Few issues have polarized the American public like abortion. Even today, more than forty years after the legalization of abortion, the debate rages on.
The recent murder trial of Kermit Gosnell, noted Pennsylvania abortionist, has begun to lift the veil on the abortion industry. Don’t be deceived – the Gosnell case is not unique among our nation’s abortion facilities.
In fact, there are many myths surrounding the abortion issue. Last month in Part One of Abortion Myths EXPOSED! we offered the following five common myths about abortion:
- Abortion is a woman’s choice –it’s her body and a private matter between a woman and her doctor.
- If abortion were illegal, women would die in “back-alley” abortions.
- The fetus is not a person – so abortion is okay.
- Abortion is used mainly as a last resort, such as pregnancies that result from rape or incest.
- Abortion is only legal through the first trimester.
After some discussion on each of these myths, we concluded the following: As life advocates, we must continue the dialogue in an effort to point people to the horrific truth of abortion.
In Part Two, we’ll look at five additional myths:
6. Abortion will help a relationship by removing the stress of pregnancy and raising a child.
Evidence repeatedly points to just the opposite; many relationships unravel shortly after the abortion. Even married couples struggle. Abortion may breed anger and resentment towards a partner who was less than supportive or who ignored their partner’s desire to parent the baby.
There is pressure within the relationship to hide one’s true feelings, especially for men who are often taught to hide their emotions. Many men experience the same post-abortion issues as women such as grief, guilt, sexual dysfunction, fear of relationships and destructive behavior.
Facing an unplanned pregnancy is never easy. Everyone has the responsibility and the right to be fully informed about making such critical decisions.
Your neighborhood pregnancy center can be just the place to gather information. Call Option Lineat 1-800-712-HELP to find the pregnancy center closest to you. Georgia’s facilities are located on our website, here.
7. Abortions are not mentally or emotionally harmful to women.
Advocates promote abortion as a benefit to women with few and very minor risks – emotionally orphysically. After 40 years of abortion on demand, however, there is more and more evidence to the contrary.
Some widely observed effects following abortion include:
- Short and/or long term physical problems, including: excessive bleeding, cervical lacerations (possibly resulting in preterm labor), and an increased risk of breast cancer and other cancers.
- Short and/or long term psychological and spiritual effects, including: guilt, anxiety, depression, and eating disorders. Some will turn to drugs and alcohol or other destructive behaviors.
- An increased incidence of suicide.
Some symptoms may closely follow the abortion procedure while others may occur much later. Some symptoms will be easier to recognize than others. Learn more about the after effects of abortion at www.afterabortion.org.
8. No one knows when human life begins.
Actually, there typically is agreement about when life begins. A unique individual human being begins at fertilization or conception, the moment when sperm and ovum meet to form a single cell. From that earliest stage of development, the preborn child is a distinct, living and whole human being.
If that life is not interrupted, he or she will become an adult man or woman.
The life of a baby begins long before he or she actually breathes its first breath apart from its mother. Medical technology, including ultrasound imaging, has taught us much about ‘life before birth’, confirming what the prolife community has always known – life begins at conception, is precious and deserves protection.
9. Abortion is needed to reduce child abuse.
Abuse and neglect are certainly significant challenges. We cannot, however, know a child’s future before he or she is even born any more than we can know our own futures.
“Every child a wanted child” has long been a battle cry of the prochoice community. Legalizing abortion, they said, would help reduce child abuse, but in reality such abuse has risen sharply.
There is no evidence that unplanned or unwanted children are anymore likely to be abused than planned or wanted ones. The ‘wanted’ mentality makes children into objects, not people, and may actually contribute to an abortion decision.
10. The typical abortive woman is a poor, black teen.
Most people are unaware that abortion is among the most common surgical procedures performed in America. One in ten women, black, white or other, will have an abortion by age 20, one in four by age 30 and three in ten by age 45.
The top three reasons given for choosing abortion are:
- Feel unready for the responsibility of raising a child.
- Financial concerns related to raising the child.
- Feels that she has all the children she wants or for other reasons of family responsibilities.
Sadly, abortion is a formidable problem within the Black community. In 2008, ~360,000 Black women received abortions. There were, however, an additional 840,000 abortions that year, for a total of 1.2 million.
And there we have it – the top ten abortion myths – EXPOSED:
- Abortion is a woman’s choice.
- If abortion were illegal, women would die in “back-alley” abortions.
- The fetus is not a person – so abortion is okay.
- Abortion is used mainly as a last resort, such as pregnancies that result from rape or incest.
- Abortion is only legal through the first trimester.
- An abortion will help a relationship by reducing the stress of pregnancy and raising a child.
- Abortions are not mentally or emotionally harmful to women.
- No one actually knows when human life begins.
- Abortion is needed to reduce child abuse.
- The typical abortive woman is a poor, black teen.
Armed with the truth, we can and we will wage the battle for life as we thoughtfully and compassionately educate others. Georgia Right to Life unapologetically stands for all innocent human life—and we invite you to stand with us. Let us help get you ‘plugged in’!