ABORTION: THE HURTS AND THE HEALING

I pray daily for those women who will be hurt by making the decision to abort their unborn babies. Some feel trapped and think there is no way out of their situation so they resort to desperate measures. Others are forced by their partner, their parents or a relative to have the abortion. Still others believe the deception and the lies they are told by the abortion mill staff. "It 's only a cell." "It's a blob of tissue." "Having an abortion is just like having a tooth pulled." "It is selfish not to have an abortion."

What they aren't told is that they don't have to have an abortion. They aren't told that they have a living, growing human being inside of them or that their baby's heart is already beating or that she is developing fingers and toes at this stage of development, etc. They aren't informed of the serious dangers involved in abortion for the baby or the mother. They aren't told about the women who have died as a result of having an abortion.

They aren't given information like this: "[A] first-trimester abortion before first full-term pregnancy appears to cause a substantial increase in risk of subsequent breast cancer." [Pike MC, Henderson BE, Casagrande JT, Rosario I, Gray GE. Oral contraceptive use and early abortion as risk factors for breast cancer in young women. British Journal of Cancer 1981 Jan; 43(1):72-6.]

Nor are they given information like this: "Pelvic inflammatory disease is the most frequent complication after induced abortion... [T]he high incidence of postabortal PID, [has] potential long-term risks of chronic pelvic pain... and ectopic pregnancy." [Sorensen JL, Thranov I, Hoff G, Dirach J, Damsgaard MT. A double-blind randomized study of the effect of erythromycin in preventing pelvic inflammatory disease after first-trimester abortion. British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 1992 May;99(5):434-8, p.436.]

Many of the women who have abortions are women who believe there will be no support for them if they do carry their baby to term. They are not aware that there are numerous non-profit groups that will help provide them with food, clothing, shelter, education, and provide job training and assist them with job placement Financial assistance is also available to them. However, if they receive the wrong kind of information and advice from the people who profit from abortions, they will be hurt and suffer a great deal emotionally, psychologically, physically, and spiritually.

The reality is that the woman who has an abortion will be hurt psychologically in many ways. In fact, there have been more than one hundred different documented psychological reactions to abortion, some of which include: feelings of guilt / anxiety, helplessness, grief, and remorse; feelings of anger, bitterness, resentment, feelings of betrayal and mistrust; and a diminished self esteem. They may also experience recurring nightmares, flashbacks of the abortion experience, depression, sexual dysfunction, eating disorders, substance abuse, self-destructive behavior, abusive relationships, suicidal thoughts and tendencies and other problems.

There are many physical consequences of having an abortion that are just as numerous. Women who have an abortion are at a higher risk for breast cancer, cervical, ovarian, and liver cancer, uterine perforation, complications in labor, endometriosis, infertility, poorer overall general health, blood clots, hemmoraging, and many other problems. The most common minor complications include infection, bleeding, fever, second degree burns, chronic abdominal pain, vomiting, gastro-intestinal disturbances and Rh sensitization.

Worse than either of these is the spiritual death that occurs when a mother commits the sin of abortion. As a result of this sin, she experiences a complete separation from the God who created her. Whenever someone sins, the innocent, as well as the guilty suffer the consequences of that sin. In abortion, the most obvious victim is the innocent baby who has died, but others, too, such as the extended family and the community family suffer the consequences of the sin.

The good news is that when we return to the Lord with repentant hearts and desire to surrender our hearts and our lives to Him, he pours out His healing graces and tender mercy upon us. Jesus is our Healer, Our Peace, and Our Joy. He is the Divine Physician who heals us through the Sacrament of Reconciliation and restores our relationship with Him. He is the Source of all grace.

~ ~ Jean M. Heimann, October 1, 2006

If you are in need of healing from the pain of abortion, Rachel's Vineyard can help. Rachel's Vineyard weekends for healing after abortion are offered throughout the year in locations across the United States and Canada, with additional sites in Portugal, Australia and New Zealand.

The program is an opportunity to examine your abortion experience, identify the ways that the loss has impacted you in the past and present, and helps to acknowledge any unresolved feelings that many individuals struggle with after abortion. Because of the emotional numbness and secrecy that often surrounds an abortion experience, conflicting emotions both during and after the event may remain unresolved. These buried feelings can surface later and may be symptoms of post abortion trauma.

Married couples, mothers, fathers, grandparents and siblings of aborted children, as well as persons who have been involved in the abortion industry have come to Rachel's Vineyard in search of peace and inner healing. To learn more, please read about their weekend retreats. Also, please see comments from people who have attended the weekends, as well as an explanation of the name "Rachel's Vineyard."

If you are contemplating an abortion or are need of assistance and support during your pregnancy, you can speak to a crisis pregnancy counselor here.