Pro-abortion groups admit women can experience post-abortion trauma

Planned Parenthood and other pro-abortion groups have been gradually and quietly acknowledging — despite decades of claiming otherwise — that women can and do suffer emotional trauma after abortion. Though post-abortive women and pro-life organizations have claimed this for decades, these admissions from pro-abortion groups seem jarring, given that, for years, the industry has insisted that women do not regret abortions or suffer ill emotional effects.

Key Takeaways:

• Pro-abortion groups, despite denying the negative emotional effects of abortion for decades, have gradually begun to acknowledge that some women react negatively to their abortions.

• Groups like Planned Parenthood, Aid Access, and others acknowledge that women may experience depression after an abortion.

The Details:

In an online video posted to YouTube one year ago, Planned Parenthood acknowledged that it is "normal" to feel "a wide range of emotions after an abortion." These emotions, it says, may include "anger, anxiety, sadness, or relief. Maybe all at the same time."

What to Expect After Taking Abortion Pills | Planned Parenthood Video

However, Planned Parenthood also tells abortion clients that any potential emotional effects after taking abortion pills could also include feeling "depressed" — which it categorizes as "not normal."

Despite many "counselors" at Planned Parenthood not being licensed to evaluate a psychological condition, the video advises women, "If you feel depressed or have big mood changes that don't get better after a few weeks call your nearest Planned Parenthood Health Center for help."

On its website, the abortion business states:

People experience a variety of emotions after an abortion. Feelings of relief, sadness, elation, or depression are common and may be strong due to the hormonal changes that occur after an abortion. Most people find these feelings do not last very long.

But on a separate page of the website, the abortion corporation also states:

It’s totally normal to have a lot of different emotions after your abortion. Everyone’s experience is different, and there’s no “right” or “wrong” way to feel.

Most people are relieved and don’t regret their decision. Others may feel sadness, guilt, or regret after an abortion. Lots of people have all these feelings at different times. These feelings aren’t unique to having an abortion. People feel many different emotions after giving birth, too.

It’s rare to have serious, long-term effects on your mental health after an abortion. But everybody’s different, and certain things can make coping with an abortion hard — like if you had to have an abortion for health reasons, or you didn’t have support.

In a separate place online, Planned Parenthood states (emphases added):

You may have a range of emotions after having an abortion. Studies show that most people feel relief, but sometimes people feel sad or regretful. Many people feel all these things together. However you feel is totally normal — everybody’s experience is different. 

Why It Matters:

For decades, the abortion industry has claimed that women do not suffer ill effects from abortion — or that if they do, it was because they had mental illness before their abortions.

• Planned Parenthood and Big Abortion oppose informed consent measures (like ultrasounds and waiting periods) which allow women the full information and time to consider all the ramifications of an abortion decision.

• The abortion corporation has previously claimed, "For more than 30 years, substantive research studies have shown that legally induced abortion does not pose mental health problems for women" (emphasis added). A fact sheet from 2014 states that the "Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AMRC) in London... suggested that researchers focus on the mental health repercussions of unwanted pregnancy rather than on the repercussions of how a woman resolves it (AMRC, 2011)."

• Live Action has documented testimonies of women who can't stay silent after experiencing abortion trauma, "In reality, abortion – an intervention to end a pregnancy so that it does not result in a live birth – can deeply impact multiple parties: the child, the mother, the father, the siblings, other family members, and society," Live Action's report stated.

• Abortion advocates often point to studies which show a decrease in anxiety immediately following abortion, such as the debunked Turnaway Study; but, as Live Action's report indicates, "the reality is that post-abortive psychological distress manifests in many ways. Research on long-term anxiety indicates that post-abortive women fare worse in this regard than their peers who either carry to term or experience a natural pregnancy loss."

• Planned Parenthood's deceptive marketing strategy has led women to believe that abortion is a positive for their lives, luring pregnant women into their centers believing the abortion profiteer is there to assist them in making the best choice.

• Big Abortion often lies to women about what an abortion does and about the development of the preborn child. Self-managed abortion is now resulting in many women seeing the bodies of their aborted babies — and could be the impetus for the industry now acknowledging the emotional impact.

Debunking The Deceptive & Pro-Abortion Turnaway Study | Can't Stay Silent

Planned Parenthood, however, seems to avoid sending women to pro-life resources if they suffer regret; instead, the website recommends women access "Educators at Aya Contigo," described as a "chat service designed to provide emotional support to people about medication abortions." Planned Parenthood claims this resource "provides evidence-based information" in English and Spanish. A separate website page lists additional pro-abortion websites that can be contacted for "emotional support."

According to Ms. Magazine, the Aya app, which launched in 2022 in Venezuela, was co-created by "two Canadian physicians—Dr. Roopan Gill and Dr. Genevieve Tam," who described it as "a virtual abortion doula in your pocket."

Ms. Magazine added that the app "provides resources for obtaining and using abortion pills, and the chat is staffed by professional counselors who walk users through the process." It launched two years ago in the U.S. (September 2023), and plans to expand to Guatemala. It is a project of Vitala Global," and partners with multiple pro-abortion organizations like the World Health Organization, Plan C, Women on Web, and others.

Emotional Well-Being

Emotional well-being is listed in Planned Parenthood's "Step by Step Guide to abortion" (which includes a downloadable guide), where the abortion corporation details "5 steps to getting an abortion."

"You may have a range of emotions after having an abortion. This is totally normal," Planned Parenthood claims, before recommending two separate pro-abortion organizations "for free and private support."

Separately, Planned Parenthood equates the emotional impact of miscarriage (a natural process) with abortion (intentionally targeting the preborn child in the womb.) While women who experience natural miscarriage may inaccurately blame themselves for that loss, women who choose to have their children's lives intentionally ended can experience a far deeper level of guilt and shame.

"Each person reacts to the end of a pregnancy, whether the cause is a miscarriage or an abortion, in their own way. You may be swamped with feelings. You may feel relief. Or you may feel numb. There is no right or wrong way to react," its website states.

The website then offers "support," including pro-abortion "spiritual" support groups.

Abortion Providers Meet Women Who Regret Their Abortion | Face to Face

Other groups

Exhale Pro-Voice, one of many referral agencies, has claimed that its texting survey reveals women have expressed feelings of sadness, grief, and even anger after an abortion. The group also acknowledges that anxiety, grief, and guilt after an abortion "are common."

"At Exhale Pro-Voice, we know that there is no 'right' way to feel after an abortion. We also know that feelings of happiness, sadness, empowerment, anxiety, grief, relief, and guilt are common," the group states online.

Even the international online abortion pill dispensary Aid Access acknowledges that "For some women, however, abortion can raise a number of emotional responses including sadness, guilt, rage, shame and regret."

The Women's Centers, which commit third trimester abortions through 28 weeks of pregnancy, also acknowledges some pretty serious emotional impacts after an abortion. The abortion facility website advises clients to "consider reaching out for post abortion assistance if you’re experiencing:

Persistent sadness or depression that interferes with your daily life and doesn’t improve with time.

Anxiety or panic attacks related to your abortion or reproductive health concerns.

Sleep problems, nightmares, or intrusive thoughts that disrupt your ability to function normally.

Difficulty concentrating at work, school, or in relationships for extended periods.

Significant changes in appetite or weight that concern you or others.

Increased use of alcohol or drugs to deal with emotional pain or difficult emotions.

Thoughts of self-harm or suicide – please seek immediate help if you’re having these thoughts.

Relationship problems that seem connected to your abortion experience or past pregnancy.

Intense guilt, shame, or regret that doesn’t improve over several weeks or months.

The above list covers significant issues which are generally downplayed when selling women abortions.

The Bottom Line:

Women do often regret their abortions and can experience negative emotional reactions, sometimes immediately following either a self-managed or in-clinic abortion.

If you or a woman you know is suffering from emotional distress following an abortion, please visit Live Action's resource page for organizations that can help.