The Numerous Reasons For Abortion | Orlando Women’s Center.
There are numerous reasons why women find themselves with an unwanted pregnancy and want to have an abortion.
There have been several recent surveys done in the US that showed certain characteristics regarding patients who have abortions performed:
20% were age 19 or younger and 57% were in their twenties. 72% had never been married, and 59% had at least one child. A little more than 60% were below the federal poverty line, including 30% who were living in poverty.
More than half of the patients had attended college or received a college degree. 31% of respondents were black, and 19% were Hispanic. 61% were less than 9 weeks gestation.
What Are the Most Common Reasons for Abortion?
The most commonly reported reasons for seeking an abortion included financial concerns, marital status, educational commitments, and employment responsibilities.
According to the findings:
- 42% – Could not afford to have a child at the time or were unmarried.
- 38% – Were concerned that having a child would interfere with their education.
- 38% – Were concerned that having a child would interfere with their employment.
- 34% – Were currently students or planning to pursue further education.
These findings highlight how financial circumstances, educational goals, and employment responsibilities can influence abortion decisions. For many women, the decision involves several overlapping personal and socioeconomic factors rather than a single reason.
Other reasons are having relationship problems, not ready for another child, or don’t want people to know they had sex or got pregnant, the health of the fetus, victim of rape, or became pregnant as result of incest.
88% or more of abortions take place in the first trimester (12 weeks or less from the last menstrual period), when a fetus cannot exist independently of the mother. The fetus is attached to the uterine wall by the placenta and umbilical cord.
The fetus is totally dependent on the health and life of the woman. If detached from the uterine wall, the fetus will not live outside the mother’s womb, and therefore cannot be a separate entity.
Why Do Women Seek Second-Trimester Abortions?
Second Trimester Abortions (greater than 13 weeks) make up less than 10 percent of abortions that are performed in the U.S.
Many States continue to pass laws that restrict access to abortions by outlawing them after a arbitrary number of weeks or surgical procedures that have been found to be safe for more than 50 years.
Other laws have been passed that force medical buildings to be brought up to out-patient surgery standards without showing that it reduces maternal morbidity or mortality.
These improper State Statutes have forced many Abortion Medical Facilities to close. It leaves very few and in several States only one Abortion Clinic.
Women seek second-trimester abortions for a variety of medical, personal, and financial reasons. Some of the most commonly reported circumstances include:
- Fetal abnormalities: Serious fetal conditions or developmental abnormalities discovered during prenatal screening or diagnostic testing.
- Unrecognized pregnancy: Not realizing they are pregnant until the second trimester.
- Teenage pregnancy: Young women who may be afraid to tell their parents or guardians about their pregnancy or are uncertain about their options.
- Financial difficulties: Financial hardship, limited resources, or difficulties covering the costs of abortion care.
Other contributing factors may include delayed access to healthcare, changing personal circumstances, and legal or geographic barriers to obtaining abortion services.
The latter consist of transportation, baby sitting and having to stay for 2 or 3 days in a hotel just to have a first trimester abortion performed due to the 24 to 72 hour waiting periods.
Over 750,000 teenagers become pregnant every year. 80% of those end in abortion. Teenage mothers who keep their pregnancy face grim prospects for their future.
They are likely to leave school, receive inadequate prenatal care, rely on public assistance to raise a child, develop health problems, or end up divorced.
The Emotional and Psychological Impact of Abortion Decisions
Facing the decision about how to handle an unwanted or unexpected pregnancy is one of the most difficult situations a woman may ever have to face.
There are ethical, moral, social, financial, familial, religious and age issues patients have to consider when considering abortion. There is no doubt that this decision creates stress.
The American Psychological Association found that stress was greatest prior to an abortion, and that there was no evidence of post-abortion syndrome.
Post Abortion Blues may occur after termination of pregnancy. Most women are relieved after the termination of pregnancy. They are able to move on with their lives.
Women who develop depression after an abortion procedure generally have a history of depression, anxiety, or some other psychological issue.
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