While I don’t think legislation surrounding restricting abortion will ever become a reality in Canada, I would like to see legislation that sets out certain requirements for education (i.e. TRULY informed choice) and counselling of women considering abortion. There are risks to abortion that women need to be aware of, such as potential depression and a 25% chance of future sterility; there are also pros and cons to raising a child or to placing a child for adoption. Right now it is too easy for this information to be glossed over, and an appointment for an abortion scheduled by the doctor without adequate information being given to the woman. I think this is a very important issue for women’s health, particularly as once a procedure is easily accessed and paid for by health care it becomes “normalized,” and often can result in a lack of information or real weighing of the decision.

I volunteered in a crisis pregnancy center, and I thought the organization did a really good job of presenting women who came into the center with actual facts regarding the pros and cons of each potential decision (abortion, adoption, raising the child). Another important aspect of counselling is to ask the woman what her values and beliefs are: a woman who has thought in the past that abortion is wrong, or who thinks of a fetus as a baby, but due to her present circumstances feels that abortion is her only choice, is much more likely to experience negative psychological consequences. Women who feel that someone else actually made the decision for them (boyfriend, parents, doctor, or whoever), who did not feel they had all the facts before making the decision, and who did not feel they had enough time to make the decision are also more likely to experience negative psychological consequences. Statistically, women who are least likely to experience negative emotional consequences from abortion are those who make a lot of money, don’t feel that outside pressures are forcing their decision, and who have a sense that life is all about “me” or are more self-centered than the average woman.

I hope that in time the issue of abortion in Canada will come to be about women’s health, just as it is currently (on the pro-choice side anyway) about women’s choice. If the issue of abortion is about women, then it should really be about women, and there should be structures in place to protect women and promote good health.

Kathy
katsyfga.wordpress.com