| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"" |
| Date: |
16 Jun 2006 09:12:36 PM |
| Object: |
Post-Abortion Syndrome: The Facts |
http://www.operationrescue.org/?p=80
What is Post-Abortion Syndrome?
Post-Abortion Syndrome (PAS) is a type of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
It occurs when a woman is unable to work through her emotional responses due
to the trauma of an abortion.
Why does abortion cause distress?
Woman are often surprised to find that abortion can be a traumatic
experience. Generally, women are not encouraged to share their responses to
the abortion. Often it is kept a secret and a woman is left alone with her
feelings.
The grief a woman may experience after an abortion is seldom recognized and
is often repressed or denied. Post-Abortion Syndrome occurs when the
grieving
process is not completed. Our society is just now beginning to recognize the
need to grieve a miscarriage, but because abortion is considered a voluntary
act, a women's grief after an abortion is not understood or supported.
When do the symptoms of PAS occur?
Some women experience PAS symptoms within months of the abortion.
For others, the crisis occurs two to five years after the abortion - at the
time the normal grieving process would have been completed. Sometimes women
don't experience PAS symptoms for 10, 20, or 30 years because they are
unable
to deal with the deep emotions caused by the abortion.
What are common symptoms of Post-Abortion Syndrome?
a.. Anxiety
a.. Regret / Guilt
a.. Sadness / Sorrow
a.. Feelings of loss
a.. Repeat abortions
a.. Desire for secrecy about abortion
a.. Emotional pain
a.. Nightmares
a.. Anger / Rage
a.. Suicidal impulses
a.. Self destructive behavior
a.. Drug and alcohol abuse
a.. Inability to sustain an intimate relationship
How can a woman recover from PAS?
A woman who is experiencing PAS needs to complete the natural grieving
process. This can be done in individual counseling, group therapy, or in a
resident
counseling center.
--
----------
J Young
youngopinions@aol.com
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| User: "Edgar A Pearlstein" |
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| Title: Re: Post-Abortion Syndrome: The Facts |
16 Jun 2006 09:46:06 PM |
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Even if there really is such a thing, it should be compared with
post-partum depression, which is sometimes very severe, and occurs even in
women who genuinely wanted their babies.
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| User: "Ray Fischer" |
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| Title: Re: Post-Abortion Syndrome: The Facts |
25 Jun 2006 02:34:25 AM |
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<youngopinions@aol.com> wrote:
http://www.operationrescue.org/?p=80
Liars.
What is Post-Abortion Syndrome?
Pro-lie propaganda.
Abortion doesn't affect well-being, study says
New York Times (as printed in the San Jose Mercury 2/12/97)
Abortion does not trigger lasting emotional trauma in young women who
are psychologically healthy before they become pregnant, an eight-year
study of nearly 5,300 women has shown. Women who are in poor shape
emotionally after an abortion are likely to have been feeling bad about
their lives before terminating their pregnancies, the researchers said.
The findings, the researchers say, challenge the validity of laws
that have been proposed in many states, and passed in several, mandating
that women seeking abortions be informed of mental health risks.
The researchers, Dr. Nancy Felipe Russo, a psychologist at Arizona
State University in Tempe, and Dr. Amy Dabul Marin, a psychologist at
Phoenix College, examined the effects of race and religion on the
well-being of 773 women who reported on sealed questionnaires that
they had undergone abortions, and they compared the results with the
emotional status of women who did not report abortions.
The women, initially 14 to 24 years old, completed questionnaires and
were interviewed each year for eight years, starting in 1979. In 1980
and in 1987, the interview also included a standardized test that
measures overall well-being, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale.
"Given the persistent assertion that abortion is associated with
negative outcomes, the lack of any results in the context of such a
large sample is noteworthy," the researchers wrote. The study took
into account many factors that can influence a woman's emotional
well-being, including education, employment, income, the presence of
a spouse and the number of children.
Higher self-esteem was associated with being employed, having a
higher income, having more years of education and bearing fewer children,
but having had an abortion "did not make a difference," the researchers
reported. And the women's religious affiliations and degree of involvement
with religion did not have an independent effect on their long-term
reaction to abortion. Rather, the women's psychological well-being before
having abortions accounted for their mental state in the years after the
abortion, the researchers said..
In considering the influence of race, the researchers again found
that the women's level of self-esteem before having abortions was the
strongest predictor of their well-being after an abortion.
"Although highly religious Catholic women were slightly more likely
to exhibit post-abortion psychological distress than other women, this
fact is explained by lower pre-existing self-esteem," the researchers
wrote in the current issue of Professional Psychology: Research and
Practice, a journal of the American Psychological Association.
Overall, Catholic women who attended church one or more times a week,
even those who had not had abortions, had generally lower self-esteem
than other women, although within the normal range, so it was hardly
surprising that they also had lower self-esteem after abortions, the
researchers said in interviews.
Gail Quinn, executive director of anti-abortion activities for the
United States Catholic Conference, said the findings belied the
experience of post-abortion counselors. She said, "While many women
express `relief' following an abortion, the relief is transitory."
In the long term, the experience prompts "hurting people to seek the
help of post-abortion healing services," she said.
The president of the National Right to Life Committee, Dr. Wanda
Franz, who earned her doctorate in developmental psychology, challenged
the researchers' conclusions. She said their assessment of self-esteem
"does not measure if a woman is mentally healthy," adding, "This requires
a specialist who performs certain tests, not a self-assessment of how
the woman feels about herself."
--
Ray Fischer
rfischer@sonic.net
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| User: "Malcolm" |
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| Title: Re: Post-Abortion Syndrome: The Facts |
25 Jun 2006 02:54:43 PM |
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"Ray Fischer" <rfischer@sonic.net> wrote
"Given the persistent assertion that abortion is associated with
negative outcomes, the lack of any results in the context of such a
large sample is noteworthy," the researchers wrote. The study took
into account many factors that can influence a woman's emotional
well-being, including education, employment, income, the presence of
a spouse and the number of children.
Higher self-esteem was associated with being employed, having a
higher income, having more years of education and bearing fewer
children, but having had an abortion "did not make a difference," the
researchers reported.
If you factor out all the other things associated with low self esteem, then
it is not surprising that you find that the behaviour you want to have no
impact in fact has no impact.
A similar study was done showing that religion does people no good. After
allowing for divorce, drug use, crime, alcohol, social networks and
education it was found that religious people are no happier or more
successful than the non-religious.
--
Buy my book 12 Common Atheist Arguments (refuted)
$1.25 download or $7.20 paper, available www.lulu.com/bgy1mm
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| User: "thomas p." |
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| Title: Re: Post-Abortion Syndrome: The Facts |
26 Jun 2006 05:01:25 AM |
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Malcolm wrote:
"Ray Fischer" <rfischer@sonic.net> wrote
"Given the persistent assertion that abortion is associated with
negative outcomes, the lack of any results in the context of such a
large sample is noteworthy," the researchers wrote. The study took
into account many factors that can influence a woman's emotional
well-being, including education, employment, income, the presence of
a spouse and the number of children.
Higher self-esteem was associated with being employed, having a
higher income, having more years of education and bearing fewer
children, but having had an abortion "did not make a difference," the
researchers reported.
If you factor out all the other things associated with low self esteem, then
it is not surprising that you find that the behaviour you want to have no
impact in fact has no impact.
A similar study was done showing that religion does people no good. After
allowing for divorce, drug use, crime, alcohol, social networks and
education it was found that religious people are no happier or more
successful than the non-religious.
Yes, and your point would be?
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| User: "The Chief Instigator" |
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| Title: Re: Post-Abortion Syndrome: The Facts |
16 Jun 2006 09:45:29 PM |
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<youngopinions@aol.com> writes:
http://www.operationrescue.org/?p=80
....in other words, more made-up *****. You should know far better than to
try passing this off as anything but the ***** of an organization that
can't tolerate the truth, IBen.
--
Patrick "The Chief Instigator" Humphrey (patrick@io.com) Houston, Texas
chiefinstigator.us.tt/aeros.php (TCI's 2005-06 Houston Aeros)
LAST GAME: Milwaukee 4, Houston 2 (May 9)
NEXT GAME: October 2006, opponent/venue/time TBA
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| User: "Malcolm" |
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| Title: Re: Post-Abortion Syndrome: The Facts |
17 Jun 2006 11:56:25 PM |
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<youngopinions@aol.com> wrote in message
When do the symptoms of PAS occur?
Some women experience PAS symptoms within months of the abortion.
For others, the crisis occurs two to five years after the abortion - at
the
time the normal grieving process would have been completed. Sometimes
women
don't experience PAS symptoms for 10, 20, or 30 years because they are
unable to deal with the deep emotions caused by the abortion.
Let's say a woman has an abortion.
For five years there seem to be no real consequences, then on the fifth
anniversary she has an episode of hysterical crying.
However she keeps it a secret, and maintains her job, her friends, and
though she has been through a divorce and two boyfriends, this pattern isn't
noticeably very different from her peers.
Now intuitvely we might want to say that the episode of crying represents
the "real" emotion. But as a scientist I would simply score one episode of
crying along with five years of normal behaviour. What is the justification
for saying that the episode of cryng should be privileged?
--
Buy my book 12 Common Atheist Arguments (refuted)
$1.25 download or $7.20 paper, available www.lulu.com/bgy1mm
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| User: "Jeff White" |
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| Title: Re: Post-Abortion Syndrome: The Facts |
17 Jun 2006 04:50:01 AM |
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<youngopinions@aol.com> wrote in message
news:w7Wdnb66qpKO-A7ZnZ2dnUVZ_t2dnZ2d@giganews.com...
http://www.operationrescue.org/?p=80
What is Post-Abortion Syndrome?
Post-Abortion Syndrome (PAS) is a type of Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder.
It occurs when a woman is unable to work through her emotional
responses due
to the trauma of an abortion.
Why does abortion cause distress?
Woman are often surprised to find that abortion can be a traumatic
experience. Generally, women are not encouraged to share their
responses to
the abortion. Often it is kept a secret and a woman is left alone
with her
feelings.
The grief a woman may experience after an abortion is seldom
recognized and
is often repressed or denied. Post-Abortion Syndrome occurs when the
grieving
process is not completed. Our society is just now beginning to
recognize the
need to grieve a miscarriage, but because abortion is considered a
voluntary
act, a women's grief after an abortion is not understood or
supported.
When do the symptoms of PAS occur?
Some women experience PAS symptoms within months of the abortion.
For others, the crisis occurs two to five years after the abortion -
at the
time the normal grieving process would have been completed.
Sometimes women
don't experience PAS symptoms for 10, 20, or 30 years because they
are
unable
to deal with the deep emotions caused by the abortion.
What are common symptoms of Post-Abortion Syndrome?
a.. Anxiety
a.. Regret / Guilt
a.. Sadness / Sorrow
a.. Feelings of loss
a.. Repeat abortions
a.. Desire for secrecy about abortion
a.. Emotional pain
a.. Nightmares
a.. Anger / Rage
a.. Suicidal impulses
a.. Self destructive behavior
a.. Drug and alcohol abuse
a.. Inability to sustain an intimate relationship
How can a woman recover from PAS?
A woman who is experiencing PAS needs to complete the natural
grieving
process. This can be done in individual counseling, group therapy,
or in a
resident
counseling center.
--
----------
J Young
youngopinions@aol.com
ok. i'll bite. supposing you're right, and there is such a thing as
"post-abortion syndrome."
would it be accurate to assume that the affliction is caused solely by
the abortion, or are you leaving out other factors such as social
conditioning?
perhaps it's not unlike the "closet gay" man who, because of societal
conditioning, hides the fact that he's gay, but when left solely to
nature, is rather open and feels no shame about it. (and if you think
this cannot happen, i direct you to primate behavior).
post hoc, ergo propter hoc is part of the famous carl sagan bologna
detection kit. correlation doesn't always mean causality. we'll
leave the answer up to the experts (and by that i do not mean clergy).
--
Contrary to what you may think, the following was /not/ a description
of christianity by an agnostic:
"We are not deceived by their pretenses to piety. We have seen their
kind before. They are the heirs of all the murderous ideologies of
the 20th century. By sacrificing human life to serve their radical
visions -- by abandoning every value except the will to power -- they
follow in the path of fascism, and Nazism, and totalitarianism. And
they will follow that path all the way, to where it ends: in
history's unmarked grave of discarded lies."
--
Scientists say the world can support 2 billion. The world currently
holds 6 billion. I say we start with the theists.
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| User: "Parsifal" |
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| Title: Re: Post-Abortion Syndrome: The Facts |
17 Jun 2006 02:30:25 AM |
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schrieb:
http://www.operationrescue.org/?p=80
What is Post-Abortion Syndrome?
How about using serious sources for a change?
Besides, here's a piece of advice: you wanna do something against
abortion? Stop posting here. Your mere existence is the best argument
for keeping abortion legal. Which parents would like to give birth to a
liar, a racist, a hypocrite, a bigot and an homophobe like you?
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: Post-Abortion Syndrome: The Facts |
18 Jun 2006 04:46:10 AM |
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wrote:
http://www.operationrescube.org/?p=80
What is Post-Abortion Syndrome?
Post-Abortion Syndrome (PAS) is a type of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
It occurs when a woman is unable to work through her emotional responses due
to the trauma of an abortion.
Why does abortion cause distress?
Well it doesn't help that a loud group of self-righteous obsessives put
so much energy into condemming these woman.
Equating a clump of cells with a fully born child may be absurd (and
not biblical) but if you condemn someone loud enough and frequently
enough you're sure to have a negative effect on their state of mind.
Chris
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| User: "Malcolm" |
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| Title: Re: Post-Abortion Syndrome: The Facts |
18 Jun 2006 02:39:47 PM |
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<chris_pimbury@yahoo.com> wrote
Why does abortion cause distress?
Well it doesn't help that a loud group of self-righteous obsessives put
so much energy into condemming these woman.
Equating a clump of cells with a fully born child may be absurd (and
not biblical) but if you condemn someone loud enough and frequently
enough you're sure to have a negative effect on their state of mind.
Righteous obsessives.
Self-righhteous people claim to be virtuous, whilst that isn't a particular
concern of anti-abortion protestors. Some of them even admit to having
aborted children themselves.
--
Buy my book 12 Common Atheist Arguments (refuted)
$1.25 download or $7.20 paper, available www.lulu.com/bgy1mm
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| User: "Pastor Kutchie" |
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| Title: Re: Post-Abortion Syndrome: The Facts |
16 Jun 2006 11:56:31 PM |
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wrote:
http://www.operationrescue.org/?p=80
What is Post-Abortion Syndrome?
The very use of the word "syndrome" should always ring alarm bells. It
implies tendentiousness, pseudoscience and/or propaganda unless it is
part of peer reviewed, evidence based physiology.
Can somebody please remind me what that quote about absurdities and
atrocities is? Only, It's quite appropriate here, given the nature of
the organisation John was quoting.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syndrome
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: Post-Abortion Syndrome: The Facts |
18 Jun 2006 04:37:01 AM |
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Pastor Kutchie wrote:
youngopinions@aol.com wrote:
http://www.operationrescue.org/?p=80
What is Post-Abortion Syndrome?
The very use of the word "syndrome" should always ring alarm bells. It
implies tendentiousness, pseudoscience and/or propaganda unless it is
part of peer reviewed, evidence based physiology.
Can somebody please remind me what that quote about absurdities and
atrocities is? Only, It's quite appropriate here, given the nature of
the organisation John was quoting.
"Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit
atrocities."
-- Voltaire
Chris
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| User: "Spartakus" |
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| Title: Re: Post-Abortion Syndrome: The Facts |
16 Jun 2006 10:51:41 PM |
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wrote:
[--link and text from a terrorist organization deleted--]
I'll bet the following isn't in your bibliography:
Archives of General Psychiatry. 2000;57:777-784
Psychological Responses of Women After First-Trimester Abortion
Brenda Major, PhD; Catherine Cozzarelli, PhD; M. Lynne Cooper, PhD;
Josephine Zubek, PhD; Caroline Richards, PhD; Michael Wilhite, PhD;
Richard H. Gramzow, PhD
[...]
Conclusion: Most women do not experience psychological problems or
regret their abortion 2 years postabortion, but some do. Those who do
tend to be women with a prior history of depression.
**********************************************
Iow, women who experience psychological problems after an abortion had
already-existing problems before their abortions. The abortion itself
was not the cause of their problems.
Stop lying, IBen.
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| User: "Craig Chilton -- Get us the hell OUT of Iraq -- NOW!!!" |
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| Title: Re: Post-Abortion Syndrome: The Facts |
16 Jun 2006 10:50:32 PM |
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On Fri, 16 Jun 2006 22:12:36 -0400,
"Jon Young"/"IBen Getiner" ...
...MORONICALLY cited a notorious and ignoramus-filled
HATE group as a "source" for the stupidity spewed under
his chosen subject header:
http://www.operationrescue.org/?p=80
He might as well have used the Easter Bunny as a source.
EQUAL credibility!
HERE are the *real* facts about "PAS" -- it's a MYTH!
"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 recognized, there is no psycholog-
ically 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 -- far 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 standard-
ized follow-up procedures; failure to reach consensus on
diagnostic psychological criteria; or disagreement on psycholog-
ical 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 the1987 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-traumaticstress 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 proced-
ures. 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 reliefpof 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 preg-
nancy 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 reproduc-
tive health because it has a uniform national population registra-
tion 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: approx-
imately 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
well-being after either abortion or delivery in Denmark.
In a longer term (up to 11 years) prospective cohort study5
of 13,261women, 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 termin-
ation; 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 emotion-
ally overwhelming for the woman concerned and for her family,
the number of such cases is very small, and has been characteri
zed 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 psycholog-
ical reactionspand in potential need of special counsellingpare
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 success-
fully and go on with their lives. There is, as yet, no credible
evidence for the existence of post-abortion syndrome.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 -- Rue VM. Abortion and family relations, Testimony presented
before the Subcommittee on the Constitution, US Senate Judiciary
Committee, US Senate, 97th Congress, Washington DC 1981.
2 -- Usdin G. Psychiatry, letters, February 1990.
3 -- Russo NF, Zierk KL. Abortion, childbearing and women's
well-being, Professional Psychology: Research and Practice
1992, 23: 269-280.
4 -- David 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.
5 -- Gilchrist 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.
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| User: "Adam H" |
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| Title: Re: Post-Abortion Syndrome: The Facts |
16 Jun 2006 10:02:56 PM |
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On Fri, 16 Jun 2006 22:12:36 -0400, <youngopinions@aol.com> wrote:
http://www.operationrescue.org/?p=80
What is Post-Abortion Syndrome?
Post-Abortion Syndrome (PAS) is a type of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
It occurs when a woman is unable to work through her emotional responses due
to the trauma of an abortion.
No such 'syndrome' (note the lame attempt to give this fiction some
legitamacy) has been observed. End.
(Now watch Young entirely eschew providing proof).
---
I contend we are both atheists - I just believe in
one fewer god than you do.
When you understand why you reject all other gods,
you will understand why I reject yours as well.
- Stephen F. Roberts
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| User: "John Baker" |
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| Title: Re: Post-Abortion Syndrome: The Facts |
17 Jun 2006 05:53:21 AM |
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On Fri, 16 Jun 2006 22:12:36 -0400, <youngopinions@aol.com> wrote:
Facts, my Bible-thumping friend, are something with which you lack
even the most limited experience.
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: Post-Abortion Syndrome: The Facts |
18 Jun 2006 04:13:24 PM |
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The simple truth is that after the abortion is over, almost all mothers
recognise in their heart that they have killed their son or daughter.
This produces all of the symptoms of PAS.
Those who have been helped to work through their fears in a more
supportive way have the deepest love filling their life, the love of
motherhood, and the happiness and fulfilment that comes from that, and
the girls who participated in, and caused, the murder of their baby,
feel only the emptiness, the loneliness, the heartbreak of the loss of
their baby. They realise that "the baby was real, after all".
Doug
youngopinions@aol.com wrote:
http://www.operationrescue.org/?p=80
What is Post-Abortion Syndrome?
Post-Abortion Syndrome (PAS) is a type of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
It occurs when a woman is unable to work through her emotional responses due
to the trauma of an abortion.
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| User: "Robibnikoff" |
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| Title: Re: Post-Abortion Syndrome: The Facts |
18 Jun 2006 09:03:17 PM |
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<uglydoug@myway.com> wrote in message
news:1150665204.609140.269150@c74g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
The simple truth is that after the abortion is over, almost all mothers
recognise in their heart that they have killed their son or daughter.
This produces all of the symptoms of PAS.
Those who have been helped to work through their fears in a more
supportive way have the deepest love filling their life, the love of
motherhood, and the happiness and fulfilment that comes from that, and
the girls who participated in, and caused, the murder of their baby,
feel only the emptiness, the loneliness, the heartbreak of the loss of
their baby. They realise that "the baby was real, after all".
So? A little late for that sort of *****, don't you think?
--
Robyn
Resident Witchypoo
Atheist ***** Extraordinaire
#1557
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| User: "Dubh Ghall" |
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| Title: Re: Post-Abortion Syndrome: The Facts |
18 Jun 2006 08:11:18 PM |
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On 18 Jun 2006 14:13:24 -0700, wrote:
The simple truth is that after the abortion is over, almost all mothers
recognise in their heart that they have killed their son or daughter.
This produces all of the symptoms of PAS.
Those who have been helped to work through their fears in a more
supportive way have the deepest love filling their life, the love of
motherhood, and the happiness and fulfilment that comes from that, and
the girls who participated in, and caused, the murder of their baby,
feel only the emptiness, the loneliness, the heartbreak of the loss of
their baby. They realise that "the baby was real, after all".
Doug
youngopinions@aol.com wrote:
http://www.operationrescue.org/?p=80
What is Post-Abortion Syndrome?
Post-Abortion Syndrome (PAS) is a type of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
It occurs when a woman is unable to work through her emotional responses due
to the trauma of an abortion.
What a load of bollix!
Who makes up these stories?
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| User: "David W. Barnes" |
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| Title: Re: Post-Abortion Syndrome: The Facts |
18 Jun 2006 08:28:09 PM |
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In article <niub92dksgq2s2dfvnfer505h9e6vh15pn@4ax.com>, Dubh Ghall
<puck@pooks.hill.fey> wrote:
On 18 Jun 2006 14:13:24 -0700, wrote:
The simple truth is that after the abortion is over, almost all mothers
recognise in their heart that they have killed their son or daughter.
This produces all of the symptoms of PAS.
Those who have been helped to work through their fears in a more
supportive way have the deepest love filling their life, the love of
motherhood, and the happiness and fulfilment that comes from that, and
the girls who participated in, and caused, the murder of their baby,
feel only the emptiness, the loneliness, the heartbreak of the loss of
their baby. They realise that "the baby was real, after all".
Doug
youngopinions@aol.com wrote:
http://www.operationrescue.org/?p=80
What is Post-Abortion Syndrome?
Post-Abortion Syndrome (PAS) is a type of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
It occurs when a woman is unable to work through her emotional responses
due
to the trauma of an abortion.
What a load of bollix!
Who makes up these stories?
People with Irrational Nosiness and Freakish Control Syndrome (INFCS)
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| User: "John Baker" |
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| Title: Re: Post-Abortion Syndrome: The Facts |
18 Jun 2006 07:42:52 PM |
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On 18 Jun 2006 14:13:24 -0700, wrote:
The simple truth is that after the abortion is over, almost all mothers
recognise in their heart that they have killed their son or daughter.
This produces all of the symptoms of PAS.
The simple truth is that PAS is nothing more than anti-choice
propaganda.
Those who have been helped to work through their fears in a more
supportive way have the deepest love filling their life, the love of
motherhood, and the happiness and fulfilment that comes from that, and
the girls who participated in, and caused, the murder of their baby,
feel only the emptiness, the loneliness, the heartbreak of the loss of
their baby. They realise that "the baby was real, after all".
Doug
youngopinions@aol.com wrote:
http://www.operationrescue.org/?p=80
What is Post-Abortion Syndrome?
Post-Abortion Syndrome (PAS) is a type of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
It occurs when a woman is unable to work through her emotional responses due
to the trauma of an abortion.
.
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| User: "Adam H" |
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| Title: Re: Post-Abortion Syndrome: The Facts |
18 Jun 2006 04:19:37 PM |
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On 18 Jun 2006 14:13:24 -0700, wrote:
The simple truth is that after the abortion is over, almost all mothers
recognise in their heart that they have killed their son or daughter.
This produces all of the symptoms of PAS.
There is NO such thing. Stop trying to fantasize about making people
feel guilty.
Those who have been helped to work through their fears in a more
supportive way have the deepest love filling their life, the love of
motherhood, and the happiness and fulfilment that comes from that, and
the girls who participated in, and caused, the murder of their baby,
feel only the emptiness, the loneliness, the heartbreak of the loss of
their baby. They realise that "the baby was real, after all".
Doug
youngopinions@aol.com wrote:
http://www.operationrescue.org/?p=80
What is Post-Abortion Syndrome?
Post-Abortion Syndrome (PAS) is a type of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
It occurs when a woman is unable to work through her emotional responses due
to the trauma of an abortion.
---
I contend we are both atheists - I just believe in
one fewer god than you do.
When you understand why you reject all other gods,
you will understand why I reject yours as well.
- Stephen F. Roberts
.
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| User: "Frank Mayhar" |
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| Title: Re: Post-Abortion Syndrome: The Facts |
18 Jun 2006 07:25:59 PM |
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On Sun, 18 Jun 2006 15:13:24 -0700, uglydoug wrote:
The simple truth is that after the abortion is over, almost all mothers
recognise in their heart that they have killed their son or daughter.
This produces all of the symptoms of PAS.
Have you ever known a pregnant woman, or one who has gone through a
miscarriage?
Hell, have you ever personally known a woman who has had an abortion?
Here's just one little hint: Pregnancy involves high levels of
progesterone, a hormone that has a side effect of steep mood swings, among
other things. Plus every woman reacts differently.
There's no such thing as "post-abortion syndrome" and your "facts" are
just pulled out of the air by people who want nothing more than to control
women's bodies.
--
Frank Mayhar frank@exit.com http://www.exit.com/
Exit Consulting http://www.gpsclock.com/
http://www.exit.com/blog/frank/
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| User: "muslimsaretargets" |
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| Title: Re: Post-Abortion Syndrome: The Facts |
16 Jun 2006 11:23:13 PM |
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They should also keep their pants on.
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| User: "Craig Chilton -- Get us the hell OUT of Iraq -- NOW!!!" |
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| Title: Re: Post-Abortion Syndrome: The Facts |
17 Jun 2006 12:12:33 AM |
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On Fri, 16 Jun 2006 21:23:13 -0700,
muslimsaretargets <McCain@manchuria.au> wrote:
They should also keep their pants on.
How about THIS, instead:
They should feel free to do whatever they wish
to do in their personal and private lives... and that
is NO one else's business.
-- Craig Chilton <xanadu222_@mchsi.com>
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| User: "The Chief Instigator" |
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| Title: Re: Post-Abortion Syndrome: The Facts |
17 Jun 2006 08:35:18 AM |
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Craig Chilton -- Get us the hell OUT of Iraq -- NOW!!! <xanadu222@mchsi.com> writes:
On Fri, 16 Jun 2006 21:23:13 -0700,
muslimsaretargets <McCain@manchuria.au> wrote:
They should also keep their pants on.
How about THIS, instead:
They should feel free to do whatever they wish
to do in their personal and private lives... and that
is NO one else's business.
Agreed...but keep in mind that the anonymous wonder you're responding to is
good old "Zamboni", who's apparently still getting run over regularly by his
namesake at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum (a/k/a the Madhouse on
McDowell)...;-)
--
Patrick "The Chief Instigator" Humphrey (patrick@io.com) Houston, Texas
chiefinstigator.us.tt/aeros.php (TCI's 2005-06 Houston Aeros)
LAST GAME: Milwaukee 4, Houston 2 (May 9)
NEXT GAME: October 2006, opponent/venue/time TBA
.
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| User: "Craig Chilton -- Get us the hell OUT of Iraq -- NOW!!!" |
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| Title: Re: Post-Abortion Syndrome: The Facts |
18 Jun 2006 03:08:11 AM |
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On 17 Jun 2006 08:35:18 -0500,
"The Chief Instigator" <patrick@io.com> wrote:
Craig Chilton <xanadu222@mchsi.com> writes:
muslimsaretargets <McCain@manchuria.au> wrote:
They should also keep their pants on.
How about THIS, instead:
They should feel free to do whatever they wish
to do in their personal and private lives... and that
is NO one else's business.
Agreed...but keep in mind that the anonymous wonder you're
responding to is good old "Zamboni", who's apparently still getting
run over regularly by his namesake at the Arizona Veterans
Memorial Coliseum (a/k/a the Madhouse on McDowell)...;-)
Thanks, Patrick! It *amazes* me the degree to which
you know who is who in these groups. It's always neat to
get such insights!
-- Craig Chilton <xanadu222_@mchsi.com>
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