Post-abortion stress is not a myth. Pregnancy care centres respond to hundreds of women every year who voluntarily seek help for negative post-abortion emotions. Many women look for a safe place to speak about their feelings, and pregnancy care centres provide such a safe place.
Emotional responses to abortion vary. They may depend on a woman’s age, the stage of her pregnancy, religious or cultural beliefs, previous mental health, or whether others pressured her into having an abortion.
Each woman experiencing post-abortion stress is met respectfully and provided with the support she is seeking. The nature of support provided is client-led. Support may be one-on-one or in a group setting, providing her with an opportunity to speak about her feelings regarding her abortion experience. If a client requires help beyond the scope of expertise available at the pregnancy care centre, she is referred to a professional counsellor, physician, or community-based mental health service.