Abortion is the early ending of a pregnancy, which can sometimes happen on its own (miscarriage), or when the woman chooses to end it through surgery or medicine. Pro-life supporters believe that it should be forbidden because it takes away a life; those who are pro-choice argue that that a woman should have the right to decide for her own body.
This is a controversial subject, and even more so when it comes to prohibiting it by law. But before we start weighing out the pros and cons, consider these questions: does prohibition truly prevents abortion? And what are the consequences of forcing a woman to keep an unwanted pregnancy?
Just because it’s forbidden, doesn’t mean that she won’t do it.
So far, only 61 countries allow the mother to decide whether she needs an abortion. But for the rest of the world, many countries will only allow it under restricted circumstances, whereas others forbid it entirely. Nearly 60% of women in the world are not allowed free decisions on the matter.
Yet, according to the World Health Organization, highly restrictive abortion laws seem to have no impact on abortion rates at all. For example, in regions where abortion is illegal, like certain parts of Latin America, abortion rate is 32 per 1,000. Meanwhile, the rate is only 12 per 1,000 in Western Europe, where the most liberal abortion laws are found.
So, if a woman cannot legally have an abortion, what would she do?
The dangers of unsafe abortions
Studies show that even if abortion is illegal, the mother will try to do it through unsafe abortion, where the pregnancy is terminated without consulting a medical professional or with the necessary equipment to do so.
Of all the abortions performed in the world, 49% of them were unsafe, and nearly all of the unsafe abortions were found in countries in development – where the most restrictive abortion laws apply.
This is extremely dangerous, because these procedures often result in medical complications, including death. According to the WHO, unsafe abortions were responsible for 13% of global maternal deaths in 2008, and 5 million women suffer medical complications from an unsafe abortion.
The argument of the psychological and physiological impact
One of the arguments against abortions is its psychological consequences. Yet, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), women who were denied access to abortion suffer more adverse psychological consequences than those who were allowed a legal abortion.
Dr. Ana Godinho Lourenço, a gynaecologist in Geneva with 20 years of experience, goes one step further. According to her, it is the refusal to respect a woman’s decision that leads to long-lasting, negative psychological impacts.
Using the Portuguese abortion law as an example, Dr. Godinho points out that if a minor becomes pregnant in Portugal, she is obliged by law to be accompanied by her parents for any medical consultation, who will be responsible for deciding whether the baby should be kept.
Some adolescents can then be forced into an abortion by her parents, while others will be obligated to keep her baby. For the latter, the mother can suffer from depression and detachment, where the child can also be severely affected by the deteriorated relationship with the mother thereafter.
On a physical level, many who argue against abortion often consider its potential health risks: bleeding, infections, thrombo-embolic disease, for example - yet ironically, these are the major risk factors that surround birth delivery as well.
There are always more risks in terms of delivery compared to risks of abortion, says Dr. Godinho.
So what should we do?
Education and prevention are key
If we think it through, abortion wouldn’t be an issue if unintended pregnancies don’t occur. Yet, roughly 40% of pregnancies worldwide were unintended, and around 50% of them end in abortion, according to the WHO.
Are women with unintended pregnancies completely irresponsible?
In fact, around 215 million women in developing countries have limited access to contraceptive methods or none at all. This echoes eerily with the finding that nearly all of the unsafe abortions were conducted in these regions as well.
On the other hand, countries that do provide proper sex education and effective birth control show a completely different picture.
For example, sex education in Switzerland is well provided in schools, where teens are taught the risks of intercourse and how to use proper protection. Effective birth control methods are easily accessible and affordable; medical consultations are paid for by the obligatory health insurance. Confidential assistance programs are also provided for underage teens.
Switzerland holds the title for one of the lowest teenage pregnancies and teenage abortion rates in the world, says Dr. Godinho, despite its liberated laws.
Countries like Switzerland are showing us that even young adults can make educated decisions when they are properly informed.
It’s not about breaking the law; it’s about making a difficult decision.
“I’ve always been against abortion, but now I need to do one,” is what Dr. Godinho often hears through her career. An abortion is painful for a majority of women, and they will avoid having it happen to them twice, she says.
Fundamentally, prohibiting abortion is about preventing a loss of life, but it doesn’t prevent a woman from getting it if necessary. Even for those who are against abortion, their opinions often change when circumstances project a somber future for their baby.
In the end, no one likes to see a new life being taken away. "Who would ever decide to go through an abortion just for fun?" asks Dr. Godinho.
You decide.
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Youna IHS would like to give special thanks to Dr. Ana Godinho Lourenço for her contribution to the article.
Dr. Godinho (MD, MASPH) is a gynecologist and obstetrician. For 15 years she was a medical officer at the Hopitaux Universitaires de Genève (HUG) and has over 20 years of experience as a gynecologist. Dr. Godinho now practices in her own medical cabinet in Geneva. She speaks English, French, Spanish and Portuguese.
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