When considering how to handle your unexpected pregnancy, it is essential to review all of your options. This isn’t an easy choice to make, especially when you realize both abortion and adoption involve loss.
But with adoption, you can build a relationship with your child and be a part of their future. Learn how this could prevent depression caused by abortion.
Does Abortion Cause Depression?
Studies have shown that for some women, having an abortion does cause anxiety and depression. The research found the following:
- Abortion is consistently associated with elevated rates of mental illness compared to women without a history of abortion
- The abortion experience directly contributes to mental health problems for at least some women
- There are risk factors, such as pre-existing mental illness, that identify women at greatest risk of mental health problems after an abortion
Will I Be Depressed After An Abortion?
It is difficult to determine how each woman is affected by her abortion because each woman’s abortion experience is different. For instance, are you being pressured to have an abortion? How far along are you in your pregnancy? Have you struggled with mental health issues in the past?
Potential signs of mental health issues following an abortion include the following:
- Sadness
- Grief
- Feelings of loss
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Abortion-specific post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Doesn’t Adoption Cause Depression?
Placing your child for adoption is a hard decision. Adoption means you wholly and legally give another couple parental rights. The benefit of adoption is that you get to choose that couple (open or semi-open adoption). You select the adoptive family and the future you want for your child.
Do you want your child to be raised on a farm or in the city? Do you want them to be the oldest or have immediate siblings? What about hobbies, pets, education, and religion? You choose the adoptive parents and your child’s future based on what’s important to you.
Adoption can be a difficult choice. By choosing an adoption agency or coordinator that provides proper counseling before, during, and after, you will always have the support and comfort you need. Plus, you can begin building a relationship with the couple you choose immediately.
What Are The Benefits of Open Adoption?
A government study found the following benefits of an open or semi-open adoption for a birth mother:
- A sense of control over decisions about placing your child with adoptive parents
- Comfort in knowing your child is growing up safe, healthy, and loved
- Support in dealing with your feelings of grief and loss that can come up after placement
- Personal relationships with the adoptive parents and your child
- Greater satisfaction with the adoption process
How Can Southwest Options Assist Me?
The team at Southwest Options for Women does not perform or refer for abortion. We do not personally handle adoptions, but we can make referrals for reputable adoption agencies to discuss the process and help you determine if adoption is right for you.
No matter what you choose, no one should ever force you to make one decision over another. This decision is yours and yours alone. If you would like to discuss your situation and options with one of our caring team members, please fill out our online confidential contact form or call us at (952) 938-4496.