For most women and men, abortion is a choice; a choice based on emotional and physical implications. Often a well thought out choice, given the situation, the decision to terminate a pregnancy is never an easy one. A rocky ride of mixed emotions, abortion can evoke conflicting feelings in a couple and their families. So, how can one possibly deal with the prospect of having an abortion? We find out...

Considered an act akin to murder in some cultures, abortion can be a mixed bag of emotions – traditional versus personal. 

It is important to prepare yourself for an abortion. In order to prepare yourself for an abortion, one has to come to terms with the circumstances of the pregnancy and choice of termination. If you are guilty or confused about your feelings beforehand, the feeling may continue.

Do note that it is not necessary that a woman, or her partner, will always feel depressed after an abortion. However, if you have experienced depression before, the feeling is likely to return. Speak to someone you trust, besides talking about it with your partner thoroughly. Get pre-abortion counselling from a specially-trained counsellor, if need be. 

Take time. After an abortion, it is important to keep on talking to people you have trusted with this decision. Never feel embarrassed to turn to them. Some women might take longer than others to deal with an abortion. However, no matter how you feel, give yourself enough time and space to make sense of your emotions and deal with them in a way best suited to your life's circumstances. 

Familial support makes a difference. Familial support can help a couple sail through the abortion phase. Often unapproved by parents or in-laws, who hold a traditional outlook, abortion can evoke different emotions in different women. Even though it is a relatively painless procedure, mental unrest plays a big role. A tough phase on both - the woman and her partner, an abortion can lead to either a feeling of ‘absence’  or a feeling of knowing that you have taken the right decision. However, both paths will still need the woman to come to terms with the decision, whether right or wrong for her.  

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