My Daughter Wants an Abortion

If you’ve discovered your daughter is considering abortion, your support and informed voice can be crucial as she navigates this time in her life. It is important you and your daughter take sufficient time to process the situation. Following are steps you can take as a parent.

Understand why your daughter wants an abortion

Opening the lines of communication with your daughter who is considering abortion can be very beneficial to each of you. It is important to spend time listening so you understand her perspective. There may be underlying reasons you did not know about. Remember, you both may be in a state of heightened emotion. Your calm voice can help her think through the matter clearly so she can decide what is best.

You may discover she wants to abort because of challenges that can be overcome. For example, she may want an abortion because she did not think she would have her parents’ support. Or she may perceive financial or life goal challenges that you may be able to help with. She may have misconceptions about parenting or adoption. Being supportive and understanding is important as you listen to her.

Be informed about abortion

Your informed voice can help your daughter make an informed decision. Encourage her of the importance of obtaining an ultrasound. The information she will obtain from the ultrasound is important for her health. The ultrasound will show:

• The location of her pregnancy. If her pregnancy has implanted anywhere outside the uterus she could have an ectopic pregnancy. When a potential ectopic pregnancy is suspected, she would be advised to seek immediate medical attention. An untreated ectopic pregnancy could cause a rupture. If your daughter is considering taking the abortion pill, it could be especially dangerous to her if her pregnancy is ectopic. The FDA warns the abortion pill “will not be effective to terminate an ectopic pregnancy.” 
• The gestational age. This is determined by measuring the dimensions of the pregnancy. Knowing the gestational age of her pregnancy could affect your daughter’s decision. Different abortion procedures are only available through certain gestational ages.
• The viability of her pregnancy. If a heartbeat cannot be detected, it is possible she may naturally miscarry. In this case, she would be advised to follow up with her physician, and she would avoid an unnecessary abortion procedure.

Knowing abortion risks and side effects

Abortion is a serious procedure. Whether by pill or surgery, abortion side effects can include abdominal pain, fever, vaginal discharge, and bleeding.

Other possible risks with a surgical abortion (including vacuum, D&C/D&E methods), include:

• Perforation of the uterus
• Damage to cervix
• Scar tissue on uterine wall, which can “make it hard to get pregnant” in the future
• Infection
• Tissue remaining in the uterus
• Blood clots

According to the Mayo Clinic and RxList, abortion pill side effects include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Fever
• Chills
• Diarrhea
• Headache
• Pain in abdomen, chest, breasts, muscles, back and joints
• Anemia
• Gastrointestinal bleeding
• Uterine rupture, which increases with gestational age

Many studies have identified other long-term risks with abortion, including:

• An analysis of dozens of studies concluded that induced abortion was an “independent risk factor for preterm birth” (PTB).
• Many peer-reviewed and published medical studies have shown a link between induced abortion and an increased risk of breast cancer.
• Studies have concluded that abortion is connected to “increased risk of mental health disorders.”
• A woman getting an abortion without knowing her blood’s “Rh factor” could jeopardize future pregnancies.

What can I do next for my daughter who wants an abortion?

Know you are not alone in this journey. The first step for your daughter is to obtain a pregnancy screening. She may welcome your referral to a medical professional or having you accompany her to her appointment. At Waterleaf Women’s Center, we offer no-cost pregnancy testing and ultrasound, and no insurance is required. At your daughter’s appointment, she will have the opportunity to speak with licensed medical professionals about her questions and concerns.  We are also here for you as a parent, if you have any questions or need someone to speak with about your daughter’s pregnancy. Call or text us confidentially today at 630-360-2256 or through our online form. We are here to help you!