Dispelling Common Abortion Myths - PowerPoint Presentation

1. Dispelling Common Abortion Myths

2. Women Who Have Abortion In 2014, there were 5 million pregnancies in Ethiopia 38% were unwanted 13% ended up in abortion The fact is that the women who have abortions come from all racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and religious backgrounds Lifetime chance of abortion is about 35%

3. MYTH: Women are using abortion as a method of birth control If abortion were used as a primary method of birth control, a typical woman would have at least two or three pregnancies per year -- 30 or more during her lifetime. In fact, most women who have abortions have had no previous abortions (52%) or only one previous abortion (26%). And in fact, half of all women getting abortions report that contraception was used during the month they became pregnant. Some of these couples had used the method improperly; some had forgotten or neglected to use it on the particular occasion they conceived; and some had used a contraceptive that failed. No contraceptive method prevents pregnancy 100% of the time. Considering that most women are fertile for over 30 years, and that birth control is not perfect, the likelihood of having one or two unintended pregnancies is very high.

4. MYTH: Women have abortions for selfish or frivolous reasons The decision to have an abortion is rarely simple. Most women base their decision on several factors, the most common being lack of money and/or un readiness to start or expand their families due to existing responsibilities. Many feel that the most responsible course of action is to wait until their situation is more suited to childrearing; 66% plan to have children when they are older, financially able to provide necessities for them, and/or in a supportive relationship with a partner so their children will have two parents. Others wanted to get pregnant but developed serious medical problems, learned that the fetus had severe abnormalities, or experienced some other personal crisis. Pregnant as a result of rape or incest.

5. MYTH: Women are often forced into having abortions they do not really want Some women say that pressure from a husband, partner, or parent was one of several reasons they chose abortion, but only about 1% give that reason as the "most important" one in making their decision. Conversely, some women who do not want to continue their pregnancies are pressured to do so by family members, friends, or fear of social stigma. Preabortion options counseling is designed to determine whether a woman is fully comfortable with her abortion decision, and if she is not, she is encouraged to wait until she has had a chance to consider her options more fully.

6. MYTH: Many women come to regret their abortions later Research indicates that relief is the most common emotional response following abortion, and that psychological distress appears to be greatest before, rather than after, an abortion. There are undoubtedly some women who, in hindsight, wish that they had made different choices, and the majority would prefer never to have become pregnant when the circumstances were not right for them. When a wanted pregnancy is ended (for medical reasons, for example) women may experience a sense of loss and grief. Women at risk for poor post abortion adjustment are those who do not get the support they need, or whose abortion decisions are actively opposed by people who are important to them.

7. Myth: Women who have an abortion subsequently suffer mental anguish and depression after the procedure The American Psychological Association (APA) released a report in 2008, indicating that there is no solid scientific evidence that abortion causes mental distress in women or so-called “post abortion stress syndrome”. The APA study is a scientific refutation of the fiction, promoted by anti-abortion activists for several decades, that having an abortion harms women’s mental health.

8. Myth: Abortion is dangerous Fact: Over 99.75 percent of abortions do not cause major medical problems. In fact, abortion has been shown to be significantly safer than childbirth, as studies have found that death is up to 14 times more likely during childbirth, as compared to legal induced abortion.

9. Myth: Women would not have an abortion if they knew the feeling of being a mom. Fact: According to the Guttmacher institute, most women having abortions (61 percent) already had at least one child, including 34 percent of those who had two or more children. A study from Guttmacher found that mothers typically have abortions to protect the children they already have; they simply cannot afford to raise another child.

10. Myth: Criminalizing abortion ensures a low abortion rate Truth: Women have abortions regardless of whether the procedure is legal, and restrictions just make abortions less safe. Across Africa and Latin America, for example, where abortion is illegal under most circumstances in the majority of countries, the abortion rate is 29 and 32 abortions, respectively, per 1,000 women of childbearing age. In Western Europe, where abortion is generally legal on broad grounds, the abortion rate is 12 per 1,000, the lowest sub-regional rate in the world.

11. Myth: Making abortion more widely available will result in its use as a method of contraception Truth: There is no credible evidence that if abortion was more accessible that sexually active people would use abortion as a method of birth control. The point remains, though, that the privacy and convenience alone of contraception make this myth more than a shade counter-intuitive.

12. Myth: Making abortion more widely available will result in many late term abortions But the truth is much simpler:Where abortion is prohibited or difficult to access, the chances are higher for late-term abortions to occur.

13. Myth : Abortion causes/increases the risk of infertility  But the truth is much simpler:There is no increase in infertility when women have safe, legal abortions

14. Common Remarks About Women That Are Actually Problematic Women Are Bad Drivers Women Who Have One-Night Stands Are Immoral Women Are Happiest When They Have Children Housework is a Woman’s Job Women Are “Too Pretty to Be Smart” Women Who Get Promoted Are Sleeping Their Way to the Top Women Are Overly Emotional and Irrational Women Aren’t As Strong as Men

15. There are many myths circulating in our society about the effect of abortion on women’s emotional and physical health. As providers, it is vital to educate yourself on the facts to help dispel common myths!In Closing

16. THANK YOUANY QUESTIONS?