Gaylene was 14 when she became pregnant. Too embarrassed to go directly to her parents, she turned to her high school guidance counselor for advice. She writes:
[The school counselor] was sympathetic and understanding. He felt there was no need to worry my family. He also explained about having a child, how tough it would be on me and that I wouldn't be able to do what I wanted to do. He said that the child would suffer because I was much too young to be a parent. He pointed out that the best thing for me to do was to abort the fetus at this stage so no one would be hurt. No mention was made of talking to my parents about this or carrying the baby to term. He indicated that adoption would be difficult and not an option for me.
. . . I felt as though I had no control over what was happening to me. I started to question what I was doing, but in my logic I'd refer back to what the counselor had told me, and then I would think he was right. But still today, I feel like I did not decide to have the abortion.(1) Gaylene's traumatic reaction to her abortion experience included suicide attempts, alcoholism, drugs, crime, involvement in a cult and a major break with her family.
Sadly, Gaylene's story is not unique. In the United States, one out of every three abortion patients is a teenager. For teens, the possibility of developing psychological and emotional problems after abortion is substantially higher than for more mature women.(2)
One reason that teenagers are more vulnerable is because their psychological defense mechanisms are not fully developed. Their emotional immaturity leaves them more susceptible to events and circumstances that can profoundly damage their view of the world, other people, and themselves. Consequently, abortion can be especially harmful for teens because this major, traumatic experience occurs at a critical time in the development of their self-identity.(3)
Researchers have found that teenagers who have abortions face a number of higher risks. For example, teens are more likely to feel pressured into their abortions, to report being misinformed in pre-abortion counseling and to experience more severe psychological stress after abortion.(4)
They are also more likely to experience more intense feelings of guilt, depression and isolation after an abortion.(5) In addition, while suicidal tendencies are higher for all women after abortion, teens are at an even greater risk for post-abortion suicide.(6)
Many teens are simply not mature enough to understand the information they need to make such a life-impacting choice. As a result, they are at best only able to provide "misinformed" consent to an abortion.
For full text and more information view:
http://www.afterabortion.org/PAR/V8/n1/teensabortion.html