Emotions Which May Surface During a Pregnancy Following Abortion

Many women who have undergone an abortion at some point during their life have many concerns regarding a subsequent pregnancy. Even if the circumstances of their life have significantly changed since the time of the abortion, and they are now at the point in their life where they want to marry and have a family, long-suppressed emotions can still surface. A woman who is eagerly looking forward to a pregnancy and the beginning of a family can harbor fear over whether the abortion could potentially cause her to have difficulty conceiving.

Initial Feelings Surrounding an Abortion

Most women who find themselves in the position of even thinking about having an abortion do so because the timing for a pregnancy is wrong, the relationship she is in is not one she wants to bring a child into, or she may be having severe financial difficulties which make bringing a child into the world extremely difficult. Whatever her reasons at the time, most often women who undergo abortions do their best to cover up the emotions about the abortion and move on with their lives. They may feel regret or guilt along the way, but will often do their best to ignore those feelings.

Deciding to Have a Baby Following an Abortion

Many times our lives can take turns which bring about substantial changes. While a year ago we may have been in an impossible situation to bring a baby into, a mere year later can bring a new job, a new love or a new location. A woman may find herself happily married, and she and her new husband may begin to discuss starting a family. While the decision to have a child is generally a joyous one, especially if the woman has not discussed her abortion with her new love, she may be full of guilt, wondering if she suffered any scarring which could cause difficulties in conception. How would she explain to her husband?

Most of the time such fears are unfounded, as the majority of women who have had an abortion can go on quite successfully to have a family. Most physicians advise a woman who has not conceived after three to six months to be examined by a fertilization specialist who will do a simple saline injection into the uterus to detect any possible scarring which could potentially be blocking the fallopian tubes. Such blockages can be repaired, making it possible for a woman to conceive and carry a baby to term quite successfully. It is very important that your doctor be aware of a prior abortion since it could bring an increased risk of bleeding prior to the seventh month.

Emotions Surrounding a Pregnancy after Abortion

Much greater than the physical risks of a pregnancy following an abortion are the emotional ones. Many women who chose to have an abortion did so partially in response to untenable situations and pressure from others, which can bring about guilt and shame later on. This guilt and shame can have a major impact on a future pregnancy. Clinical depression among women who have terminated a pregnancy is known to be higher than women who have not, most especially in women who terminated a first pregnancy. Women with a strong faith tended to be more likely to seek help and support following a pregnancy termination.

Many women develop certain coping mechanisms post abortion in order to deal with the onslaught of emotions they are feeling. They may try to rationalize that they have done the right thing, and ignore feelings they don't know how to deal with. Abortion is hardly a natural experience either for a woman's body or for her ingrained maternal instinct, yet over one fourth of all women in the United States have undergone a termination. In the end, for the majority of women an abortion is a traumatic event, and these feelings and emotions must be dealt with before a woman can go into another pregnancy with a whole heart.