T O P I C R E V I E W
SilverBabe
Member # 6983
posted 02-22-2002 11:05 PM
My cousin just found out she is pregnant about a month ago. She was considering getting an abortion, but after great ammounts of research, she found from many different sources that abortion is actually quite dangerous. Especially in the way that it can, and does for many woman, make you unable to have children in the future because it can damage different organs. I never have heard this from my sex-ed teacher but thought that maybe they don't teach this fact because they don't want to dicourage teenagers to get an abortion when it is the best way to handle the situation. (Which is very understandable.) My question is, Is this true? Are abortions, in fact, somewhat dangerous? I want my cousin to be able to do what is best for her, and I can understand her worries. I mean, she wants to be able to have kids some day, just not when she is 15! I am not sure who to ask, but I greatly trust the advice of the members of this web site. I was hoping you could help me. I know you'll give me an honest answer.------------------ In life, there are choices to make every where you go. Do your best to follow your heart and listen to the advice of people you love and trust.
[This message has been edited by SilverBabe (edited 02-22-2002).]
[This message has been edited by SilverBabe (edited 02-22-2002).]
kythryne
Member # 5460
posted 02-22-2002 11:34 PM
Well, abortion is a surgical procedure, and so yes, it is risky, but then, so are a lot of other things.I'm going to guess that your friend encountered some anti-abortion websites, which often use scare tactics to try to convince people not to have an abortion. While it's very true that abortions used to be dangerous, particularly when they were illegal, it's now a fairly straightforward and simple proceedure, and I believe the risks of side effects are quite small if the abortion is performed by a qualified medical professional. Here's a link to some information at Planned Parenthood: http://www.plannedparenthood.org/ABORTION/Default.htm
And here's an article written by a 16-year-old woman who had an abortion: http://www.scarleteen.com/crisis/granny.html
------------------Kythryne Aisling Scarleteen Advocate
"The only unnatural sexual act is that which you cannot perform." -- Alfred Kinsey
Heather
Member # 3
posted 02-23-2002 10:16 AM
Actually, childbirth is the cause of more deaths and complications than medical abortion. So, in terms of any of the choices one has to make when pregnant, all of them involve health risks, so basing a decision on that isn't very sensible.Instead, I'd suggest your cousion think about what she wants: does she want to raise a baby or not? Is adoption a consideration? What feels best for her EMOTIONALLY?
It should be noted that teenage parenting is not impossible if that is what she wants to do -- many teen mothers do just fine, likely as fine as most adult mothers, though they have their own unique challenges.
But the desire to parent is the big issue, and usually parents -- regardless of their age -- that weather all of the challenges best are simply the ones who very much want to parent actively. If she just doesn't have that desire, and just does not WANT to care for a child, adoption or abortion may be the best choices for her and/or her potential child. ------------------Heather Corinna Editor and Founder, Scarleteen
My epitaph should read: "She worked herself into this ground." -- Kay Bailey Hutchinson
[This message has been edited by Miz Scarlet (edited 02-23-2002).]