I’m 22 weeks pregnant as I sit here and type out my thoughts on the reversal of Roe v. Wade. I’m going to provide some insights into what the Dobbs v. Jackson decision means, but for anyone who doesn’t know, I live in Texas where there is a total abortion ban. Yes, a total ban – meaning, you can’t get an abortion anywhere in the state of Texas.
There are exceptions to this, but the law is written so ambiguously that what might seem like an obvious exception might not be an exception at all. I am also a licensed psychotherapist, a woman, soon to be mother to a daughter, and someone who personally knows individuals who have experienced an abortion.
Without access to safe abortions, the research shows the kind of negative impact this has on individual mental health and is the basis in which I am writing this post.
As I discuss this topic, I may refer to individuals as “birthing and pregnant people” to be inclusive of not just cisgender women and girls, but individuals who are nonbinary, intersex, and transgender men.
What the Law Tells Us:
Dobbs v. Jackson is a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the court held that the Constitution of the United States does not confer the right to an abortion. This means that laws and decisions around access to abortion is now decided upon by our individual states.
In Texas, the decision was made to not allow abortions at all. Dobbs v. Jackson was decided upon in 2022, overturning Roe v. Wade (1973) and Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992), but concerned the constitutionality of a 2018 Mississippi state law that banned most abortion operations after the first 15 weeks of pregnancy.
This law was based on a model by a Christian Legal Organization called “Alliance Defending Freedom” with the specific intent to provoke a legal battle that would reach the Supreme Court and eventually overturn Roe v. Wade.
I want to point out the fact that this really began in 2018; these cases are often set in motion well before the majority of us hear about it.
Impact on Mental Health:
I will be referencing studies based on The New England Journal of Medicine’s article titled “Mental Health Implications of Abortion Restrictions for Historically Marginalized Populations.” It’s important to note that 1 in 4 individuals with the ability to get pregnant will have an abortion at some point.
To begin with, having an abortion does not lead to mental health harm – this fact has been established by the American Psychological Association. The very thing that can negatively impact mental health outcomes is denied abortion care. Denial of this care, and knowing that you’d be denied care in the future, is associated with higher levels of stress, anxiety, and low self-esteem.
People who had an abortion did not have an increased risk of any mental health disorder including depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, PTSD, or substance use disorder; meanwhile individuals who no longer have access to abortion care do experience an increased risk of the these diagnosis’.
Think about it: No matter the reason a person is seeking an abortion, being denied access to one is essentially sending the message of “We don’t care about you or your bodily autonomy.” Have you ever been in a situation where your autonomy was stripped from you? Unfortunately, I have. Like many others, I have experienced sexual assault and rape; although that may seem unrelated to the issue at hand, it’s another example where I wasn’t afforded full bodily autonomy.
Any situation that puts you in a position where your body does not fully belong to you can lead to symptoms of PTSD, depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and suicidal ideation. I see this often in my line of work.
Then there’s the matter of life threatening pregnancy. Birthing and pregnant people who get the devastating news that continuing their pregnancy may quite literally kill them, what are they supposed to do in a state like Texas? Again, it’s the removal of autonomy and the message of “Your unborn child is more important than you.”
For me, personally, I am more important than my pregnancy. If my husband were forced to make a choice between saving me or my unborn child, I’d ask him to choose me every time and I will never apologize for that.
Lastly, we must think of the long-term implications of abortion bans. Individuals who (for example):
- Are experiencing intimate partner violence
- Have unprocessed trauma
- Are not financially prepared to take care of a child
- Don’t want children
- Have not finished their desired level of education
- Are living in poverty
- Are facing systemic opression
- Don’t have a healthy support system
- May be lacking access to physical & mental health care
Will only have an increased risk of continued mental illness in their lifetime. And this isn’t just impacting them; it will impact the children they will be forced to have, and can continue for generations.
When you’re thinking about where your opinion lies on this matter, I encourage you to think about the long term implications.
How to Support:
Here’s a list of ways to support and advocate for the reversal of abortion bans, as well as ways to support the individuals in your life who are experiencing distress over these decisions:
- Educate yourself. Look up your local and state laws, and make informed choices.
- Vote for elected officials who align with your values and propose measures to reverse abortion bans
- Be a welcoming and empathetic support for anyone who may need you. Make your voice loud and let anyone in your life know that you are a safe person to discuss these issues with.
- Take the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) Pledge
- Donate to the Abortion Fund