I AM WHAT I THINK - Wendel Abel
'Every woman should be given the choice to make that personal decision.'
Anger and guilt
All these women have one thing in common; they were in agony. They were overcome by feelings of guilt and, in some instances, women experience feelings of anger and resentment. In most instances, they did not feel supported and understood. They were going through intense psychological pain and struggle. They were pregnant and their pregnancy was either unsafe or unwanted. They were faced with a profound and personal decision - should they or should they not have an abortion.
The grim reality is that many women worldwide find themselves in similar positions.
Women - rich and poor, young and old, educated and uneducated, married and unmarried may find themselves in this predicament.
"You find yourself in a situation to either carry a child that you do not want or to terminate that pregnancy. It is a difficult situation. You are overcome by conflicting emotions. There is resentment and anger displaced towards the unborn child and guilt as to the decision you may have to take," reported one woman.
In addition, women who find themselves in similar situations have to struggle with the unpleasant physical effects of carrying the 'unwanted burden' and the unpleasant social effects of carrying a pregnancy that is either unsafe or unwanted.
Mental-health problems
Many women experience a host of mental- health problems when they are faced with the prospects of carrying an unsafe or an unwanted pregnancy. Unfortunately, we do not consider, discuss or talk about this side of the issue in the abortion debate.
1. Carrying an unwanted or an unsafe pregnancy may be associated with a lot of psychological problems as previously outlined. An abortion may be associated with many psychological issues. That fact is that many women may be happy and satisfied with the decision to have an abortion.
2. Resolving an unwanted pregnancy is a profound and personal decision; a decision that is often clouded by moral and ethical considerations. Every woman should be given the choice to make that personal decision.
3. When faced with this decision, informed consent from a woman after discussions with her health care provider and other significant persons is important. This allows her to discuss the matter carefully, to deal with the psychological aspects of her condition and it also gives her an opportunity to come to terms with her situation and put the matter to rest.
Dr Wendel Abel is a consultant psychiatrist and head, section of psychiatry, dept. of community health and psychiatry, University of the West Indies; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.
Cases
Alicia became pregnant when she was only 15 years old. She was first sexually abused by a violent stepfather at age 12; she was now pregnant for him. Elaine, a Christian woman, was raped on her way home from church one night. She, too, became pregnant. She struggled with the idea of having an abortion. She was advised by her pastor to keep the pregnancy. Then there is the case of Donna and her partner. The man was HIV positive. He did not know. She had sex with him, became HIV positive and pregnant. She did not want this pregnancy. Mary was told by her doctor that she was pregnant and that it was likely that the pregnancy was going to be a 'difficult' one. Sarah became pregnant for a man three months after meeting him. He disappeared after she told him that she was pregnant. Once again pregnant, once again rejected, once again an unwanted pregnancy. She was 20 years old. It was her third pregnancy.
