BBC talk show airs emotional account of young woman’s ‘nightmare’ abortion story

Studies continuously show that abortion is harmful to women. It leads to an increased risk of depression, drug use, alcohol use, and suicide. One young woman recently came to the BBC to share her story of regret and emotional turmoil from abortion.

At 19 years old, Laura Mann had an abortion at 21 weeks gestation after discovering at 12 weeks that she was pregnant. She told BBC News that she wasn’t well informed of what the abortion would be like. She also said she was pressured into it and felt she had no other choice.

“The first option I was given was abortion,” she explained on the BBC’s “Victoria Live.”

“[…] I was so afraid, so confused. I had no clue what to do. All the voices around me at the time were telling me I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t do it. And so I felt so much pressure and I felt okay with myself to go in for the abortion but when I left that clinic that was the beginning of my nightmare.”

Mann explained the horrific mental and emotional pain that overwhelmed her afterwards. She began sobbing immediately after the procedure and became depressed. For months she had nightmares and cold sweats wondering what happened to her baby’s body.

READ: Research shows post-abortion trauma is very real, and women aren’t alone

“When I came out of Marie Stopes clinic in Brixton, the first thing that went through my mind was, ‘Where’s my baby? What’s happened to the body of my baby?’ And I kept asking myself that question.”

Mann’s reaction is quite common, though the abortion industry would attempt to convince women otherwise. Post-abortion syndrome, as it is sometimes called, is a form of post-traumatic stress disorder. Out of 30 studies, 29 of them show that abortion really is more consequential than simply getting a tooth pulled. It has negative psychological consequences, including a 154 percent increased risk of suicide, a tenfold spike in suicide attempts among post-abortive teen girls, a 65 percent increased risk of clinical depression, and a fivefold increase in drug and alcohol abuse.

It is also common for women to feel pressured by the people close to them or their current life situation. In fact, a study published in the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons found that 73.8 percent of post-abortive women surveyed said they felt pressured into it. This is alarming, because it means close to 3/4 of women who have abortions haven’t actually freely “chosen” it at all.

Women (and men) who are struggling with abortion regret can get help through programs such as Rachel’s Vineyard, Heartbeat International, and Ramah International, Project Rachel, and Silent No More.

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