The theory of Post Abortion Syndrome
The main contentions of PAS as a description and theory of abortion psychological sequelae are as follows. First that there is evidence of women post-abortion exhibiting an extreme negative psychological response.
The symptoms are defined as long-lasting and recurring. The symptoms that are said to characterise this response are:
'..sadness/sorrow, depression, anger or guilt, surprise at the intensity of their emotional reaction, preoccupation with the aborted child, a low self-image, repression and discomfort at being around babies or young children, flashbacks of the abortion experience, feelings of 'craziness', thoughts of suicide, nightmares related to the abortion, perceived visitations from the aborted child, hallucinations related to the abortion. The date upon which the child would have been born and anniversaries of both the operation and the 'would-have-been' birthday become focal points for Post Abortion Trauma Syndrome symptoms.'(2)
The second is that this response to abortion should be categorised as a form of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Society should perceive PAS as a definable, severe, psychological condition. It should be borne in mind that what is being suggested here is that there is evidence of something akin to psychosis, exhibited by women, which is attributable to termination of pregnancy.
Thirdly that this recognition of the extreme, negative psychological effects of abortion should lead to a refutation of the argument that legal abortion is justified on the grounds of benefit to women's health. In fact, advocates of the theory of PAS argue that the advent of legal abortion has been a set-back for women. They suggest that it has created a situation where thousands women suffer negative psychological consequences as result being able to terminate pregnancy. In Britain, under the 1967 Abortion Act, abortion can be provided legally if two doctors agree 'that the pregnancy has not exceeded its twenty-fourth week, and that the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated, of injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman or any existing children'.(3) The proponents of PAS argue that this ground cannot be met, because abortion damages women psychologically. Hence abortion should not be legal on these grounds.