www.chitraltimes.com

Voice of Unborn

Dildar Muhammad

Samreen, a house maid, disappeared from work one day, causing much concern amongst her employers, who looked everywhere for her. Her neighbours weren’t sure of her whereabouts either; many speculated that she may have fled to her hometown in Tharparkar. A couple of weeks later, Samreen returned to work and resumed her duties. However, she was not as cheerful and active as she used to be and looked confused and irritable. Finally, on much insistence, she revealed to her employer that she had been involved in an intimate relationship with one of her neighbours and had become pregnant. She confided that she had resorted to having an abortion. The abortion itself was a painful and traumatic experience. She complained that there were few facilities around for ill-fated women like herself, and that she was forced to pay an exorbitant amount — Rs 5,000 — for the abortion. (Mehkri, 2002). While reading, listening or watching news scenarios like these, provoke our critical thinking about the causes and consequences of such controversial issues as abortion. In Pakistan as abortion is not allowed so women who want to terminate pregnancy ultimately go for illegal abortion. This causes additional trauma to them. One that of abortion and other that of indulging in illegal action. Why women choose to have abortion? What if they decide to avoid abortion? What are the after affects of abortion? Are women satisfied after an abortion? How could women who had been through abortion be helped out? What should be further done in this regard?

There have been debates about the issue of abortion as a response to unwanted pregnancy. These debates have centered on a series of ethical, religious and other issues concerning the right of the fetus and the mother in situation of unwanted pregnancy. However, there have been some practical evidences that show that women going through abortion face long term psychological and mental health problems. Before describing the psychological effects let us see what abortion is and how many countries allow it to practice. According to Wikipedia encyclopedia (2007), abortion is the removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus from the uterus, resulting in or caused by its death. This can occur spontaneously as a miscarriage, or be artificially induced by chemical, surgical or other means. “54 countries allow abortion, which is about 61 percent of the world population. 97 countries, about 39 percent of the population, have abortion laws that make it illegal according to the pro-abortion Center for Reproductive Law and Policy in New York”.

In Pakistan abortion is opposed by majority of the population due to strong cultural and religious values and the law is also in accordance to public opinion. According to Khan(2006), section 338 of the Pakistan Penal code provides that “Whoever causes a woman with child whose organs have not been formed, to miscarry, if such miscarriage is not caused in good faith for the purpose of saving the life of the woman or providing necessary treatment to her, is said to cause ‘Isqat-i-Haml’” and the punishment is provided by section 338 which states that anyone who causes the Isqat-i-Haml’ is liable to a punishment of three years if the abortion is performed by the woman’s consent otherwise a maximum of ten years.” Abortions being such a burning and controversial issue to thrash out, yet still some women go for abortion. Women going through abortion in our society face more problems as compared to the west and other countries. It is due to a number of reasons. Firstly, the unavailability of such facilities at government hospitals means that it is not in easy access for very one especially for poor people. Secondly, women going through abortion are not appreciated but such action is discouraged by the family members and relatives. Even the society does not accept it normal and consider it unislamic and unethical. Thirdly, the government does not allow it until and unless it is in the best practice of the mother health. Nevertheless, still there are reasons for doing abortions and some woman go for it. In such a situation where no one supports you how would you feel? Stressed, depressed, shameful, guilty, or what? Where would your self esteem go? Of course a number of psychological problems may arise as a result of it.

Abortion hurts women psychologically and emotionally. It is an emotional trauma to women. In a study of post-abortion patients only 8 weeks after their abortion, researchers found that 44% complained of nervous disorders, 36% had experienced sleep disturbances, 31% had regrets about their decision, and 11% had been prescribed psychotropic medicine by their family doctor. The term post-abortion syndrome was first proposed as a variant of PTSD in 1981 by psychotherapist Vincent Rue. PTSD had only been accepted as an official diagnosis by the American Psychiatric Association in the year, 1980. As a trauma specialist, Rue believed that many of the women he was treating for post-abortion reactions were experiencing a constellation of symptoms similar to that of many Viet Nam vets under his care. PAS is often used to describe any negative emotional responses to abortion. (Wikipedia, encyclopedia)

Women going through abortion undergo lot of emotional trauma, affecting their health. Like a post traumatic stress disorder women have unpredictable feelings Rehabilitation of such women is quite important because they may end into long term complications like, alcohol and drug abuse, eating disorders, child neglect and abuse, chronic depression and suicidal thoughts even suicidal attempts. According to Ney, 1999 we must treat the whole family, the wounded mothers, fathers and siblings. The treatment requires facing the most difficult and painful experiences, grieving losses, facing anger, fear and guilt, effecting reconciliation, and learning how to put painful truth into the practice of helping others. Having faced the most difficult truth, post abortion parents are in a position to engage in the painful process of reconciliation. Strong partner and parental support can help women coming out of the stress associated with abortion.

To conclude, abortion is a controversial issue, ethically, religiously and psychosocially. According to Maltin (1993), the issue of abortion is one of the most highly controversial issue facing women today. It is also one of the most important and serious consideration a women may have to make, because the consequences of her decision are irreversible: unlike a husband a child cannot be divorced; unlike a job or carrier a child cannot be changed; unlike a relationship a child cannot be ended. On contrary it must be remembered that pregnancy once terminated women cannot have the same child in her life.