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Post-Abortion Stress (PAS)

Know the Facts About PAS
Who is at Risk for PAS
How to Tell if You Have PAS
One Woman's Journey Through PAS
Where to Get Help

Know The Facts: Post Abortion Stress (PAS)

After an abortion, some women experience strong negative reactions or feelings. Sometimes this occurs within days and sometimes it happens after many years. This is called Post-Abortion Stress or Post-Abortion Syndrome (PAS).

Post-abortion stress happens when a woman is not given the opportunity to acknowledge her feelings and grieve the loss(es) associated with an abortion. Family members, friends and men involved with the woman who has had an abortion may also experience PAS.

Symptoms may include:

Feelings of sadness, regret, guilt, depression
Suicidal thoughts and self-destructive actions
Struggles with turning off feelings and memories related to the abortion
Extreme distress when around babies or pregnant women
Anniversary reactions on the baby's due date and/or abortion date
The inability to forgive yourself and others involved in the abortion
Difficulty in maintaining meaningful relationships
Increased use of alcohol and/or drugs

Who is At Risk?

Anyone who has lost a child through abortion can experience post-abortion stress. However, there are circumstances that may put a person at a higher risk. The more factors involved, the higher the chances are to experience PAS.

Listed below are some of the conditions:

If you felt forced or pressured to have the abortion
Question if you made the "right" decision
Feel you must keep the abortion a "deep, dark secret"
The abortion was in your second or third trimester
You come from a religious or spiritual background
You have a history of past trauma or past losses in your life (like another abortion)

Reprinted from Post Abortion Peer Counseling, Peer Counselor's Manual, 1998.

» Men at Risk

How Do I Know If I have PAS?

Do you find yourself experiencing the following?

Struggle to turn off feelings connected to your abortion, telling yourself over and over to forget about it.
When abortion is mentioned in public, your body reacts physically (tightened stomach muscles, clenched jaw, holding your breath).
Physical reminders of your abortion affect you like babies, pregnant women and baby clothes.
Certain times of the year you find yourself depressed, such as the anniversary date of the abortion or the would-be birth date.
Feel anger or resentment towards those connected with the abortion (boyfriend, husband, parents, doctor, etc.).
You feel empty and depressed or have suicidal thoughts.
Work hard to make your education, career or relationship a success to prove the abortion was worth it and that you made the right choice.
Tend to look at your life in terms of "before" or "after" the abortion.
If you have children, do you smother them with love or overprotect them?
If you do not have children, do you fear that you will never be able to have them?

If you answered, "yes" to some or all of these questions, you may be experiencing post-abortion stress.

Know that you are not alone. At the Shady Grove Pregnancy Center, we understand the emotional pain and suffering you may be experiencing. We offer specialized post-abortion counseling to anyone who wishes to come to terms with their past abortion. The first step is always the hardest, but we are here to help.

Reprinted from Women in Ramah: A Post-Abortion Study; 1990.