Abortion’s Harmful Effects on Parenting Are Severe, Study Says
 (July 16, 2009) Abortion is more damaging to the parenting experience than
miscarriage or adoption, a top researcher says in a recent study.
Although losing a child before or at birth can be a profound source of
suffering, an elective abortion can be “particularly damaging to the
parenting process,” says Priscilla Coleman of Bowling Green State
University, in the May issue of
Currrent Women's Health Reviews. Coleman
reviewed already published studies on miscarriage, induced abortion and
adoption.
The study noted that while all forms of pregnancy loss can
cause emotional distress that can impact future parenting, the available
research indicates that emotional responses after induced abortion are more
likely to go unresolved and to persist for a longer time.
One of the
reasons for this is that while sympathy is frequently offered to a woman who
has experienced a miscarriage, abortion “is not acknowledged by our culture
as a human death experience," and help therefore is usually not offered.
"In many cases, women may suppress thoughts and emotions related to an
abortion, because they have not been able to process and or/openly express
negative emotions," Coleman wrote.
Coleman’s study described various
ways that a woman’s previous abortion can affect her relationship with her
other children:
- Increased depression and anxiety. Clinical
depression is a common predictor of child abuse.
- Sleep disorders and
disturbances. According to one study, a lack of sleep "could render the high
energy demands of parenting more complicated."
- Substance abuse. Studies
indicate that induced abortion can lead to substance abuse. Mothers who
abuse drugs or alcohol are more likely “to engage in authoritarian and
punitive parenting practices."
- Child abuse. Abortion has been
associated with lower emotional support for one's children and with a higher
risk of child abuse and neglect.
Abortion’s effect upon the emotions
were outlined in our
review of a Glamour magazine article.
Women in
Berwyn, Cicero, North Riverside, LaGrange, Forest Park and other
Chicago-area communities who want to learn more about the after-effects of
abortion should contact WomanCare Services in Berwyn at 708-795-6000.
See also
AfterAbortion.com.
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The information and advice published on WomanCare's Services website is not intended to replace the services of a physician, nor does it constitute a doctor-patient relationship. Information on this website is provided for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
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