Facts are important, especially when the topic of women’s sexual health and reproductive rights is being discussed. An essential fact anti-choice refuses to acknowledge is that ABORTION is a basic element of women’s healthcare and is not as scary as they make it out to be.
Oftentimes, the facts about abortion are muddled by anti-abortion agendas to fit their narrative. These further propagate the negativity associated with abortion. With so much misinformation in circulation, we have set out to debunk some untrue statements about abortions and educate you on the facts.
ABORTION MYTH 1: There is only one way to undergo abortions.
FACT: There are 2 different types of abortion. They are medical and surgical abortions.
Medication abortion is the process of using the medications misoprostol and mifepristone to terminate a pregnancy. It is advised to be done for pregnancies up to 13 weeks for safety measures.
Surgical abortion can be categorized into vacuum aspiration and dilation & evacuation. These involve a minor surgical procedure to terminate a pregnancy under anesthesia.
ABORTION MYTH 2: Abortion will kill you.
Fact: The process of a safe and legal abortion is comparatively safer compared to childbearing. The high mortality rate of abortions is usually attributed to unsafe abortions; when the process is performed by unqualified personnel and with illegal methods that the World Health Organization has not approved. According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the death rate of women having safe and legal abortions is 0.7 per 100,000 legal induced abortions. If done safely and under legal conditions, the possibility of death is as low as the possibility of pinching one’s self to death.
ABORTION MYTH 3: Abortions affect your mental health.
Fact: There has not been any link found between abortion and mental health. Post-abortion syndrome is a term coined by the anti-choice agenda to promote myths surrounding mental health issues after an abortion. Sometimes, women seek abortions for certain mental health reasons such as the inability to provide emotional support for another individual. but there is nothing that links arising mental health issues after an abortion to the process. In fact, research has shown that people who are denied an abortion are more likely to experience low self-esteem and depression. Some women experience mental complications due to the stigma attached to abortion but not the act itself.
ABORTION MYTH 4: Irresponsible women undergo abortions.
Fact: This is untrue! Sometimes, women are just not ready to be parents due to several reasons. Any and every reason to get an abortion is justified. Some women also understand the physical and psychological efforts of childbearing and decide to opt out of it before it gets too late. There are several women in high positions who have had to make the decision to terminate a pregnancy due to personal reasons. Making the decision to have an abortion does not make you irresponsible, it is actually a decision that is life-changing and takes a responsible woman to make.
ABORTION MYTH 5: Abortions can result in breast cancer.
Fact: Factions against safe and legal abortions always look for different ways to make the concept of abortions daunting for women. The idea of abortions causing breast cancer is untrue and is not backed by any scientific evidence. Research has not linked abortions to breast cancer.
If you’re looking to learn more about safe and legal medical abortion, visit our medical abortion website.