of australia (december 29, 1973), vol.60.

33. Wynn and wynn, "some consequences of induced abortion to children born subsequently", british medical journal (march 3, 1973), and foundation for education and research in child bearing (london, 1972).

34. United states supreme court, roe v wade, u.S. Reports, october term, 1972, 149,163.

35. Zimmerman, passage through abortion (new york: praeger publishers, 1977).

Decisions ... Some are small and some are very big. Some don’t affect your life at all . Others have consequences you must deal with the rest of your life.

If you are pregnant and unmarried, you are faced with a big decision. “what am I going to do with the baby inside of me?” there are several options available, two of which are adoption or abortion. Let us compare the answers to questions regarding these two choices. In some ways the answers are very similar, but the difference is a matter of life and death.

If you adopt...

You will be free to pursue your goals and dreams that you had before you were pregnant.

You will not have to care for a baby before you are ready.

You will not have the financial burden of caring for a child.

You will not have to worry about finding a sitter, missing out on the fun with your friends and being tied down.

When you think of your baby, you will think of him or her as happy and loved by a mommy and daddy.

You will have precious memories of your baby’s face, fingers, toes, eyes and smile.

You will know you gave the greatest gift of all - a child, to a couple whose hope and dream was a baby to love.

If you abort...

You will be free to pursue your goals and dreams that you had before you were pregnant.

You will not have to care for a baby before you are ready.

You will not have the financial burden of caring for a child.

You will not have to worry about finding a sitter, missing out on the fun with your friends and being tied down.

There is no baby to think of; no smile, no little fingers or toes to remember.

You have only the memory that you ended your baby’s life.

Instead of feeling good about how your pregnancy ended, you may feel sad and empty.

But you can never go back and give that child life!

Decisions ... Some are small and some are very big. Some don’t affect your life at all . Others have consequences you must deal with the rest of your life.

My name is tina.

When I was 17 I got pregnant.

I was really upset and confused. I thought about abortion for a minute - it would have been so easy.

But, I knew I couldn’t do that to my baby so I decided on adoption.

It wasn’t easy but it was the right thing to do.

That was many years ago. My “baby” is now 15. I have no regrets. I know she is loved and happy.

If you are pregnant, don’t just say “no” to adoption.

Think about it.

It could be the best thing for you and your baby. You may have some questions about adoption. I’ll try to answer them.

Can I choose the family?

Yes. It’s not like it used to be when everything was secretive. Most agencies will give you letters with photos telling you all about the couple. Many agencies also let you meet and interview prospective parents.

Can I have contact with my baby after the adoption?

It depends on what you want. The agency will match you with couples who want the same degree of contact as you do. There could be visits after the adoption, photos and letters, phone contact - whatever you and the adoptive couple are comfortable with.

Though I haven’t seen her, I have exchanged letters with catherine for the past 15 years. She starts her letters with, “dear birth mommy...”

will my child feel abandoned?

A good idea is to write a letter or send something special you made or bought. If you write, you can tell your child that you loved her so much you gave her life and a mommy and daddy.

These assurances will make your baby feel special, not abandoned. When catherine’s adoptive parents came to pick her up, she wore a t-shirt I had made that said, “i love my mommy and daddy.”

what if the father doesn’t want the adoption?

The birth father’s rights are the same as yours. If you go through an agency they are used to working with fathers in this situation.

How can I be sure my child will be well cared for?

Any couple who adopts a child must be approved by the agency. A complete background check and home study is done on them.

Are you still happy with your decision?

Yes! It was hard, mostly at first. But, as time went on and I knew she was happy and loved by a mommy and daddy, I felt better.

I was able to go to college, marry and have children of my own. I know abortion seems easy, but it is also final.

I am so thankful I chose life for catherine and so are her adoptive parents!

For those who have had abortions, those who have or think they may have any of the post abortion syndrom symptoms described in my post please visit:

www.Rachelsvineyard.Org

rachel's vineyard is a safe place to renew, rebuild and redeem hearts broken by abortion ... Of restoration, renewal and healing. Rachel's vineyard can help you ...

I can see that you have never worked in labor & delivery! Women get infections while pregnant, during and after! You have never seen a baby born with d.T's! You have never seen a baby born with gangrene! You have never seen a baby born that has been tortured or kicked! This is a forum, allow women to have their rights! We are here to help them and to understand, not to judge them! If you are anti-abortion that is fine but don't sit there and judge them, you are not in there shoes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sincerely,
sandy

If you read the post I only discourage abortion and offer other choices, you have a problem with it because it discourages abortion since you are obviously not pro choice but pro abortion.

you aren't trying to discourage abortion. You are trying to scare people out of having one. Big difference. Since every surgical procedure carries the same risks it is severely misleading to act as though abortions carry the highest risk. People get infections from routine surgery; doctors make mistakes during routine surgery. Pregnancy itself carries far more risks than abortion does. Your posts are nothing more than pro-life scare tactics.

Thank you sinsaint.As I said before abortion is a choice we as women have in the u.S.I can remember being shown all the gruesome pictures in grammar(catholic) school and even watching some video as a young adult when I thought I was pregnant.It made me realize that I am able to make up my own mind as to what is right for me.Women have been able to terminate their pregnancies since ancient times with herbs and folk remedies,this is not new,we are just more open about it.

You have nooooooooooooo right to tell me what I am!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I help young and older females to have babies, adopt their babies, get babies into better homes and yes, I do help young females and older females to abort their babies after they(key word they) have made up there(key word there) minds! So therefor I am pro-choice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! As a lot of people have told you what this forum does, is to help people that are wanting to abort, and sometimes having, to abort, I have nothing against having a baby either, this is why I am pro-choice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sincerely,
sandy

Well said!
Samie is under the false impression that all prochoice people want people (and try to convince people) to have abortions. And then she has the nerve to tell us that we are misinformed and misled. Whatever.
She doesn't understand that we are just open minded enough and caring enough to be there for support no matter what the decision is.
And samie, your little "alternatives" would only work in certain circumstances. Once again, you are being small minded and not considering the fact that each individual situation is different.

Caring and supportive?

Caring towards women who k ill babies and supportive because they k illed their baby.

Hi my name is (insert your name) I am pro choice, I am caring and supportive of those who choose to k ill babies.

Don’t like that do you, how about…

hi my name is (insert your name) I am pro choice I am caring and supportive of those who choose to terminate a pregnancy.

Ah sigh of relief!!!

Hi my name is samie I am caring towards people who k ill their babies and regret it, don’t understand their actions or are victims of social manipulation but I am not supportive of their actions, I care because they are ordinary people who often feel pressured into k illing their child. They are not mur deres or evil people. Some don’t realise what they are doing and those who do often feel guilt, remorse and suffer tremendously because of their actions, these women need care and help, not chastisement.
It is those who support, offer and carry out the abortion that needs the chastisement.

Pro choice often claim pro life don’t care about women yet 75% of all pro life organisations are solely for pre or post abortion care. Only 25% of pro life organisations campaign for the overturn of the law.

Get a freakin life. Not everyone feels "pressured" to have an abortion, samie.
I believe the only reason you keep saying that you were "pressured" is because you won't admit it was your decision. So, you blame everyone else.
Come on, and join the real world.

Geesh how many time do I have to be attacked for having an abortion by pro choice people.

I expected a lot more from you hotasfrick!!!

Let's see prochoice=1.A woman can choose to keep her legs crossed and not get pregnant
2. A woman can choose to keep her legs uncrossed, experience an unwanted pregnancy because she was too lazy to use birth control, and roe vs. Wade conveniently allows her to have an abortion.

retarded

stop insulting yourself bd1012!

this creature really needs to get a reality check. How many times do you have to be told why women have abortions? Why do you have this pathetic hatred of women? What is it about women having sex without wanting to be pregnant that riles you so badly?