When a woman performs an abortion and kills a life, she is six times more likely to commit suicide than she would have been if she gave birth. And in this area of the consequences of abortion, teens are at the most risk: teens are twice as likely to commit suicide after an abortion than an adult woman who did an abortion. If you're a sixteen year old who performed an abortion, you were not prepared to have yourself violated like that. It honestly would change your perspective about life, people, and more importantly, yourself. Recently, I've heard a rumor about a girl I went to elementary and middle school with. I noticed I never saw her around anymore, and out of curiosity, asked my friends what happened to her. Expecting something as simple as moving away or transferring to a different school to be the reason for her absence, I received the unexpected truth: she became pregnant, got an abortion, and is now currently home-schooling. Knowing who she hung out with and the clothes she wore (yes I'll admit I did judge her but who doesn't in middle school), I wasn't entirely surprised that it was her who this happened to. But I wondered why she chose to do home-schooling and just concluded that she was too ashamed to show her face. Although I never talked to her about it, I could see how it could relate to what I learned. She was a bit on the flirty side with a lot of guy friends, but she was still young and bright and dependent on her family and others around her. I can't imagine how embarrassing and shameful it must have been for a young teen age girl to have to go through an abortion. Talking about abortion is one thing, but imagine having to physically go through the operation with doctors around you, and probably feeling the judgment of others bashing on you.
I think abortion has led younger people to care less about their sexuality and caution: along with pregnancy pills and condoms, abortion was another path for women to avoid motherhood. They would take other birth controls first, but if they did make a mistake, "I'll just get an abortion." I've heard it. People talk about it like it's nothing. It's another shield of protection from becoming a parent. But actually coming to the point where you went so far into your mistake that your last resort from protecting your own future was to kill a growing life, it's a lot for one to think about; especially a young teenage girl. And even though it saves you from the burden of taking care of another life, it gives you the burden over the guilt that you've just killed a potential life within you.
Reflection: This really gave me another perspective about abortion. I've only been focusing on what it is or isn't and about the thinking and mentality that contributes to the decision making, but I never considered what could happen to a woman after she did an abortion. And I think this also should be another thing for a woman considering abortion should think about. What do you think would happen after an abortion? Would you be confident in saying that you don't care about what the fetus is and you want no part of it (literally and figuratively)? Are you willing to take control of another's powerless life and sacrifice its own for the sake of yours? Know who you are and what you value more, and know the consequences of abortion before making the decision. Because a woman's regret and guilt can be just as strong of a burden as raising a child.