By Joan Hartzell

Abortion can cause both short-term and long-term physical complications and can significantly affect a woman's ability to have healthy future pregnancies.

Although reporting data is not required, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have received reports of the deaths of 386 women from legal abortion between 1973 and 2004. Accurate assessment is difficult due to lack of surveillance methods.

• Physical complications include:
• Cervical lacerations and injury
• Uterine perforations
• Bleeding
• Hemorrhage
• Serious infection
• Pain
• Incomplete abortion

Long-term physical consequences include future preterm birth and placenta previa (improper implantation of the placenta) in future pregnancies. Preterm birth is the most frequent cause of infant death in the U.S. Pregnancies complicated by placenta previa result in high rates of preterm birth, low birth weight, perinatal death, and maternal morbidity.

Scientific studies have indicated that induced abortion can adversely affect a woman's future risk of breast cancer. The termination of a pregnancy causes a significant drop in the level of estrogen secreted in a woman's body, resulting in a rapid growth in the number of cells in the breast tissue, this cell multiplication greatly increasing the risk of developing breast cancer.

A 25-year research project, the most comprehensive, long-term study ever conducted on the issue by a "pro-choice" team in New Zealand, and controlling for multiple factors both pre- and post-abortion, found conclusively that abortion in young women is associated with increased risks of major depression, anxiety disorder, suicidal behaviors, and substance dependence.

Post-abortion Syndrome has been identified in research as a subset of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, in which women may experience depression, anxiety, anger, flashbacks, guilt, grief, denial, and relationship problems. Side effects are thoughts of self harm and suicide, increase in dangerous activities, inability to perform normal self-care activities, difficulty sleeping, panic disorders, eating disorders, codependence, abusive parenting or overly-protective parenting, compulsivity in work or sex, and sexual dysfunction.
Studies analyzing the effects of induced abortion in adolescents have shown that those who abort report more frequent problems sleeping, more frequent marijuana use, and an increased need for psychological counseling when compared to adolescents who give birth.

The most common method of abortion is the surgical method vacuum aspiration. The complications that can occur are excessive bleeding, abdominal swelling, pelvic infection, uterine perforation, cervical tears, incomplete abortion, and in extreme cases death. Medical treatment consists of taking mifepristone, followed by misoprostol, with associated risks of frequent uterine pain, excessive uterine bleeding, pelvic infection, ruptured ectopic pregnancy, incomplete abortion, vomiting, diarrhea, and in extreme cases death.

RU-486 complications include hemorrhage, infection, and missed ectopic pregnancy (a potentially fatal complication). Since 2000, at least 8 women have died from RU-486 due to hemorrhage and infection.

Secondary infertility can be a risk of abortion, which means that a woman who has previously conceived a child is no longer able to do so. Directly, a surgical abortion can cause scarring of the uterine wall. Indirectly, fertility can be affected through the risk of an infection of the fallopian tubes.

Shame and guilt are the most prevalent outcomes of abortion, this secret often being hidden for years.


Family Research Council
TheGospel.org
Abortion, Questions & Answers, by Dr. & Mrs. J.C. Willke

Tags: abortion, Effects, women

Sister Jane Dominic gave a talk at a Catholic Highschool regarding the evil of homosexual acts, its causes and effects. Many students and parents were outraged that she was given a platform to speak. Aquinas College president Sister Mary Sarah, O.P., President of Aquinas College has released a statement pretty much putting down Sister Jane Dominic’s saying “Her deviation into realms of sociology and anthropology was beyond the scope of her expertise.”

Sister Dominic was BRAVE AND BOLD. Aquinas College obviously did not agree with her comments regarding homosexuality or at the very least her approach. The president of Aquinas College writes:

“There are no words that are able to reverse the harm that has been caused by these comments.”

“It is our sincere hope that the community of Charlotte Catholic High School will soon begin a process of healing and renewal, and that all who have been affected by this event will be drawn into profound reconciliation as we approach this great season that commemorates the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

What did she say that was wrong? If the College is to criticize the good sister then I think they should cite SPECIFIC errors in her speech. After reading the College’s press release, I find it very hard to believe Aquinas College is on the Catholic side of the battle. They benched sister Jane Dominic in favor of not upsetting the homosexual agenda. They announced that her speaking engagements have been cancelled temporarily and that the sister has taken a leave of absence. I think Jesus Christ would be proud of Sister Jane because she dared to attack the evils of the homosexual agenda.

Phil Lawler from catholicculture.org writes “this much is clear: After one contentious presentation, an effective speaker has been sidelined. Sister Jane Dominic Laurel is now labeled, perhaps forever, as a “controversial” speaker. Whenever she does resume public speaking, some audiences will view her with suspicion, and her critics will be ready to pounce.”

Tags: Sister Jane Dominic, Aquinas College , Charlotte Catholic High School