Finding out you are pregnant before you are ready to have a baby can be a frightening and overwhelming experience, and it might cause you to instantly think of getting an abortion. Choosing this path can be right in some situations; however, it's important to fully understand the pros and cons of this option before you make any big decisions. Here are some of the things you should understand about abortion.
The Effects of Abortion
According to recent data, around 954,000 abortions occurred in 2014. While this number continues to decrease year after year, a lot of abortions are still being completed every day. Women choose to have abortions for a variety of reasons, but one of the most common reasons is due to the bad timing of a pregnancy.
Getting an abortion is relatively safe, but there are some risks you take when going through the actual procedure. Some of the physical risks you may encounter through this include severe hemorrhaging, infections, damage to your cervix, and pelvic inflammatory disease. In some cases, women will experience problems becoming pregnant in the future if they have gone through an abortion procedure.
A typical abortion takes three to five hours in all to complete (this includes filling out paperwork, the preparations, and the actual procedure), but you should understand that some women experience lifelong effects from going through with this option. After having an abortion, you may feel an instant sense of relief; however, this feeling may slowly go away and be replaced with feelings of sadness, regret, and confusion. You may begin second guessing yourself about the decision, and you may wonder what the baby would have looked like or the type of personality he or she may have had. Over time, these feelings may grow stronger, and you may begin having trouble dealing with this event in life. If you experience any of these feelings, it may put you at a high risk of developing an addiction, depression, and anxiety.
Benefits Of Abortion
In addition to having negative effects, abortion can also be the best option for many women, because it does offer some key benefits. Abortion is the only method that offers a permanent solution to an unplanned pregnancy. You can visit a clinic and have the procedure done quickly, and this will allow you to move on with your life immediately. No one will have to know, and this could save you from the hardships you might experience parting with the child if you had chosen to give the baby up for adoption.
Another benefit of abortion is the ability to prevent future problems for the unborn child. If you do not have a lot of money, a place to live, or a way to support the child, allowing it to be born into your lifestyle might not be a good idea. In addition, if the child has any birth defects that would affect the way it thinks and lives for the rest of his or her life, abortion allows you to save the child from this type of pain.
Before you make your mind up about this huge decision, why not talk to someone about it? A pregnancy counselor is trained to help women make this tough decision, and he or she will be able to help you understand all your options, the effects of each, and the pros and cons each has to offer. Pregnancy counselors are there to help women of all ages who are faced with unplanned pregnancies, and talking to a counselor is the best way for you to understand how you should handle your unplanned pregnancy.
