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Everyone deserves the right to make choices about their own body, and that includes having an abortion.
Unintended pregnancy is common, and making the decision that is right for you can feel complicated often due to stigma and outdated social norms. If you are pregnant and considering having an abortion it’s important to know that abortion care is a safe and normal part of life and should be treated like any other essential healthcare service.
Reproductive rights mean you get to decide if, when and how you have a family. It includes your right to safe childbirth, access to contraception, abortion and so much more (e.g. pleasure!).
Access to abortion is a fundamental part of our reproductive rights and allows people the freedom to make decisions about their own bodies that support their lives, health and wellbeing.
The right to abortion extends far beyond having these services and procedures simply being available: it’s also about them being accessed easily and free from unnecessary barriers like stigma.
What abortion options are there?
“In Australia there are two ways of ending a pregnancy: through medication or a surgical procedure.
The option someone chooses depends on how many weeks pregnant a person is, what services are available, where they live and what their preferences are. It’s important to know that both methods are safe and effective.
Medication abortion involves taking medication to cause a miscarriage. This causes cramping and bleeding which can be mild or severe. This method may need a follow-up appointment to check it has worked. In about 2% of cases an operation may be required if the pregnancy hasn’t completely come away.
Surgical abortion is done in hospital under anaesthetic. It does not need an overnight stay. There may be some cramping and bleeding afterwards.
Regardless of which option you choose or the number of abortions you have – your future fertility and long-term health are very unlikely to be negatively affected.
Reasons people having an abortion
“There are many reasons people might choose to have an abortion and ultimately, it’s nobody’s business why people choose to have abortions. You don’t have to tell anyone about your abortion (unless you want to, which is OK too).
Only healthcare staff need to know about your abortion and those involved in your abortion care.
How do people feel after having an abortion?
“Having an abortion is a deeply personal choice and the feelings associated with an abortion are unique because our reasons and experiences around it will also be unique. A 2020 study found that over time (in this case five years) 99% of participants who had had abortions felt they’d made the right decision[1].
The study was conducted from one-week post abortion with regular data collection points to look at changes in emotions particularly around ‘abortion decision rightness.’
The study found that there wasn’t any evidence of lingering negative emotions or regret – in fact the most common emotion among all participants was relief. Now this doesn’t mean that they didn’t feel other emotions too – you can absolutely be in your feels with things that are happening to your body. What it does show is that feelings towards abortions are personal and shaped by individual experiences, social context and circumstance rather than the abortion procedure itself. Stigma also played a role in how people felt when considering an abortion or after having an abortion rather than the procedure itself.
A common misconception is that people who have an abortion are likely to experience long term negative effects on their emotions or mental health, but evidence suggests otherwise. In fact, a study found that a pregnant person who was denied abortion care was more likely to experience negative emotions than someone who received an abortion [2].
What prevents people from getting an abortion?
There are many factors that make accessing abortions harder than it should be. Inaccessible information and services, cost of care and stigma can all contribute to how, if and when a person seeks an abortion.
“Even though abortion is a common experience all over the world, stigma remains one of the largest barriers in accessing as well as providing abortion services. This can be influenced by outdated social norms, personal beliefs and misinformation.
Treating abortion like any other essential healthcare service and focussing on the facts can break down stigma and reinforce abortion as a safe and normal part of life.
Advocating for better abortion access might feel overwhelming as an individual but each small action we take to reduce stigma can make a collective difference. This isn’t just about abortion but our sexual and reproductive health rights as a whole.
As individuals there’s things we can do to stand up for abortion access and advocate for the right to reproductive choice, including:
- Talking openly about abortion.
- Listening to people’s experiences when they share them with you without judgment.
- Sharing evidence-based information about abortion and the options available.
- Pointing to outdated beliefs and calling out misinformation when we see it.
For more information visit:
- Abortion Laws for Each State in Australia | Children by Choice
- Get the Facts – South Australian Abortion Action Coalition
References:
[1] Rocca, C.H., Samari, G., Foster, D.G., Gould, H. and Kimport, K. (2020). Emotions and decision rightness over five years following an abortion: An examination of decision difficulty and abortion stigma. Social Science & Medicine, [online] 248(112704), p.112704. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.112704.
[2] Myths and facts concerning abortions and mental health. (2024). Psychiatry.Org. https://www.psychiatry.org/News-room/APA-Blogs/Myths-and-Facts-Concerning-Abortions-and-Mental-Health
