Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act

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Topic:	Science > Abortion
User:	"papa jack"
Date:	28 Jun 2004 05:41:25 PM
Object:	Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act

Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA), and 28 other Representatives introduced
"The Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act," HR 4543.
It's currently in the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Go to:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query
_____________________________________________________________________________
Excerpts:
Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act (Introduced in House)
HR 4543 IH: 108th CONGRESS; 2d Session
To provide for research on, and services for individuals with,
post-abortion depression and psychosis. June 9, 2004
[...]
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds as follows:
(1) About 3,000,000 women per year in the United States have
an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy, and approximately
1,186,000 of these pregnancies end in elective abortion.
(2) Abortion can have severe and long-term effects on the
mental and emotional well-being of women. Women often
experience sadness and guilt following abortions with no one
to console them. They may have difficulty in bonding with new
babies, become overprotective parents or develop problems in
their relationship with their spouses. Problems such as eating
disorders, depression and suicide attempts have also been traced
to past abortions.
(3) The symptoms of post-abortion depression include bouts of
crying, guilt, intense grief or sadness, emotional numbness,
eating disorders, drug and alcohol abuse, suicidal urges, anxiety
and panic attacks, anger/rage, sexual problems or promiscuity,
lowered self esteem, nightmares and sleep disturbance, flashbacks,
and difficulty with relationships.
(4) Women who aborted a first pregnancy are four times more
likely to report substance abuse compared to those who suffered
a natural loss of their first pregnancy, and they are five times
more likely to report subsequent substance abuse than women who
carried to term.
[...]
(8) Social pressure to have an abortion can be directly related
to higher levels of immediate regret and more mental undoing over
subsequent years.
(9) Post-abortion depression is a treatable disorder if promptly
diagnosed by a trained provider and attended to with a personalized
regimen of care including social support, therapy, medication, and
when necessary hospitalization.
[...]
TITLE I--RESEARCH ON POST-ABORTION DEPRESSION AND PSYCHOSIS
SEC. 101. EXPANSION AND INTENSIFICATION OF ACTIVITIES OF NATIONAL
INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH.
[...]
(c) Programs for Post-Abortion Conditions- In carrying out subsection
(a), the Director of the Institute shall conduct or support research
to expand the understanding of the causes of, and to find a cure for,
post-abortion conditions. Activities under such subsection shall
include conducting and supporting the following:
(1) Basic research concerning the etiology and causes of the
conditions.
(2) Epidemiological studies to address the frequency and natural
history of the conditions and the differences among racial and
ethnic groups with respect to the conditions.
(3) The development of improved diagnostic techniques.
(4) Clinical research for the development and evaluation of new treat-
ments, including new biological agents.
(5) Information and education programs for health care professionals
and the public.
[...]
_____________________________________________________________________________
Papa Jack comments:
The Pro-Aborts will oppose this effort because it might show
abortions cause negative aftereffects on some women. They
had much rather just assure us all women are totally satisfied
following abortions -- and only total "nuts" would ever feel
depression or other mental health symptoms.
Thanks for considering my point of view.
.

User: "Saint Flower Power"
Title: Re: Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act	29 Jun 2004 01:16:05 AM

"papa jack" <papajack37@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:bd9f1f6b.0406281441.53834097@posting.google.com...

____________________________________________________________________________
_

Excerpts:

Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act (Introduced in House)
HR 4543 IH: 108th CONGRESS; 2d Session

To provide for research on, and services for individuals with,
post-abortion depression and psychosis. June 9, 2004

## What about post natal depression and psychosis? The women kill their
newborn babies - why not stud that problem since it's so much more serious?

## Anyone know how many mother's kill their newborns each year from
depression and/or post-partum psychosis?

(2) Abortion can have severe and long-term effects on the
mental and emotional well-being of women.

## So can having an unwanted child.
Women often

experience sadness and guilt following abortions with no one
to console them.

## No one to console them? What about their friends and family? Did they
just study LONELY women?
They may have difficulty in bonding with new

babies, become overprotective parents or develop problems in
their relationship with their spouses.

## All things seen in women who NEVER aborted.
Problems such as eating

disorders, depression and suicide attempts have also been traced
to past abortions.

## Traced how?
SNIP.....Same old blather designed to frighten ignorant or very young women
into having unwanted children.....
--
Flower Power....
And there is ALSO the option of obtaining a legal and safe
abortion that will immediately get her life BACK on track as though
the unwanted pregnancy had never occured. No harm done, except for
spending some time and money on the reasonable fee charged
(a fraction of giving birth). After aborting, her well-being
and full range of future opportunities will have immediately been
RESTORED to before the unwanted pregnancy. (Insp. by GR).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.

User: "Joseph P. Belk"
Title: Re: Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act	29 Jun 2004 03:29:06 AM

On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 01:16:05 -0500, "Saint Flower Power"
<LiberatedLadies@Freedom.com> wrote:
[snip]

And there is ALSO the option of obtaining a legal and safe
abortion that will immediately get her life BACK on track as though
the unwanted pregnancy had never occured. No harm done, except for
spending some time and money on the reasonable fee charged
(a fraction of giving birth). After aborting, her well-being
and full range of future opportunities will have immediately been
RESTORED to before the unwanted pregnancy. (Insp. by GR).

No, sorry, there is no such OPTION! There is a chance that a woman may
avoid the worst negative outcomes. She might not be the one to bleed
to death on the abortionist's table. She might not be among those who
are sterilized by pelvic inflammatory disease in the weeks following
the abortion. She might not be among the women whose suicides follow
their abortions, occurring most frequently on the abortion anniversary
date, the next year and the next year after that etc.She might not be
beaten to death by the very man who threatened to kill her if she did
not abort. She might not die in a subsequent tubal pregnancy as some
aborted women do. She might not develop a breast cancer due to
choosing abortion. She might never reach the point where she bitterly
regrets ever having such a dismal choice presented to her, or never
decide to devote the rest of her life to telling other women that
abortion is just too dangerous to be a choice fit for anyone to make.
But a woman who chooses abortion does not get to choose her outcome.
And one thing no woman gets after an abortion. She cannot be the
mother of a live child after she has chosen to kill that child. She
must, for the rest of her life, be the mother of a dead child.
Joseph P. Belk
*****************************************************
IF YOU HAVE HAD AN ABORTION HIT THIS LINK NOW!
http://www.hopeafterabortion.com/
There is hope. There is healing. There is forgiveness.
Even after you have chosen abortion.
*****************************************************
.

User: "Pastor Flower Power"
Title: Re: Post-BIRTH Depression Research and Care Act	01 Jul 2004 12:36:23 AM

"Joseph P. Belk" <jpbelk@fuse.net> wrote in message
news:bs72e053c2bg7f5fa1s40b2737q8u2p8j7@4ax.com...

On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 01:16:05 -0500, "Saint Flower Power"
<LiberatedLadies@Freedom.com> wrote:

[snip]

=========================================

No, sorry, there is no such OPTION!

** Yes there is here in the USA. And millions of women avail themselves to
this option of abortion.
There is a chance that a woman may

avoid the worst negative outcomes. She might not be the one to bleed
to death on the abortionist's table.

** And yet women bleed to dead on the delivery table but you haven't
mentioned that. What about ruptured uteri that kill women? How many per
1,000,000 abortions end in death? Birth is 11 more deadly for women than
abortion is.
She might not be among those who

are sterilized by pelvic inflammatory disease in the weeks following
the abortion.

** And women who give birth ALSO have this complication to deal with - plus
the deadly child-bed fever also known as puerperal fever which my
daughter-in-law almost died from. Why do you not mention all the deadly
complications associated with childbirth?
She might not be among the women whose suicides follow

their abortions, occurring most frequently on the abortion anniversary
date,

** Or the mothers who commit suicide because of the stress and financial
strain imposed by unwanted and resented children she feels trapped with.
I snipped the rest as you keep forgetting to mention all the negative
effects of child-birth. You want to fool women and girls into believing
it's positively safe and yet is 11 times more deadly for them.
--
Flower Power........
The risk of death associated with childbirth is about 11 times as high as
that associated with abortion.27
http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00054602.htm
http://www.afterabortion.org/news/deaths_smj.html
====================================================
What an abortion REALLY looks like.
http://www.angelfire.com/pq/pepsii/nuva.html
.

User: "Frank Dwyer"
Title: Re: Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act	29 Jun 2004 08:19:00 AM

"Joseph P. Belk" wrote:

On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 01:16:05 -0500, "Saint Flower Power"
<LiberatedLadies@Freedom.com> wrote:

[snip]

Yet you wish to make sure that a woman who chooses to have sex does not
get to choose her outcome either? Go figure.

And one thing no woman gets after an abortion. She cannot be the
mother of a live child after she has chosen to kill that child. She
must, for the rest of her life, be the mother of a dead child.

Trying the "you'll feel guilty" approach?
.

User: "Krusty"
Title: Re: Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act	01 Jul 2004 10:28:48 AM

Joseph P. Belk <jpbelk@fuse.net> wrote in message news:<bs72e053c2bg7f5fa1s40b2737q8u2p8j7@4ax.com>...

On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 01:16:05 -0500, "Saint Flower Power"
<LiberatedLadies@Freedom.com> wrote:

[snip]

No, sorry, there is no such OPTION!

Apparently, because Joe, a male who never had to deal with such issues,
says so. Snicker. Don't go postal on us, Joe.
There is a chance that a woman may

avoid the worst negative outcomes.

Aww...shucks, right?
She might not be the one to bleed

to death on the abortionist's table.

Can't win em all, eh?
She might not be among those who

are sterilized by pelvic inflammatory disease in the weeks following
the abortion.

Rats!
She might not be among the women whose suicides follow

their abortions, occurring most frequently on the abortion anniversary
date, the next year and the next year after that etc.

But she might, right!
She might not be

beaten to death by the very man who threatened to kill her if she did
not abort.

She might not get struck by a lighning bolt from your God, either.
She might not die in a subsequent tubal pregnancy as some

aborted women do.

Incoherent sentence.
She might not develop a breast cancer due to

choosing abortion. She might never reach the point where she bitterly
regrets ever having such a dismal choice presented to her, or never
decide to devote the rest of her life to telling other women that
abortion is just too dangerous to be a choice fit for anyone to make.

But...she might decide to become a Christian! Then she can worship
a god who slaughters more innocents than she does, right??

But a woman who chooses abortion does not get to choose her outcome.

Of course she does, numbnuts. Where's your lame-***** "free will" bleat now??

And one thing no woman gets after an abortion. She cannot be the
mother of a live child after she has chosen to kill that child. She
must, for the rest of her life, be the mother of a dead child.

Kinda like yer God, eh?
That sucks.

Joseph P. Belk

*****************************************************

IF YOU HAVE HAD AN ABORTION HIT THIS LINK NOW!

IF YOU HAVE BEEN INDOCTRINATED BY YOUR RELIGION OF CHOICE, HIT
THIS LINK NOW!
www.getafreakineducationandthinkforyourself.com
.

User: "Krusty"
Title: Re: Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act	01 Jul 2004 10:04:28 AM

(papa jack) wrote in message news:<bd9f1f6b.0406281441.53834097@posting.google.com>...

Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA), and 28 other Representatives introduced
"The Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act," HR 4543.
It's currently in the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Go to:

Papa Jack comments:
The Pro-Aborts will oppose this

The only "pro-aborts" are the Christians. After all, they support a
God who needlessly slaughters millions of innocent unborn children
every year.
Why does your God do this, Jackass?
effort because it might show

abortions cause negative aftereffects on some women. They
had much rather just assure us all women are totally

ALL women are TOTALLY.
Snicker.
The ol good v evil? Black v White? Your propaganda is shameful,
Jackass.
satisfied

following abortions -- and only total

ONLY TOTAL.
See weak propaganda style above....

"nuts" would ever

EVER.....ditto.

feel depression or other mental health symptoms.

Thanks for considering my point of view.

You're an idiot.
.

User: "Joseph P. Belk"
Title: Re: Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act	29 Jun 2004 12:57:55 AM

On 28 Jun 2004 15:41:25 -0700,

(papa jack)
wrote:

Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA), and 28 other Representatives introduced
"The Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act," HR 4543.
It's currently in the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Go to:

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query
_____________________________________________________________________________
Excerpts:

Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act (Introduced in House)
HR 4543 IH: 108th CONGRESS; 2d Session

To provide for research on, and services for individuals with,
post-abortion depression and psychosis. June 9, 2004

[...]
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds as follows:

(1) About 3,000,000 women per year in the United States have
an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy, and approximately
1,186,000 of these pregnancies end in elective abortion.

(2) Abortion can have severe and long-term effects on the
mental and emotional well-being of women. Women often
experience sadness and guilt following abortions with no one
to console them. They may have difficulty in bonding with new
babies, become overprotective parents or develop problems in
their relationship with their spouses. Problems such as eating
disorders, depression and suicide attempts have also been traced
to past abortions.

(3) The symptoms of post-abortion depression include bouts of
crying, guilt, intense grief or sadness, emotional numbness,
eating disorders, drug and alcohol abuse, suicidal urges, anxiety
and panic attacks, anger/rage, sexual problems or promiscuity,
lowered self esteem, nightmares and sleep disturbance, flashbacks,
and difficulty with relationships.

(4) Women who aborted a first pregnancy are four times more
likely to report substance abuse compared to those who suffered
a natural loss of their first pregnancy, and they are five times
more likely to report subsequent substance abuse than women who
carried to term.
[...]

(8) Social pressure to have an abortion can be directly related
to higher levels of immediate regret and more mental undoing over
subsequent years.

(9) Post-abortion depression is a treatable disorder if promptly
diagnosed by a trained provider and attended to with a personalized
regimen of care including social support, therapy, medication, and
when necessary hospitalization.
[...]

TITLE I--RESEARCH ON POST-ABORTION DEPRESSION AND PSYCHOSIS

SEC. 101. EXPANSION AND INTENSIFICATION OF ACTIVITIES OF NATIONAL
INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH.
[...]
(c) Programs for Post-Abortion Conditions- In carrying out subsection
(a), the Director of the Institute shall conduct or support research
to expand the understanding of the causes of, and to find a cure for,
post-abortion conditions. Activities under such subsection shall
include conducting and supporting the following:

(1) Basic research concerning the etiology and causes of the
conditions.

(2) Epidemiological studies to address the frequency and natural
history of the conditions and the differences among racial and
ethnic groups with respect to the conditions.

(3) The development of improved diagnostic techniques.

(4) Clinical research for the development and evaluation of new treat-
ments, including new biological agents.

(5) Information and education programs for health care professionals
and the public.

[...]
_____________________________________________________________________________

Papa Jack comments:
The Pro-Aborts will oppose this effort because it might show
abortions cause negative aftereffects on some women. They
had much rather just assure us all women are totally satisfied
following abortions -- and only total "nuts" would ever feel
depression or other mental health symptoms.

Thanks for considering my point of view.

A key development in the debate over this bill will be the
Congressional hearings, possibly in both House and Senate, at which
large numbers of women will be able to express their own regret over
their abortions and describe the horrors to which their abortionist
subjected them - all for publication in the Congressional Record. The
witnesses have been gathering for a long time, particularly most
recently in the Silent No More Awareness Campaign which placed women
who regret their abortions as counterdemonstrators against recent
pro-abort marches. The pro-abort side will also get their chance to
speak for the record, but history indicates their cause is damaged
almost as much by their own testimony as by the testimony of their
critics. The pro-abort position only gains ground when they can
silence the debate by manipulating their willing friends in the U. S.
press and broadcast news media.
Joseph P. Belk
****************************************************
Defenders of a woman's right to choose an abortion
generally do not defend infanticide after birth,
which is almost universally punishable as murder.
Can any so-called "pro-choice" person
really study the images of those killed
in abortions and come away still demanding
that the slaughter continue? Answer the question
for yourself after you examine carefully the
photographs provided at the web site:
http://www.priestsforlife.org/resources/abortionimages/index.htm
Click this URL for a text-only index of the photos
available on just one site. Be prepared to deal with
truly horrific images of the aftermath of violence
if you go on from there.
****************************************************
.

User: "Somesappywriter"
Title: Re: Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act	28 Jun 2004 06:19:01 PM

On 28 Jun 2004 15:41:25 -0700,

(papa jack)
wrote:

A woman's PRE-EXISTING mental health is a factor.
.

User: "Saint Flower Power"
Title: Re: Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act	29 Jun 2004 01:21:42 AM

"Somesappywriter" <sappywriter@poetic.com> wrote in message
news:9q91e09p2ah8s98aminne0cg9heq6v4euo@4ax.com...

On 28 Jun 2004 15:41:25 -0700,

(papa jack)
wrote:

___________________________________________________________________________

Excerpts:

Post-Abortion Depression...

A woman's PRE-EXISTING mental health is a factor.

======================
And who of us hasn't seem some of these same symptoms in any women? We've
all seen people, of both sexes, get depressed, upset, guilt ridden over
something - such as not spending enough time with an aged parent....
When my co-worker commit murder/suicide about 10 years ago it wasn't
connected to her children or abortions at all. However she did kill both
grown children before killing herself.
The woman's PRE-EXISTING mental health is probably the BIGGEST a factor in
post abortion mental problems.
FP......
.

User: "Joseph P. Belk"
Title: Re: Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act	29 Jun 2004 02:44:50 AM

On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 01:21:42 -0500, "Saint Flower Power"
<LiberatedLadies@Freedom.com> wrote:

"Somesappywriter" <sappywriter@poetic.com> wrote in message
news:9q91e09p2ah8s98aminne0cg9heq6v4euo@4ax.com...

On 28 Jun 2004 15:41:25 -0700,

(papa jack)
wrote:

___________________________________________________________________________

Excerpts:

Post-Abortion Depression...

A woman's PRE-EXISTING mental health is a factor.

======================
And who of us hasn't seem some of these same symptoms in any women? We've
all seen people, of both sexes, get depressed, upset, guilt ridden over
something - such as not spending enough time with an aged parent....
When my co-worker commit murder/suicide about 10 years ago it wasn't
connected to her children or abortions at all. However she did kill both
grown children before killing herself.

The woman's PRE-EXISTING mental health is probably the BIGGEST a factor in
post abortion mental problems.

FP......

So many people who will support the "right to choose" just don't seem
to listen even to themselves. What each of you is saying is that
serious damage to mental health does indeed frequently follow abortion
and that the more unstable a woman's mental condition before abortion
the more likely that abortion will trigger life-threatening depression
or psychosis following the abortion. You are actually making the case
that the "right to choose" should be denied any woman with a history
of mental disturbance, particularly depression, because abortion will
be especially damaging to her mental health. Yet one of the major
justifications for abortion always has been a perceived (never
demonstrated, never proved) need for women to safeguard their mental
health by aborting. Mental health is included among health reasons to
be evaluated before an abortion by the U. S. Supreme Court in its Doe
v Bolton decision! Yet abortion clinics rarely screen for pre-existing
depression and never recommend against abortion in the face of
histories of pre existing depression.
Actually, any sound study of the negative health consequences of
abortion would remove pre existing mental health as a factor by
comparing women whose pre existing mental health was the same, prior
to a choice between abortion and life for the children they carry.
Only if women who aborted showed greater mental health problems after
abortion than women who chose life, basing each comparison on women
who all had the same pre existing mental health profile, could the
study conclude that any particular group of women ( either the
mentally sound or the mentally unsound) would be likely to suffer
profound mental distress following abortion. It is quite possible that
a well-conducted study might show that pre existing mental health
conditions made a woman less likely to suffer additional mental health
problems, compared to the woman in good mental health prior to the
abortion who suffers serious disturbance after the abortion. You have
to compare apples to apples.
I would predict that any good study will show what several studies
already have shown, that abortion harms mental health for every group
of women, both those healthy and those already suffering before the
abortion is done. I would further predict that, on average, both
groups would show a positive change in mental health for women who
chose life for their babies, even over comparable women who never got
pregnant. There are a whole host of protective factors for human
health resulting from childbearing that are routinely ignored in
studies of the post partum health effects which focus only on the
weeks of pregnancy and a few weeks following birth. Year after year
for the rest of these women's lives, women die or suffer acute illness
at a greater rate after abortion than comparable women suffer after
live birth. These long-term consequences of abortion make the abortion
choice always unsafe, always detrimental to the mother's health
compared to choosing life for her child.
Joseph P. Belk
----------------------------------------------------
"No one has the right to choose what is wrong."
-Abraham Lincoln
----------------------------------------------------
.

User: "Pastor Flower Power"
Title: Re: Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act	01 Jul 2004 12:22:47 AM

"Joseph P. Belk" <jpbelk@fuse.net> wrote in message
news:qj52e013g14bsehm39re189m1ivl7jr4pd@4ax.com...

On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 01:21:42 -0500, "Saint Flower Power"
<LiberatedLadies@Freedom.com> wrote:

"Somesappywriter" <sappywriter@poetic.com> wrote in message
news:9q91e09p2ah8s98aminne0cg9heq6v4euo@4ax.com...

On 28 Jun 2004 15:41:25 -0700,

(papa jack)
wrote:

__________________________________________________________________________

Excerpts:

Post-Abortion Depression...

A woman's PRE-EXISTING mental health is a factor.

======================
And who of us hasn't seem some of these same symptoms in any women?

We've

all seen people, of both sexes, get depressed, upset, guilt ridden over
something - such as not spending enough time with an aged parent....
When my co-worker commit murder/suicide about 10 years ago it wasn't
connected to her children or abortions at all. However she did kill both
grown children before killing herself.

The woman's PRE-EXISTING mental health is probably the BIGGEST a factor

post abortion mental problems.

FP......

==========================================

** That's not what we're saying. Having an abortion may or may not make
her worse. Giving birth can also cause serious mental problems to worsen.
A mentally unstable women isn't going to be helped any either by aborting or
giving birth. Post-Partum-Depression is a very serious condition the
anti-choice people never mention.
You are actually making the case

that the "right to choose" should be denied any woman with a history
of mental disturbance, particularly depression, because abortion will
be especially damaging to her mental health.

** That's not what I'm saying. Do you think forcing an mentally unstable
women to give birth against her will is the right move? These women are
the ones who often suffer deadly PPD after childbirth.
Yet one of the major

justifications for abortion always has been a perceived (never
demonstrated, never proved) need for women to safeguard their mental
health by aborting. Mental health is included among health reasons to
be evaluated before an abortion by the U. S. Supreme Court in its Doe
v Bolton decision! Yet abortion clinics rarely screen for pre-existing
depression and never recommend against abortion in the face of
histories of pre existing depression.

** How do you know what they recommend? You have no clue what goes on (or
is said) in the room between the women and the clinic worker before the
abortion.

Actually, any sound study of the negative health consequences of
abortion would remove pre existing mental health as a factor

** Because YOU say so!
by

comparing women whose pre existing mental health was the same, prior
to a choice between abortion and life for the children they carry.
Only if women who aborted showed greater mental health problems after
abortion than women who chose life, basing each comparison on women
who all had the same pre existing mental health profile, could the
study conclude that any particular group of women ( either the
mentally sound or the mentally unsound) would be likely to suffer
profound mental distress following abortion. It is quite possible that
a well-conducted study might show that pre existing mental health
conditions made a woman less likely to suffer additional mental health
problems, compared to the woman in good mental health prior to the
abortion who suffers serious disturbance after the abortion. You have
to compare apples to apples.

** None of that matters anyway in the end since abortion is legal and women
will continue to abort no matter their mental state. It doesn't take a
psychiatrist to figure out a women who is forced to carry and bear an
unwanted fetus is going to have some form of mental and emotional distress.
How can they NOT? Some women did actually commit suicide rather than give
birth. We have no right to decide for another human being what is best for
her under the circumstances.

I would predict that any good study will show what several studies
already have shown, that abortion harms mental health for every group
of women,

** What study showed that? None I ever saw. How about some studies of
women coerced or forced to give birth to the unwanted fetus? Studies of
women whose lives, reputations and futures were destroyed by having the
unplanned, unwanted and deeply resented child.
both those healthy and those already suffering before the

abortion is done. I would further predict that, on average, both
groups would show a positive change in mental health for women who
chose life for their babies,

** And I would predict the opposite.
even over comparable women who never got

pregnant. There are a whole host of protective factors for human
health resulting from childbearing that are routinely ignored in
studies of the post partum health effects which focus only on the
weeks of pregnancy and a few weeks following birth. Year after year
for the rest of these women's lives, women die or suffer acute illness
at a greater rate after abortion than comparable women suffer after
live birth.

** And the stats are WHERE? I don't see any of the women I knew who had
abortions getting sicker or dying at a rate faster then those who didn't
abort.
These long-term consequences of abortion make the abortion

choice always unsafe, always detrimental to the mother's health
compared to choosing life for her child.

** And yet birth is 11 times more deadly than abortion. Lets gets honest
ok?
--
Flower Power........
One women dies giving birth every 30 minutes in Afghanistan.
Do they also warn women of the dangers of term pregnancy and
birth?.......like:
http://www.indiaparenting.com/pregnancy/data/preg16_00.shtml
http://www.imnotsorry.net/
http://www.agi-usa.org/pubs/fb_induced_abortion.html
The risk of death associated with childbirth is about 11 times as high as
that associated with abortion.27
http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00054602.htm
http://www.afterabortion.org/news/deaths_smj.html
====================================================
What an abortion REALLY looks like.
http://www.angelfire.com/pq/pepsii/nuva.html
.

User: ""
Title: Re: Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act	01 Jul 2004 05:34:11 PM

On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 03:44:50 -0400, Joseph P. Belk <jpbelk@fuse.net>
wrote:

On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 01:21:42 -0500, "Saint Flower Power"
<LiberatedLadies@Freedom.com> wrote:

"Somesappywriter" <sappywriter@poetic.com> wrote in message
news:9q91e09p2ah8s98aminne0cg9heq6v4euo@4ax.com...

On 28 Jun 2004 15:41:25 -0700,

(papa jack)
wrote:

___________________________________________________________________________

Excerpts:

Post-Abortion Depression...

A woman's PRE-EXISTING mental health is a factor.

======================
And who of us hasn't seem some of these same symptoms in any women? We've
all seen people, of both sexes, get depressed, upset, guilt ridden over
something - such as not spending enough time with an aged parent....
When my co-worker commit murder/suicide about 10 years ago it wasn't
connected to her children or abortions at all. However she did kill both
grown children before killing herself.

The woman's PRE-EXISTING mental health is probably the BIGGEST a factor in
post abortion mental problems.

FP......

a small percentage (but concerning percentage) of women have
difficulty after abortion, because of their pre-abortion
circumstances, and even the lack of support they have surround it.
.

User: ""
Title: Re: Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act	01 Jul 2004 05:36:43 PM

On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 03:44:50 -0400, Joseph P. Belk <jpbelk@fuse.net>
wrote:

On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 01:21:42 -0500, "Saint Flower Power"
<LiberatedLadies@Freedom.com> wrote:

"Somesappywriter" <sappywriter@poetic.com> wrote in message
news:9q91e09p2ah8s98aminne0cg9heq6v4euo@4ax.com...

On 28 Jun 2004 15:41:25 -0700,

(papa jack)
wrote:

___________________________________________________________________________

Excerpts:

Post-Abortion Depression...

A woman's PRE-EXISTING mental health is a factor.

======================
And who of us hasn't seem some of these same symptoms in any women? We've
all seen people, of both sexes, get depressed, upset, guilt ridden over
something - such as not spending enough time with an aged parent....
When my co-worker commit murder/suicide about 10 years ago it wasn't
connected to her children or abortions at all. However she did kill both
grown children before killing herself.

The woman's PRE-EXISTING mental health is probably the BIGGEST a factor in
post abortion mental problems.

FP......

Your crowd has a habit of putting a lot of guilt trips on already
emotionally burdened -- it's what you're banking on.
.

User: ""
Title: Re: Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act	01 Jul 2004 05:33:14 PM

On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 01:21:42 -0500, "Saint Flower Power"
<LiberatedLadies@Freedom.com> wrote:

"Somesappywriter" <sappywriter@poetic.com> wrote in message
news:9q91e09p2ah8s98aminne0cg9heq6v4euo@4ax.com...

On 28 Jun 2004 15:41:25 -0700,

(papa jack)
wrote:

___________________________________________________________________________

Excerpts:

Post-Abortion Depression...

A woman's PRE-EXISTING mental health is a factor.

======================
And who of us hasn't seem some of these same symptoms in any women? We've
all seen people, of both sexes, get depressed, upset, guilt ridden over
something - such as not spending enough time with an aged parent....
When my co-worker commit murder/suicide about 10 years ago it wasn't
connected to her children or abortions at all. However she did kill both
grown children before killing herself.

The woman's PRE-EXISTING mental health is probably the BIGGEST a factor in
post abortion mental problems.

I did the research - I know. :-)

FP......

User: "Joseph P. Belk"
Title: Re: Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act	29 Jun 2004 01:16:03 AM

On Mon, 28 Jun 2004 19:19:01 -0400, Somesappywriter
<sappywriter@poetic.com> wrote:

On 28 Jun 2004 15:41:25 -0700,

(papa jack)
wrote:

A woman's PRE-EXISTING mental health is a factor.

How close are you to a "blame the victim" outrage? A woman's
pre-existing mental health might be a predictor of the depth and
duration of post-abortion problems, but your statement is a non
sequitur in discussion of whether post-abortion depression exists (it
has been proven to exist) or whether post-abortion depression is
sometimes experienced even by women who were mentally healthy prior to
the abortion (this has been proven to occur). Are you ready to dismiss
post-abortion depression as somehow the fault of the woman who
experiences it?
Keep in mind that the abortionist does not care a whit about the
patient's state of mind going into the abortion or the mental health
consequences to the woman following the abortion, as evidenced by the
nature of "counseling" inside abortion clinics - nothing but a hard
sales pitch. The abortion clinic that recommends against abortions for
women most likely to suffer dramatic post-abortion mental health
disturbances simply does not exist. Making abortions legal did not
make them safe!
Joseph P. Belk
*************************************************************************************
A short book review follows. Buy this book if you know anyone who has
had an abortion, especially if you have had an abortion. Read this
book if you want to understand how abortion has hurt every woman who
ever tried it.
[From the book:] Linda described her abortion as follows:
"I was fully awake, no pills given, or shots. I lay there with tears
rolling down my face. The room was cool. My tears felt like fire on my
face, cutting it, slice by slice, tear by tear. My hands were wet with
sweat; My right hand squeezed the counselor's thin, cold hand as
though squeezing the life out of her. My left hand lay fisted,
clenched tightly on my vibrating stomach as the abortion occurred. It
felt as though someone was raping me with a 15-Amp canister vacuum
hose with no mercy as I lay there helpless, crying calmly, as if
agreeing to be raped."
_Forbidden Grief: The Unspoken Pain of Abortion_, Theresa K. Burke,
Ph.D. and David C. Reardon, Ph.D. 2001. Springfield, IL: Acorn Books
(p. 114).
This text can be ordered from Acorn Books, P. O. Box 7348,
Springfield, IL 62791-7348.
*************************************************************************************
.

User: "Adam H."
Title: Re: Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act	29 Jun 2004 10:19:19 AM

On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 02:16:03 -0400, Joseph P. Belk <jpbelk@fuse.net>
wrote:

On Mon, 28 Jun 2004 19:19:01 -0400, Somesappywriter
<sappywriter@poetic.com> wrote:

On 28 Jun 2004 15:41:25 -0700,

(papa jack)
wrote:

A woman's PRE-EXISTING mental health is a factor.

I think what we should really keep in mind is that no evidence for the
so-called 'post-abortion syndrome' has been found.
"The American Psychological Association conducted an 8 year study
involving almost 5,295 women, starting in 1979. The women were
interviewed each year until 1987. The researchers found that the best
predictor of of the women's well-being during the study was their
well-being at the start of the study. Whether they had had an abortion
or not during the interval covered by the study did not seem to affect
their mental health. Neither did their income level, job status,
educational attainment, marital status, etc. In other words, they were
unable to detect the existence of PAS.
bullet The American Psychological Association further analyzed the
data from the 1979-1987 study and issued a press release on
1997-JAN-31. 14 They concluded:
"Data from [a] long-term study demonstrate that even highly
religious women are not at significantly greater risk of psychological
distress because they had an abortion."
This time they included an analysis of the woman's religious beliefs
and practices - specifically:
-* whether they were affiliated with a religious group, or were not
religious.
- if religious, whether they attended church often or rarely.
They found that:
- "...having had an abortion (or more than one) had no relation with
self-esteem"
- the "...type of religion to which women who had an abortion belonged
also did not make a difference in their post-abortion well-being..."
Thus, even religious women did not appear to suffer from PAS at a
detectable level. They further analyzed the data for the Roman
Catholic women in the study. They found that "highly religious
Catholic women were slightly more likely to exhibit postabortion
psychological distress than other women..." But this is probably
explained by the presence of a lower level of well-being at the start
of the study by the devout Catholics, rather than any after-effect of
the abortion. "
--http://www.religioustolerance.org/abo_post.htm
[snip]
---
"Question with boldness even the existence of a god;
because, if there be one, he must more approve of
the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear."
- Thomas Jefferson
.

User: "Somesappywriter"
Title: Re: Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act	29 Jun 2004 10:58:53 AM

On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 11:19:19 -0400, Adam H. <adam@mailinator.com>
wrote:

On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 02:16:03 -0400, Joseph P. Belk <jpbelk@fuse.net>
wrote:

On Mon, 28 Jun 2004 19:19:01 -0400, Somesappywriter
<sappywriter@poetic.com> wrote:

On 28 Jun 2004 15:41:25 -0700,

(papa jack)
wrote:

A woman's PRE-EXISTING mental health is a factor.

I think what we should really keep in mind is that no evidence for the
so-called 'post-abortion syndrome' has been found.

Absolutely none. But with some studies, a small percentage of women
did have negative after-effects only because of pre-existing mental
health issues. Also, lack of familial support mgiht contribute to a
woman's difficulty. But flasbacks?
A time when a woman might feel signigicant depressions is if she had
to have the termination on a WANTED pregnancy because of health
reasons or she was compelled to have an abortion.

"The American Psychological Association conducted an 8 year study
involving almost 5,295 women, starting in 1979. The women were
interviewed each year until 1987. The researchers found that the best
predictor of of the women's well-being during the study was their
well-being at the start of the study. Whether they had had an abortion
or not during the interval covered by the study did not seem to affect
their mental health. Neither did their income level, job status,
educational attainment, marital status, etc. In other words, they were
unable to detect the existence of PAS.
bullet The American Psychological Association further analyzed the
data from the 1979-1987 study and issued a press release on
1997-JAN-31. 14 They concluded:

"Data from [a] long-term study demonstrate that even highly
religious women are not at significantly greater risk of psychological
distress because they had an abortion."

This time they included an analysis of the woman's religious beliefs
and practices - specifically:
-* whether they were affiliated with a religious group, or were not
religious.
- if religious, whether they attended church often or rarely.

They found that:
- "...having had an abortion (or more than one) had no relation with
self-esteem"
- the "...type of religion to which women who had an abortion belonged
also did not make a difference in their post-abortion well-being..."

Thus, even religious women did not appear to suffer from PAS at a
detectable level. They further analyzed the data for the Roman
Catholic women in the study. They found that "highly religious
Catholic women were slightly more likely to exhibit postabortion
psychological distress than other women..." But this is probably
explained by the presence of a lower level of well-being at the start
of the study by the devout Catholics, rather than any after-effect of
the abortion. "
--http://www.religioustolerance.org/abo_post.htm

[snip]

---
"Question with boldness even the existence of a god;
because, if there be one, he must more approve of
the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear."
- Thomas Jefferson

User: "Mother Flower Power"
Title: Re: Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act	29 Jun 2004 03:18:50 PM

"Somesappywriter" <sappywriter@poetic.com> wrote in message
news:q943e09uh7e2hcvlp8kgqqrde59amroje1@4ax.com...

## That's just another anti-choicer "guilt tactic" used to scare young and
ignorant women into bearing another unwanted child to add to the already
failing FC system.

A time when a woman might feel signigicant depressions is if she had
to have the termination on a WANTED pregnancy because of health
reasons or she was compelled to have an abortion.

## Or she thought she could get the guy to marry her and he refused, or
broke off with her.
FPower....
"I haven't seen one anti-choicer show anything other than a
passing interest for the the welfare of unwanted infants once born."
.

User: "Adam H."
Title: Re: Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act	29 Jun 2004 11:17:33 AM

On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 11:58:53 -0400, Somesappywriter
<sappywriter@poetic.com> wrote:

On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 11:19:19 -0400, Adam H. <adam@mailinator.com>
wrote:

On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 02:16:03 -0400, Joseph P. Belk <jpbelk@fuse.net>
wrote:

On Mon, 28 Jun 2004 19:19:01 -0400, Somesappywriter
<sappywriter@poetic.com> wrote:

On 28 Jun 2004 15:41:25 -0700,

(papa jack)
wrote:

A woman's PRE-EXISTING mental health is a factor.

I think what we should really keep in mind is that no evidence for the
so-called 'post-abortion syndrome' has been found.

Exactly. Reactions can be varied and individual, but to call it a
'syndrome' is mere propaganda.
After all, I and many others I know went through a period of light
depression after graduating from university - I guess we were all
suffering from 'post education syndrome', and all universities and
colleges must be forced to issue warnings to all pupils.

A time when a woman might feel signigicant depressions is if she had
to have the termination on a WANTED pregnancy because of health
reasons or she was compelled to have an abortion.

User: "Mother Flower Power"
Title: Re: Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act	29 Jun 2004 03:24:09 PM

"Adam H." <adam@mailinator.com> wrote in message
news:od53e018o2ct885l6hplltslgua828b1bc@4ax.com...

After all, I and many others I know went through a period of light
depression after graduating from university - I guess we were all
suffering from 'post education syndrome', and all universities and
colleges must be forced to issue warnings to all pupils.

======================
I also had a period of light depression after selling our last house and
moving out here in the country. My new neighbor claims the same feeling of
depression from selling their old house - I guess we're suffering from "post
house sale syndrome," and Real Estate agents must be forced to issue
warnings to all sellers......
--
FP......
I haven't seen one anti-choicer show anything other than a
passing interest for the the welfare of unwanted infants once born.
.

User: "Ray Fischer"
Title: Re: Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act	30 Jun 2004 12:20:54 AM

papa jack <asspapajack37@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

[...]

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds as follows:

(1) About 3,000,000 women per year in the United States have
an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy, and approximately
1,186,000 of these pregnancies end in elective abortion.

(2) Abortion can have severe and long-term effects on the
mental and emotional well-being of women. Women often

========================================================================
THE MYTH OF POST-ABORTION TRAUMA
by Henry P David PhD
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Induced abortion is one of the oldest forms of fertility regulation.
Perhaps no other elective procedure has evoked as much public debate,
generated such emotional and moral controversy or received greater
sustained attention from the media. As has long been recognised, there
is no psychologically painless way of coping with an unwanted pregnancy.
While an abortion may elicit feelings of regret, guilt or loss, an
alternative solution, such as a forced marriage, giving a baby up for
adoption or adding an unwanted child to an already strained partner
relationship, is also likely to be accompanied by psychological problems
for the woman, the child and society.
Of all the complications of abortion, psychological responses are the
most difficult to assess and evaluate�pfar more so than mortality and
morbidity statistics. Assuming that psychiatric or psychological
morbidity is a real and measurable phenomenon, the explanation for the
wide range of opinions expressed in the literature may well lie in the
inadequacy of much of the published work. Included in the scientific
deficiencies are an overemphasis on clinical case histories that ignore
the large majority of women who terminate unwanted pregnancies and never
seek post-operative mental health consultation; the absence of
standardised follow-up procedures; failure to reach consensus on
diagnostic psychological criteria; or disagreement on psychological
variables related to the sociocultural context within which the abortion
decision occurs. Differing political, moral, ethical and religious
perspectives impinge on how abortion is perceived by diverse observers.
Post-abortion trauma was initially described by Rue1 as a variant of
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Subsequently it has been asserted
that in 1987 the American Psychiatric Association acknowledged in its
newly revised manual of diagnostic criteria, the Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders III-R (DSM-III-R) that abortion
is a type of 'psychosocial stressor.' However, the American Psychiatric
Association never published a statement suggesting this. Neither the
1987 nor the 1994 revision of the APA Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
(DSM III-R and IV) mention abortion in relation to post-traumatic stress
disorder. Indeed, the only mention of abortion in DSM IV is spontaneous
abortion.
As defined by the APA, PTSD is a disabling condition 'following exposure
to an extreme traumatic stressor involving direct personal experience of
an event that involves actual or threatened death or serious injury'.
Likely stressors cited by APA as examples of PTSD include military
combat, violent personal assault, terrorist attack, and being held
hostage. It is quite a stretch to claim abortion as a stressor likely to
induce PTSD.
Usdin2, one of the major developers of the concept of post-traumatic
stress disorder noted that one of the criteria for PTSD is experiencing
'an event that is outside the range of usual human experience and that
would be markedly distressing to almost anyone.' Considering that more
than 30 million women in the USA and four million women in the UK have
experienced abortion since its legalisation it can hardly be said that
the abortion experience is outside the range of usual human experience.
There has been no reported increase in public or private mental health
services for women attributing their current psychological problems to
abortion.
The rationale for post-abortion syndrome (PAS) was developed by A C
Speckhard in 1985 in an unpublished thesis based on interviews with 30
women recruited for her doctoral dissertation in sociology at the
University of Minnesota. The women had been recruited because they
deemed their abortion experience to have been 'highly stressful'. The
time between the retrospective account and the most recent abortion
varied from one to 25 years. Both legal and clandestine abortions were
included. 46 per cent of the sample had second trimester abortions and
four per cent experienced third trimester terminations, both known to be
more psychologically stressful than first trimester procedures. Whereas
over 90 per cent of all women having abortions in 1990 had them in the
first trimester, only 50 per cent of Speckhard's sample reported first
trimester abortions. More than nine out of 10 (92 per cent) of the women
recalled feelings of anger, hostility or rage toward individuals
(including partner, medical professionals and significant others) who
were perceived as having been coercive in the abortion decision-making
process. Moreover, 96 per cent of the subjects 'regarded abortion as the
taking of a life or as murder,' an observation very likely to heighten
feelings of guilt and perceptions of stress. Speckhard later cautioned
readers that 'the generalisability of the results is severely limited by
the size of the sample and the sampling methodology,' adding that 'the
results presented do not necessarily apply to all women who have
abortions, or even to that proportion of women who are highly stressed
following abortion.' It was indeed an atypical sample.
Recognising the political, ethical and moral issues intertwined with
abortion and in response to questions raised in the United States
Congress about the medical and mental health effects of abortion, the
American Psychological Association, in 1989, convened an expert panel to
examine psychological factors. The panel's mission was not to assess
values but to consider the best available evidence on psychological
responses to abortion. It focused on studies with the most rigorous
research designs, reporting findings on the psychological status of
women who had legal abortions under non-restrictive circumstances, that
is, on request in the first trimester and not solely on grounds of
physical or mental health.
The panel found that psychological distress is generally greatest before
the abortion when the woman has to decide how to resolve an unwanted
pregnancy. Responses after abortion reflect the range of psychological
experience and the resources a woman has for coping with negative life
events. While there may be temporary sensations of regret, sadness or
guilt the weight of the evidence indicates that legal abortion of an
unwanted pregnancy in the first trimester does not pose a severe
psychological hazard for the vast majority of women. Indeed, most women
report experiencing a feeling of relief�pof anxiety lifted.
A longer term study3 found that the wellbeing of 773 women, interviewed
annually in a national sample of 5,295 women, was unrelated to their
abortion experience eight years earlier. Women who had had an abortion
had a statistically significant higher global self-esteem rating than
women who had never had an abortion. This difference was even greater
when comparing aborting women with those delivering unwanted pregnancies
(who had the lowest self-esteem). Women who had experienced repeat
abortions did not differ in self-esteem from women who had never had an
abortion. In all, the evidence confirmed earlier findings that factors
other than the abortion experience itself determine post abortion
emotional status, particularly how a woman perceives her pregnancy and
how she believes it to be perceived in her immediate social environment.
Some women continually reconstruct and reinterpret past events in the
light of subsequent experience and can be pressured into feeling guilt
and shame long afterwards.
Denmark offers unique opportunities for research in reproductive health
because it has a uniform national population registration system that
provides access to national abortion, birth and admission to psychiatric
hospital registers. Linkage among these registers makes it possible to
compare the risks of psychiatric hospital admission following abortion
and childbirth. However, because there may be a bias against
hospitalising a new mother, particularly if she is nursing, the relative
psychological risk of abortion compared with childbirth may be
exaggerated by using hospital admission as an operational indicator of
psychiatric illness.
Controlling for previous psychiatric history, first time psychiatric
hospital admissions were tracked three months post-abortion and
postpartum and for all other women experiencing no fertility event under
age 50 residing in Denmark. Data were obtained on 27,234 women
terminating pregnancy, 71,378 women carrying to term and the total
population of 1,169,819 women 15-49 years old.4
Among women who were married or living in a stable partner relationship,
the post-pregnancy risk of admission to a psychiatric hospital was about
the same for abortions or deliveries: approximately 1.3 per 1,000
abortions and 1.2 per 1,000 deliveries. While the difference between
rates for abortions and deliveries was not statistically significant,
the rate for the total population of women was considerably lower (0.7
per 1,000). Among a smaller group of separated, divorced or widowed
women, those who had terminated pregnancies showed a substantially
higher psychiatric admission rate (6.4 per 1,000) than did separated,
divorced or widowed women carrying to term (1.7 per 1,000). Women who
are divorced, separated or widowed may be relatively more likely to be
terminating pregnancies that were originally intended, placing them at
higher risk for negative post-abortion psychological reactions. However,
in the aggregate, there appeared to be little risk to psychological
wellbeing after
either abortion or delivery in Denmark.
In a longer term (up to 11 years) prospective cohort study5 of 13,261
women, organised jointly by the Royal Colleges of Obstetricians and
Gynaecologists and of General Practitioners in the United Kingdom, there
were four comparison groups: 6,151 women who did not request abortion,
6,410 who obtained an abortion, 379 whose request for abortion was
denied, and 371 who requested an abortion and then changed their minds.
Among the study's key findings were that (a) among women with equivalent
past psychiatric histories there were no significant differences between
the comparison groups in overall rates of psychiatric illness; (b) women
with a previous history of psychosis were more likely to experience a
psychotic episode during the period of the study than those who had no
such history and that termination of pregnancy did not appear to
increase the risk; (c) women with a past history of non-psychotic
disorder or no history of psychiatric disorder who had a termination
were significantly less likely to have a psychotic episode than those
who did not request a termination; and (d) in women with no previous
history of psychosis the risk of psychosis after termination appeared to
be lower than after childbirth.
The authors note that many women were lost to follow-up during the study
and that at the end just 2,122 (34.4 per cent) of the termination group
and 3,000 (42.4 per cent) of those who did not request a termination
were still under observation but that comparisons between the groups
were still valid.
Severe psychological reactions after abortion are infrequent. Psychoses
are very uncommon, being reported in only 0.3 to 1.2 per 1,000 legal
abortions. Individual case studies and anecdotal reports of severe
stress or psychopathology following abortion abound in some of the
literature but there is no clear evidence of causal linkage to abortion.
While such responses can be emotionally overwhelming for the woman
concerned and for her family, the number of such cases is very small,
and has been characterised by former US Surgeon General C Everett Koop
as 'minuscule from a public health perspective'. Women identified in the
research literature as being at some risk for negative psychological
reactions�pand in potential need of special counselling�pare those who
terminate a very much wanted pregnancy for medical reasons; lack support
from partners or parents for their decision; were coerced into making a
decision they subsequently regretted; are conflicted about deeply held
religious values; are uncertain of their coping abilities beforehand;
blame themselves for the pregnancy; delay into the second trimester or
had a previous psychiatric episode.
For the vast majority of women, an abortion will be followed by a
mixture of emotions, with a predominance of positive feelings. This
holds immediately after abortion and for some time afterward. Little is
known about very long term effects beyond 10 years. However, the
positive picture reported up to eight years after abortion makes it
unlikely that more negative responses will emerge later. Severe negative
reactions are rare. The time of greatest stress is likely to be before
the abortion decision is made. In all, evidence from the research
literature suggests that, in the aggregate, legal abortion of an
unwanted pregnancy in the first trimester does not pose a psychological
hazard for most women. They tend to cope successfully and go on with
their lives. There is, as yet, no credible evidence for the existence of
post-abortion syndrome.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1Rue VM. Abortion and family relations, Testimony presented before the
Subcommittee on the Constitution, US Senate Judiciary Committee, US
Senate, 97th Congress, Washington DC 1981.
2Usdin G. Psychiatry, letters, February 1990.
3Russo NF, Zierk KL. Abortion, childbearing and women's well-being,
Professional Psychology: Research and Practice 1992, 23: 269-280.
4David HP. Post-abortion and postpartum psychiatric hospitalisation in R
Porter and M O'Connor (eds) Abortion: Medical progress and social
implications Ciba Symposium No 45 London, Pitman 1985,150-161.
5Gilchrist AC, Hannaford PC, Frank P, Kay CR. Termination of pregnancy
and psychiatric morbidity, British Journal of Psychiatry 1995, 167:
243-248.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prepared for presentation at the international conference on abortion,
Abortion Matters, in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 27-29 March 1996. An
expanded, fully referenced version of this paper is available from Birth
Control Trust.
--
Ray Fischer
rfischer@sonic.net
.

User: "Sister Flower Power"
Title: Re: Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act	30 Jun 2004 11:40:45 AM

"Ray Fischer" <rfischer@bolt.sonic.net> wrote in message
news:cbtijl$nkq$1@bolt.sonic.net...

[...]

============================
The anti-choicers want women to believe they'll become mental basket-cases
if they abort unwanted zygotes/fetuses. If the women is unstable and
already a mental-case before she became pregnant, then abortion isn't going
to make much difference in their mental state. Note how they never mention
what's best for HER - or what should be done if the unwanted pregnancy is
making her even crazier and more psychotic. If you ask them they'll say she
should STILL have the unwanted fetus and add it to the already overburdened
FC system. If she goes completely around-the-bend they couldn't care less
as they've moved on to the next pregnant women.....
--
Flower Power....
And there is ALSO the option of obtaining a legal and safe
abortion that will immediately get her life BACK on track as though
the unwanted pregnancy had never occured. No harm done, except for
spending some time and money on the reasonable fee charged
(a fraction of giving birth). After aborting, her well-being
and full range of future opportunities will have immediately been
RESTORED to before the unwanted pregnancy. (Insp. by GR).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.

User: "Frank Dwyer"
Title: Re: Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act	28 Jun 2004 08:01:44 PM

papa jack wrote:

<snip>

Papa Jack comments:
The Pro-Aborts will oppose this effort because it might show
abortions cause negative aftereffects on some women.

I doubt they will. Unless and until they do, this is just you spewing
your usual bigotry and hatred toward those who *might* think differently
than you.
.

User: "Joseph P. Belk"
Title: Re: Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act	29 Jun 2004 02:10:25 AM

On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 01:01:44 GMT, Frank Dwyer <fdwyer@citlink.net>
wrote:

papa jack wrote:

<snip>

Papa Jack comments:
The Pro-Aborts will oppose this effort because it might show
abortions cause negative aftereffects on some women.

I doubt they will. Unless and until they do, this is just you spewing
your usual bigotry and hatred toward those who *might* think differently
than you.

Based on the legislative history and public debate on previous
legislation, including the Infants Born Alive Protection Act, Laci and
Connor's Law, and the Partial Birth Abortion Ban act, the prediction
that all the core pro-aborts in Congress will oppose this bill is an
incredibly good bet. Would any pro-abort accept the following offer
from me?
Send me a dollar by July 31, 2004. In return, by November 5, I will
send you either a quote from a pro-abort member of the House Energy
and Commerce Committee,