Imagine yourself in your dorm or apartment bathroom. You’re sitting on the seat of your toilet, and in your hands there’s a home pregnancy test showing a pink plus sign. What would you do?
There are few topics more loaded than abortion. Close to 40 years after Roe v. Wade legalized abortion nationwide, the debate still rages. Politicians preach and push for changing abortion laws, pro-choice and pro-life rallies continue, and pamphlets and websites spout statistics and powerful rhetoric.
Yet despite this abundance of information, we don’t like to actually think about abortion. At least not as something that could happen to us. Most of us know (or at least have a pretty good idea) where we stand on the issue as a legal or political controversy. But no matter your views on abortion in a theoretical sense, what if you found yourself actually faced with such a serious decision? What if your best friend did? Can you really know what you would feel, think, or do in that situation?
This is the exact dilemma that many college women face every year. According to a 2008 study about 20 percent of women (that’s one in five) will have an abortion by the time she is 25. It’s hard to know exactly how many of those abortions occur in college-age women, but some statistics estimate as many as 45 percent. It makes sense: college is notorious for sex, but few college women are emotionally or financially prepared to raise a baby.
The laws
Abortion is a legal procedure, and a safe one if it is done correctly with the help and guidance of a trained physician.
If you’re in college, chances are you’re 18 or older, which means you can make the decision to get an abortion without your parents’ permission. But if you are under 18, your state may require consent or notification from your parents to have an abortion – although in many states, a judge can excuse you from this requirement. Planned Parenthood’s website lists the requirements for parental consent by state.
The decision
Every woman who has had an abortion first had to make the decision. And for many of these women, this is by far the toughest part.
“I’m in college and couldn’t afford or deal with the fact that I was pregnant,” says Tammy, a senior at UNC-Chapel Hill who had an abortion a year ago. “I knew an abortion would be the only way for me personally. I was scared at first, and in denial that this was actually happening for a while. But once I went to the clinic, the staff answered all my questions and made me feel very comfortable.”
The decision is easier for some than it is for others. Alexis, a senior at UC-Irvine, chose to have an abortion at 18 because she was a victim of abuse. “If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be where I am today, away from my abuser, safe, and helping hundreds of other women stay out of abusive relationships and get ahead in the world,” she says. “I am so glad I made the decision, and I know that it is very common among young women, just never really mentioned.”
For those who haven’t faced an unplanned pregnancy, it can be difficult to imagine what you would do in that situation. For religious, personal or family reasons, many find it hard to imagine going through with an abortion.
“I have always said I could never get an abortion, but I have no idea what I would feel if I got pregnant right now,” says Kathryn, a junior at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. “I know I don’t want a baby right now because I have so many things I want to accomplish. Of course while I’m not pregnant, it’s easy to say that I would never get one. But, I wonder if I did get pregnant if I would consider it.”
Many realize that, in the case of an unplanned pregnancy, getting an abortion would be a serious consideration. “I would consider getting one because there is a lot more I want to do with my life,” says Anna, a senior at Duke University. “If I were older, in love with my partner, felt like he would support me, etc. I would consider keeping the baby because I really don’t like the idea of getting an abortion, but otherwise I would feel that I would need to do it for my own sanity. I am just not even prepared to get prepared to raise a kid.”
For any woman dealing with an unplanned pregnancy, Planned Parenthood provides information on adoption and pre-natal care, as well as abortion. “We provide unbiased, non-directive options counseling,” says Paige Johnson, vice president of public affairs for Planned Parenthood of Central North Carolina. “For every woman who comes in, she receives counseling about all of her pregnancy options and what services are available to help her through all of those choices.”
[pagebreak]
The procedure
Once a woman has made the decision to have an abortion, she will need her healthcare provider to walk her through the process. There are two types of abortions: the abortion pill and the in-clinic abortion. Both are extremely effective.
If you are nine weeks pregnant or less, the abortion pill is an option. After consulting with a healthcare provider, you take the abortion pill at home. The cost ranges from $350-$650, and it works like an induced miscarriage: you will experience heavy bleeding and cramps, and other common side effects include dizziness, fever or nausea.
“The procedure was expensive, but easy,” says Tammy. “I took a couple of pills one night while I was alone at home, and it was like a heavy period. It felt like major cramps, but I didn’t feel any nausea or anything outside of a heavy period. The staff at the clinic explained everything really well and prepared me for the procedure thoroughly.”
In-clinic procedures, which can be performed into the second trimester, can cost anywhere from $350 to $950. “The majority of comprehensive health insurance plans cover abortion care at this point,” says Johnson. However your coverage depends on your plan. But if you’re on your parents’ health insurance and want to keep the abortion confidential, you would need to pay the full amount. “A huge number of our patients choose to pay out of pocket,” says Johnson. “I think confidentiality is a concern for a lot of people.”
Conny, a senior at Amherst College, volunteered at Planned Parenthood during high school and witnessed two in-clinic abortions.
“I was there in the pre-abortion session when they talked to them about the procedure, did an ultrasound and let them know about all the post-abortion services, such as counseling and medical support,” she says.
During the “aspiration abortion”—the most common type of in-clinic abortion—doctors use dilators to open the cervix and a suction device to empty the uterus. Sedation and numbing medication are used to lessen the pain. The procedure itself only takes about five to 10 minutes—not including the preparation and recovery time.
“Both women appeared to be in a fair amount of pain, despite the drugs and anesthesia,” Conny says. “Afterward, I walked with them to the recovery room where they were set up with a heating pad and a comfortable chair to be monitored for a certain period afterwards. They then had to be driven home by someone else.”
Both options are safe and rarely have complications. “As long as it’s legal and women seek care early, it’s the safest outpatient medical procedure,” says Johnson. “Childbirth is about 11 times as risky. What’s really important is that once a woman knows that she does not want to maintain the pregnancy, that she seeks care as early as possible.”
But as with any medical procedure there are risks. Infection, injury to the cervix and blood clots in the uterus are all possible risks following an abortion. It’s important to talk to your doctor and ask any questions you have. Learn about what to expect and how to know if something isn’t right.
[pagebreak]
Emotional Health
Jennica, a sophomore at Syracuse University, didn’t need to deliberate much about her decision to have an abortion: She barely knew the father. “It was, unfortunately, an easy decision,” she says. But the emotional effects of an abortion don’t stop there. Jennica was surprised by her emotional reaction after the fact, despite how secure she was in her decision. “It was way more upsetting than I thought it would be,” she says. “I still get emotional when I look at babies, and it was a while ago.”
Mary, a freshman at UNC-Chapel Hill, never considered the emotional impact until she watched a friend deal with the emotional effects of having an abortion. “She had one because she was in school and definitely not prepared in any sense of the word to be a mother,” Mary says. “I hadn’t thought about it until my friend had one, but now I don’t know if I could deal with all the emotions that accompany having an abortion.”
When dealing with an abortion, you are bound to go through emotional periods. Recent studies have shown that depression is no more common in women who have abortions than women who have babies, but it’s important to understand your feelings so that you can work through them.
“I am sometimes guilty about my decision, just because my partner doesn’t know,” says Tammy. “But in the long run I still think it was the right thing to do. I am so thankful for the staff at the clinic for supporting me and continuing to check up on my emotional state. They really saved my life.”
No woman wants to face an unplanned pregnancy. But if sex is a part of your life, then pregnancy could be too. Abortion, adoption, or motherhood – it’s important to consider what you would do in that situation.
Most importantly, if you are dealing with an unplanned pregnancy or abortion, you are not alone. Go to your local Planned Parenthood or check out these websites for information and support:
- www.plannedparenthood.org — general information, find a center near you
- http://www.4exhale.org — support for women who have had abortions
- www.optionline.com — unplanned pregnancy resources
Sources:
Paige Johnson, vice president of public affairs for Planned Parenthood of Central North Carolina
Anonymous college women
Web sources:
http://www.plannedparenthood.
http://www.emedicinehealth.
http://healthland.time.com/
http://www.johnstonsarchive.
http://www.azrtl.org/