> Safety of Abortion
> Women Who Have Abortions
> Choice
> Other Myths
Myth:
If I have an abortion, I will not be able to get pregnant again. Even if I do get pregnant, I probably won't be able to carry to term.
Fact:
Having an abortion will not prevent you from having a healthy pregnancy when you are ready. More
Myth:
If I have more than one abortion, the scar tissue will build up and make it impossible for me to get pregnant again.
Fact:
Safe abortions do not result in scar tissue. After recovery from an abortion without complications, there will be no physical sign of your choice.
Myth:
Abortion is much more dangerous than childbirth.
Fact:
Abortion is very safe and is at least 10 times safer than childbirth. 0.6 out of 100,000 abortions result in death while 13 out of 100,000 live births result in death. More
Myth:
Women who have abortions have emotional problems afterwards.
Fact:
The most reliable indicator of whether a woman will experience feelings of distress after an abortion is her emotional stability before the abortion. Women indicate that the most common feeling after the completion of an abortion is relief. While some women also experience a sense of loss, sadness, or grief, having an abortion is not associated with long-term psychological distress. More
Myth:
Women who have abortions have a higher rate of breast cancer.
Fact:
In February 2003, the National Cancer Institute convened a symposium of over 100 of the world's leading experts who study pregnancy and the risk of breast cancer. They concluded that having an abortion does not increase a woman's subsequent risk of developing breast cancer. A summary of their findings can be found at the National Cancer Institute website. More
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Myth:
Most abortions are performed on young, irresponsible women who can't be bothered to use birth control.
Fact:
More than one-third of women in the United States will have an abortion before age 45. Women who have abortions come from all walks of life. Some of them got pregnant while using birth control. Some are survivors of sexual assault. They are all ages and all races.
Women get pregnant under a variety of circumstances and each has different reasons for having an abortion. More
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Myth:
All religions and religious people oppose a woman's right to choose.
Fact:
Many religious and spiritual organizations respect a woman's right to choose and are pro-choice because of their religious beliefs. For more information, visit the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, Sacred Choices, or Catholics for Choice.
Myth:
I need to have an abortion because my mother/partner/friends want me to.
Fact:
Your parents, partner, or friends may influence your feelings about having an abortion, however, the decision to have an abortion is yours. If you are feeling pressure to have an abortion, talk to clinic staff about your concerns.
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Myth:
I cannot get pregnant immediately after having an abortion.
Fact:
It is possible to get pregnant right after an abortion, even before you have had a period. To prevent a pregnancy, talk to your provider about birth control methods that you can use immediately after an abortion.
Myth:
I can abort a pregnancy on my own by taking castor oil, consuming large amounts of alcohol, taking scalding baths, taking mega-doses of Vitamin C, taking a higher dose of birth control pills or other over-the-counter medication.
Fact:
Trying to end a pregnancy by self-aborting can be very dangerous to your life, health and ability to have children in the future. You may injure yourself or die if you attempt to self-abort. Call the NAF Hotline 1-800-772-9100 for help and learn about the safe options available to you.
Myth:
I don't need an appointment to have an abortion.
Fact:
Most providers require patients to make an appointment.
Myth:
People who do abortions make a lot of money. They just want my money. They don't care about me.
Fact:
The cost of abortion has risen much less than the cost of most other medical procedures. Abortion providers generally charge less for their services than physicians in other specialties.
Medical professionals who provide abortion services care about a woman's right to choose whether she will continue a pregnancy. They are compassionate people who know that legal abortions are safe abortions.
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