Abortion

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             This symptom is prevalent in other abortion cases, such as abortion due to congenital defects. Congenital defects are diseases, such as Downs's syndrome, that can be detected early in the pregnancy, through an amniocentesis test. These abortions are carried out to ensure that the unborn child does not live a life of suffering, due to his retarded condition. However, a study showed that 76% of parents fail to conceive the effects, the suffering, that the parents will experience by not having that child.("First for Women" magazine) The parents will experience various Post-abortion Syndrome symptoms ranging from difficulty concentrating to physiological reactions to events that symbolize an aspect of abortion. The physiological reactions might be depression or states of regret when they observe another's baby or see a pregnant woman. Teenage pregnancies, in which the teenager decides to have an abortion, can also lead to Post-abortion Syndrome symptoms as that of the abortions due to rape or congenital defects. The teenager usually focuses on removing the burden, the unborn child, from the teenager's life that will keep her from achieving her goals, such as going to college. In 1989 teenagers had the highest abortion ratio at 886 abortions per 1,000 live births.("First for Women" magazine) Abortions due to teenage pregnancies may also portray symptoms which include self-devaluation, and inability to forgive the decision to have an abortion. The self-devaluation can stem from teenagers feeling incompetent, and can lead to periods of depression. Teenagers are also more susceptible to periods of depression due to their immaturity, their lack of experience of such events as death. .
             The many symptoms of Post-abortion Syndrome are primarily psychological, but other aspects of having an abortion can have devastating effects on the physical aspects of the mother. After an abortion has taken place, the mother has a tendecy to become susceptible to psychological disorders, but other negative effect on the body as well, such as increased risk toward breast cancer.