Alpha Center Condemns APA Statement on Abortion

PRESS RELEASE
August 14, 2008
Contact: Kimberly Martinez
Phone: 605.361.3500

After two years of “evaluating” other studies, the American Psychological Association (APA) came to the conclusion that a woman who has one abortion does not suffer significant mental-health problems. The report, however, leaves room to conclude that having more than one abortion does have significant mental-health repercussions.

The report was based on other studies that were biased in favor of abortion and did not quantify the number of women likely to be affected by abortion. However, the general consensus among medical science scholars is that a minimum of 10 to 30 percent of women who have elective abortions suffer prolonged, negative psychological consequences including depression, anxiety disorders, substance abuse and suicide ideation.

“I challenge any reporter or APA member to sit down with 100 post-abortive women and look into our eyes. Their report is a blatant disregard for women who are in abortion recovery,” said Leslee Unruh, founder of the Alpha Center, a crisis pregnancy center in Sioux Falls, SD.

Sixty percent of elective abortions are either repeat abortions or those in which the women are pressured to have one, reported CitizenLink, an online publication of Focus on the Family.

The APA is ignoring the millions of women whose psychological needs are not being addressed; they are emphasizing what Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers have said all along – it’s no big deal, it’ll only hurt for a moment.