Abortion drug harm foreseen

Legalization of the abortion-causing drug, RU-486, will lead to an increased need for programs that help people deal with the long- and short-term emotional effects of abortion, says the Green Bay Diocese's coordinator of Project Rachel.

Vicky Gossens, a social worker for Catholic Social Services, directs the program that provides post-abortion healing for women and men.

RU-486 was approved by the FDA in September. Its use can result in a chemically induced miscarriage in fetuses younger than seven weeks old.

Gossens says there has been a rising need for counseling among women who have had surgical abortions since the U.S. Supreme Court's Roe vs. Wade decision legalizing abortion in January 1973.

Many women who choose abortion may experience intense sorrow and grief that can surface at any time, through a variety of symptoms, including depression, anxiety, addictions or eating disorders, Gossens says.

Because RU-486 could make abortion even more available, it will lead to an increased number of women struggling with these issues, she says. And while taking two pills sounds easier than a surgical abortion, the experience could be just as traumatic, she says.

Information found on websites for both the pro-abortion side - www.naral.org - and the pro-life side - www.prolifewisconsin.org - say the possibility exists that the patient will be somewhere other than a clinic or hospital when the abortion and its aftermath takes place.

A woman could literally be anywhere - alone, with other children, shopping, in the car, or in school, when the actual abortion occurs, Gossens says.

Then, says researcher Lawrence Roberge in his paper RU-486: The Hidden Effects, the patient will have to decide for herself if any complications warrant a return visit to the clinic or the emergency room. The ability to make a healthy decision could be hampered by guilt, the desire to keep the abortion secret, or transportation problems, he says.

The patient also will have to deal with the possible physical and emotional trauma of abortion on her own.

And, it is not just the woman who is affected. Everyone involved with an abortion may struggle with it at some point, says Gossens, referring to the would-be father or grandparents, or the friend who encouraged the abortion.

Project Rachel provides non-judgmental, non-political help for all involved.

We're not a part of the political or moral debate, Gossens says. Many people think that because we are a Catholic program, and the Catholic Church opposes abortion, that we're going to make them feel ashamed or judge them. That is just not the case. We help people regardless of their faith. Project Rachel is about finding peace after the fact.

Bp. Robert Banks, said the diocese has long taken part in Project Rachel because, "For some people, the wound is so deep that they need help to forgive themselves and feel they are worthy of God's forgiveness."

Speaking to women who have had abortion in his recent encyclical, Evangelium Vitae ("The Gospel of Life"), Pope John Paul said "the church is aware of the many factors which may have influenced your decision, and she does not doubt that in many cases it was a painful and even shattering decision. ... Certainly what happened was and remains terribly wrong. But do not give in to discouragement and do not lose hope. Try rather to understand what happened and face it honestly."

Project Rachel was originated in 1985 in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee because of the tremendous difficulty some women and men have had in dealing with the feelings of depression, anger, grief, resentment, shame, guilt or denial that can follow an abortion and which can last for years.

With the potential of even more people needing emotional healing, Gossens is trying to increase awareness that help is available. We want to educate everyone, including people who have been affected directly and indirectly, as well as the medical and mental health professionals, about the potential for post-abortion stress. Knowing whether or not a patient has an abortion in his/her past can be critical to understanding their emotional make-up.

For more information on Project Rachel, contact Catholic Social Services.

Warning signs Here are some signs that a person is suffering from post-abortion stress: -- Reluctance to talk about the subject of abortion, or feelings of guilt, anger or sorrow when discussing her own abortion. -- A tendency to think of life in terms of before and after the abortion. -- Lingering feelings of resentment or anger toward people involved in the abortion, such as the baby's father, friends, or parents. -- Avoiding relationships, or becoming overly dependent on them, since the abortion. -- Feeling overly protective of or difficulty bonding with her living children. -- Increased use of drugs or alcohol, or the onset of an eating disorder, since the abortion. -- Experience of an emptiness, a deep sense of loss, or prolonged periods of depression. -- Experience of nightmares, flashbacks, or hallucinations relating to the abortion.