Pangs of separation from the unborn

Dr Shilva

A woman may need abortion or termination of pregnancy due to multiple reasons. Sometimes, unwanted pregnancies may force such a step and at other times, a couple may decide on termination due to other reasons such as severe congenital defects in the foetus or potentially dangerous health complications of the pregnancy. Some women experience less chance of negative emotional consequences as they have a more detached view of the pregnancy and consider the foetus as an undeveloped life. However, some other women might carry a more emotional outlook towards the pregnancy and strongly look at the life inside as a baby.

Some potential side effects include eating disorders, anxiety, relationship issues, insomnia or nightmares and depression.

• Women with a higher probability of having a negative emotional or psychological side effect include:
• Individuals who obtain an abortion in the later stages of pregnancy
• Individuals with previous emotional or psychological concerns
• Individuals with moral or ethical views that conflict with abortion
• Individuals without support from significant others or their partner
• Women obtaining an abortion for genetic or foetal abnormalities

Considering an abortion?

Get help: Probably the most important thing you can do when facing an unplanned pregnancy is to communicate with trained professionals who can answer your questions and discuss your individual circumstances with you. You can even consult a psychologist if you are going through anxiety.

don’t withdraw: If you are experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, you might have the tendency to withdraw from others to keep the matter a secret and/or to face the issue alone. Feel free to discuss your problem with your loved ones and take them into confidence before arriving at a decision. This will reduce your guilt or anxiety.

Avoid pressure: Avoid people who are pressuring you to do what they think is best. Whether you opt to parent, choose adoption, or have an abortion, you are the one who is going to have to live with your choice. So, the decision has to be 100 per cent your own.

Talk to others: See if you can find someone who has gone through an unplanned pregnancy or had an abortion to find out what it was like for them.

Physical side effects after an abortion can vary from woman to woman. It is important to know about the possible detailed side effects of abortion from experienced health professional as well as the doctor. It is mandatory that your period should return about four-six weeks after abortion and you can conceive again after the abortion.

Following are the physical side effects that are frequently experienced after an abortion. The possible duration to experience these side effects are two to four weeks following procedure.

•  Abdominal pain and cramping
• Spotting and bleeding

About 5-10 per cent women suffer from immediate complication. It is important to be aware of the following risks:

•  Heavy or persistent bleeding
•  Infection or sepsis/PID/ Endometriosis
•  Damage to the cervix
•  Scarring of the uterine lining (Asherman’s syndrome)

It is necessary to have abortion carried out by a qualified and trained professional. Also, it is recommended if you have an abortion, you meet the doctor and seek medical attention in order to get healthy and fit as soon as possible.

The writer is consultant gynaecologist Paras Bliss Hospital, Panchkula