From the Leader in Post-Abortion Research
Vol. 8, No. 1 -- Jan. 5, 2008
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Forced Abortion & Human Trafficking
A new study published in the International Journal of Mental Health & Addiction has found that the relationship between women and their partners and the level of support provided by the father are important factors in whether or not the woman aborts.
The study was based on a survey of low-income women undertaken at various hospitals around the country. The women involved had all previously given birth to a child and then either aborted or carried to term a second pregnancy that had occurred within the next 18 months. The participants were asked about their relationship with the child's father and to assess the level of involvement he had in raising the first child. The women were also asked about their use of drugs and alcohol, difficulties raising their first child and other factors that could relate to a decision for abortion.
"Mothers living in poverty were found to be more inclined to choose abortion over delivery when they felt they could not rely on the father of a previously born child to assist with infant care. Professionals who work with low0iuncome mother confronting a pregnancy decision soon after giving birth should be encouraged to explore strategies for helping fathers assume a more active role in the lives of their children when such involvement is deficient and when greater involvement would be in the family's best interest."
"Having child with significant health problems and having a difficult temperament child did not seem to factor into women's abortion decisions. The results clearly suggest that women who feel the first child's father has not assumed enough parental responsibility and/or lacks the ability to contribute to their efforts to raise the child, are reluctant to bear another child."
"Women who terminated a second pregnancy when compared to women who delivered a second time, were over three times more likely to report recent heavy use of alcohol (consumption of 5 or more drinks on 1 day in the past 30 days) and they were nearly twice as likely to report cigarette smoking (in the past 30 days). ... The associations observed could suggest that women who have recently undergone an abortion are more prone to substance abuse than women who recently delivered a child due to negative emotions incurred from the abortion. Existing data do indicate that women with a history of abortion, compared to women without such a history, are more inclined to experience negative emotions."
"Women who aborted did however report a higher frequency of having been slapped or kicked by the father of their child when compared to women who delivered a subsequent pregnancy. Because physical violence as measured at baseline [birth of first child] was not found to be predictive of the choice to abort, the post-abortion enhanced risk for violence in this study may have been attributed to abortion-related stress introduced into the relationship and/or elevated psychological stress in one or both partners."
"Hesitation among social scientists to broaden the scope of attention to include partners and other family members may be due to the framing of abortion as a private women's issue and/or the methodological complexities introduced by broadening the focus. ... In addition to the need for more research to address how relationship variables factor into abortion-decision-making and adjustment, more attention should be given to how partner and other family member characteristics assessed before, during, and after a pregnancy termination may affect intimate relationships."
"The abortion may be more stressful than birth for many women and/ or the pregnancy carried to term may offer the protective effect of reducing substance use due to the increased responsibility associated with having another child or a tendency to refrain from substance use for health reasons. Professionals who work with women from impoverished environment facing an unplanned pregnancy should encourage them to explore all options. If the father is psychologically and or physical unavailable, counselors can assist women in identifying other sources of support within and outside the family. .... Healthcare professionals should specifically assess pregnancy women for perceptions of physical and emotional support, current domestic violence, and future risk in order to to determine the safety inherent in the partnership while helping women arrive at a decision that will be most adaptive for them given their current life challenges. Inquiries about a history of prior or current substance abuse and education efforts regarding documented substance abuse risks associated with the choice to abort ought to be conveyed."
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Giving Sorrow Words: Women's Stories of Grief After Abortion
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Victims and Victors: Speaking Out About Their Pregnancies, Abortions and Children Resulting From Sexual Assault
The Jericho Plan: Breaking Down the Walls Which Prevent Post-Abortion Healing (great gift for priests and pastors!)
Making Abortion Rare: A Healing Strategy for A Divided Nation
Detrimental Effects of Abortion (Third Edition): An Annotated Bibliography With Commentary (excellent reference source)
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