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- Newsgroups: talk.abortion
- Path: sparky!uunet!usc!rpi!cookc
- From: cookc@aix.rpi.edu (rocker)
- Subject: Re: Some useful statistics
- Message-ID: <6s1xrb+@rpi.edu>
- Nntp-Posting-Host: aix.rpi.edu
- References: <1992Jul27.211350.28939@acd4.acd.com>
- Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 00:36:28 GMT
- Lines: 49
-
-
- wdo@TEFS1.acd.com (Bill Overpeck) writes:
-
- >In <14p8t7INNngj@hpsdde.sdd.hp.com> regard@sdd.hp.com
- > (Adrienne Regard) writes: >
-
- >>We have reason to believe that post-abortion trauma exists.
- >>We have reason to believe that post-partum depression (not to mention
- >>trauma) exists.
-
- >I have no hidden agenda here. My question is, should women be warned
- >of this potential prior to the procedure? I realize that there is no
- >corresponding warning related to the risks of pregnancy, but these days
- >women don't ususally see a physician until the pregnancy is confirmed.
-
- I don't understand the distinction you seem to be making here.
-
- Adrienne and I have both pointed out that women who undergo childbirth
- sometimes suffer from post-partum depression and post-partum psychosis.
- We ask if you feel women should be warned about that prior to a point
- where they might safely terminate their pregnancy, and you seem to
- brush this point aside. You use the word "but" as if what follows is
- some sort of justification for not giving this warning. "women don't
- usually see a physician until pregnancy is confirmed"? So? Women
- don't usually see a physician until their desire for an abortion is
- confirmed, and yet you still wish to give them a further "warning".
- In hopes of changing their minds? Do you feel that women should be
- given every opportunity to change their minds about abortion, and
- yet NO opportunity to change their minds about childbirth?
-
- >At any rate, I was merely asking for opinions. Sounds like you think
- >a warning isn't necessary given the relatively low incidence of post-
- >abortion trauma?
-
- And I'll answer your question again. No, women should not be given
- a specific warning about "post-abortion trauma" or whatever it is
- that you want to call it. I think by giving these women a warning
- about a specific low-probability event is simply pointless. It's
- on a par with a doctor saying to a pregnant woman on her first prenatal
- visit "Women die giving birth. Are you sure you want this baby?"
-
- What _should_ be done, however, is to advise women that counseling is
- available should they feel they need it. This goes for _both_ abortion
- and childbirth. And if counseling _isn't_ available.....well, what
- are you waiting for?
-
- >Bill
-
- -rocker
-