Abortion

The decision to have an abortion is not an easy one, and it is not the right decision for every pregnant woman, even in difficult circumstances. Every situation is different. Women considering abortion range from nine to 55 years old. They are rich and poor; married and unmarried; white, black, brown, yellow and red; members of every religious group and ethnic origin; heterosexual and homosexual. Some have no-one to talk to and others have too many people talking to them. Some are in danger from physical, sexual and emotional abuse. This work is designed for women who are considering whether or not to have an abortion, women who have had an abortion and want to do more thinking about it, and relatives, mates, lovers, friends and health professionals who want to help the woman they care for make the best possible choices for themselves. Partners in relationships, families and friends, as well as pregnant women themselves, deserve to have accurate information about this common, but controversial, procedure, information they can use to make both personal and policy decisions; this book aims to contain that information. The book discusses: the practice of abortion in other times and places, and practical information about how it is practiced now; some of the present laws and how to find out which laws apply where you live and other places to which you might go if necessary; the attitudes of major North American religious groups about abortion, and how to obtain more specific information about the approaches of your religion to your situation; information about the medical and psychological outcomes of abortion; the alternatives to abortion, delivering the baby and either caring for it yourself or allowing someone else to provide the parenting; and the needs and concerns of women in special circumstances, and of women's loved ones. Most importantly, it will help you think through and carry out your own decision, whatever it is.

Nada L. Stotland, M.D., M.P.H., is Professor at the Department of Psychiatry and Obstetrics/Gynecology at Rush Medical College in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Stotland has published many articles and several books on women�s health, has lectured widely in the United States and other countries, and has appeared on Larry King Live and Oprah. She currently serves as President of the Women�s Caucus of the American Psychiatric Association and President-Elect of the Association of Women Psychiatrists.