Abortion has been an issue of contention over the years among Christians and non-Christians. While some look at it as evil to humanity, others feel it is actually a help measure for the women folk. Though controversial, abortion has enjoyed a tremendous protection under the law in some nations of the world. As it stands today, women in such nations have the legal right to obtain an abortion for virtually any reason at all. To them, it is nothing more than the decision between a woman and her doctor. All these were arrived at on the premise that the law guarantees a woman’s ‘right to privacy’ and the claim that ‘no one knows when life begins’. Well, some nations might not have legalized this high rising medical procedure performed on women but offenders are not prosecuted. This places us on a more slippery ground. Now, if abortions are legalized, why shouldn’t we have them?

In trying to answer this question correctly, one must reconsider the facts of abortion and be more pragmatic in one’s approach. Abortion is assumed to be a help measure for woman to do away with an unwanted pregnancy. In that light, a baby may appear to be more a problem than a blessing. So many things play women into the game of abortion. Looking critically at certain circumstances, we can say that some women give in to abortion by coercion rather than choice as it is being advocated in several quarters. A survey reveals that more than half of women suffering from post-abortion trauma said they were pressured to abort. Their experiences are haunting: A girl was told by friends that having a baby will ruin her life; three sisters were raped repeatedly by their father and forced into abortion. In some cases, parents threaten to kick the girl out of their home; boyfriends and husbands threaten to leave. For a woman who is already facing emotional crisis, this kind of pressure is subtle coercion. It can be the final push towards making a decision that she would not have chosen if someone close to her offered her support in her pregnancy. Many women go into it out of ignorance, not knowing the consequences that follow abortion. Let’s look at some of these consequences.

The physical complications that follow abortion can only be appreciated by women who have gone this way before. Women experience complications after abortion and some die from it. It is also obvious that abortion has consequences on women’s reproductive health. Many health problems experienced by women may be linked to abortion. These include infection, uterine perforation, haemorrhaging, etc. For instance, after an abortion, there is a higher risk of developing cervical as well as ovarian cancer. Ironically, child birth actually protects against cancer of the reproductive system. Abortion also increases a woman’s risk of breast cancer by 30%. A careful study indicates a strong correlation between abortion and breast cancer.

This is based on what happens when a woman becomes pregnant. Her body produces large quantity of oestrogen, causing breast cells to grow. This intensive process of cell multiplication (proliferation) lasts until about the seventh month of pregnancy. When multiplication ceases, these cells then begin to differentiate and become breast milk-producing cells during the final eighth weeks of pregnancy. Abortion stops this process and the phase of differentiation doesn’t occur. This is where the link is found. Proliferation of cells which have not undergone differentiation may give rise to cancerous tumours later in a woman’s life. Abortion can also lead to infertility, a serious long-term complication that often goes undetected for many years. This is because abortion can lead to infections such as Pelvic Inflamatory Disease as well as uterine scaring. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in England found 6% of women are left sterile from abortion. Abortion often leads to complications in future pregnancies including miscarriage, premature birth and placenta previa. During an abortion, the cervix is artificially dilated. This can weaken the muscle and cause permanent damage leading to miscarriages and premature birth.

It is disheartening to mention that majority of the pro-legalism of abortion are men or women who have never gone through this procedure. They do not have the experience. Jennifer O’Neil, the spokeswoman for the ‘Silent No More Awareness Campaign summarized the facts when she said, “Experience overrides theory” when it comes to abortion. The experience of women makes it clear that while abortion may be legal, it is certainly not safe or without consequences.

Listen to the voices of some women as they share their experiences:

Mrs. Georgette in ‘Reflections of My Journey’ says, “On October 4th 1976, when I was 16 years old and junior in High School, I had an abortion. Afterwards, I went to my sister’s house to recover because my parents did not know about my pregnancy. That night as I lay in bed, I cried until I fell asleep. As I dressed the next morning, I was struggling to make sense of the day before and I decided, ‘I will pretend yesterday never happened’. That’s how I lived for 19 years in denial, pretending I never had an abortion. My opinion about abortion was affected when I had to explain to my 8-year old daughter what abortion is. I had written out my abortion experience after going through the counselling (I had repented then) and I put a copy of it in my Bible. One day, my daughter was playing church and went to my Bible for some scripture references. She found my testimony and read it. The next night during dinner, she asked if I was married when I was 16. I said “No, why?” She then asked if I was pregnant at 16. I put down my fork, said a prayer and replied, “Yes”. She thought for a moment and then asked, “Where is the baby?” Trying to explain to an 8 year old what abortion is and why I had one was extremely difficult. After some discussions, I said it was bedtime, and she said, “Okay, but let me make sure I understand. You were pregnant at 16 and killed your baby?” I had to look her in the eye and answer, “Yes”. The look of fear and disappointment in her eyes is something I will never forget. As a woman who has been there – done that – I can honestly say I don’t want others to live with the regret and pain I feel everyday”.

Vicki said, “My boyfriend immediately wanted me to have an abortion. It is a selfish act with consequences. I knew it was wrong. They told me I would be able to go on with my life as if nothing had happened and that it would be painless. I went through and the reality of what I had done hit me like a sledge hammer. I would never be the same. I felt so much shame. When life got tough, I would entertain thoughts of suicide. I had two miscarriages; I had breast cancer at age 39. I felt betrayed. I needed complete freedom from my nightmare and to tell my family, it was the hardest thing I have ever done. If I could take my abortion back, I would do it in a heartbeat and choose life”. Do not contemplate abortion no matter the circumstance; pregnancy is a safer choice.

Joyce said, “I was a crazy woman with a mask on. To everyone I looked like I had it together. My husband will tell differently, my children will tell you differently. The warning label of abortion should read ‘caution’. Abortion can result in years of grief, physical and emotional pain, mood swings, eating disorder, low self-esteem, health and relationship problems with your spouse and children”.

Sylvia said, “Feeling my baby burning in my womb cannot be forgotten. I don’t know exactly how it took for my baby to burn to death or how long labor lasted. The memory for me is not in hours and days but in sounds and feelings frozen in time. The haunting screams of the others in the room crying out for release as they laboured to give birth to death. The panicked cry of my own body as my baby was delivered dead as planned; the tears I cried as I lay with my baby are the tears that have continued for 28 years”. Abortion does not solve problems; abortion only creates different problems.

Abortion should never be an alternative.

Self-mutilation, emotional deadening, anger, rage, fear, loneliness, loss of self-confidence, drug and alcohol abuse, nightmares, suicidal feelings, eating disorders and sexual dysfunction are realities experienced by millions of women everyday who have had abortions.

Another side of this argument is the claim that no one knows when life actually begins. Many believe that the foetus is only a clot of blood and not in any way carrying life. But looking at medical facts, we know that each cell in one’s body has one’s unique genetic stamp. Whether a living cell is taken from your tongue or toe, it contains the stamp of identity. If we agree with this, then a baby, from the very second the sperm meets the egg, carries its own genetic code different from its mother’s. It is not just part of the woman’s own body. It is absolutely a unique person being formed by the Creator.

The scripture says, if someone causes a woman’s unborn child to die, compensation should be paid. The foetus was seen as more than just an extension of the woman’s body. For the Christian, this issue is even clearer. The Bible says, God formed you in the womb and prepared you for your life before you were born; you were carefully made by God from the moment of conception. No one therefore, has a justification to destroy a foetus.

Following our discussion, we realize that while abortion is wrong because our babies die, the society must understand that abortion also hurts women much more than any perceived help it offers.

To Christians, abortion only prepares you a good candidate for hell if repentance does not run faster than death.

To nations that have legalized abortion: like slavery before it, abortion is now central to the lives of many people in those nations, but no matter what the social cost may be, when laws victimize the weak and vulnerable (rather than protect them), it is time for those lows to change.

To many that are already wounded: let’s embrace what Carl Bard said, “Though no one can go back and make a brand-new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand-new ending”.

Abortion should never be an alternative.