The Myth of “Abortion Trauma”

In recent years, anti-rights groups have spread the idea that women and pregnant people who have abortions, for the simple fact of doing it, will be traumatized for life. This myth, widely spread under the name of post-abortion syndrome, is just another ruse that those who want to have an abortion must face, because there is nothing further from reality.

What the studies say

To begin with, the American Psychological Association states that people who choose to have an abortion in the first semester of pregnancy do not face a greater risk of developing mental health problems than women who decide to continue with an unwanted pregnancy. This means that abortion, as a medical procedure, does not involve exposing yourself to being traumatized for life.

Actually, Some investigations support that most women and pregnant people who decide to obtain an abortion tend to experience relief and positive feelings related to the fact that they believe that they made the right decision up to five years after having the procedure performed.

The denial of abortion: the real cause of mental disorders

Now, this doesn't mean that everything is rosy... That same research highlights how the stigma and difficulty these people experienced in deciding plays a fundamental role in the prevalence (or not) of positive emotions years after the procedure. One of the most important (and rigorous) studies in relation to abortion and its psychosocial consequences, The Turnaway studio, concluded something quite similar: Barriers and denial of abortion services have serious consequences on women's health and well-being. For example, When an abortion is denied, you may experience more symptoms of anxiety and loss of self-confidence, a lower chance of having an inspirational and motivating life project in the coming year and a greater chance of continuing to be tied to a violent partner.

These consequences go beyond mental health and affect those who were unable to access an abortion at a socioeconomic and even generational level!

Likewise, women who are they faced different barriers such as beliefs that punished abortion, transportation or time costs to go to places where an abortion could be performed safely, and even uncertainty about where to go to get an abortion tend to experience higher levels of stress, anxiety or sadness. So, rather than abortion itself, it is the social and contextual variables that can contribute to making seeking or obtaining an abortion a highly stressful or satisfying experience for women and pregnant people.

What does this mean for Colombian women?

The reality is that, despite the decriminalization of abortion up to week 24 by ruling C-055 of 2022, many people continue to face different barriers to access: refusal to provide the service because it is an attempt on life, threats that will be reported and sent to jail, delays or imposition of tests or consultations that are not requested, among many others. So, for those who want access to abortion in Colombia, there may be an increase in the prevalence of complex or contradictory emotions regarding their decision.

It makes sense that there are those who are not part of the majority of women and pregnant people who feel relieved immediately after having an abortion because of an unwanted pregnancy! In Colombia, structural, social and cultural barriers continue to persist that prevent the experience from being the best possible, in terms of being able to access it and how it is accessed.

But it's not necessary to completely give in to hopelessness. Fortunately, and as they have documented Some investigations, there is feminist support and orientation that allows women and pregnant people to see their decision as a valid and legitimate decision, in addition to facilitating their resistance to stigmatizing narratives. In this way, in spaces such as the Jacarandas Line, positive feelings are promoted and negative feelings tend to be reduced to facilitate access and generate spaces of trust for those who come to us.

And so, what are you waiting for to share the Jacarandas Line And all the feminist abortion support networks to all your friends?