Here's What Happens to (Poor) Women Who Are Denied Abortions

[Starry Messenger]

http://jezebel.com/heres-what-happens-to-poor-women-who-are-denied-abor-512851979

<snip>

Until recently, there was essentially no data on "turnaways" — women who get turned away from abortion clinics and so are forced to carry an unwanted pregnancy to term — and how they fare over time. That's why Diana Greene Foster, a demographer and an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of California, San Francisco, launched a study to ask these questions, according to the NYT: "What ... were the consequences of having to carry an unwanted pregnancy to term? Did it take a higher psychological or economic toll than having an abortion? Or was the reverse true — did the new baby make up for any social or financial difficulties?" Foster began by working with a local abortion clinic who would send women over who were too far along to get an abortion. The ongoing study currently encompasses 30 clinics from 21 states across the country.

<snip>

Turnaways experienced more devastatingly negative outcomes in their physical health and economic stability, particularly the latter:

Economically, the results are even more striking. Adjusting for any previous differences between the two groups, women denied abortion were three times as likely to end up below the federal poverty line two years later. Having a child is expensive, and many mothers have trouble holding down a job while caring for an infant. Had the turnaways not had access to public assistance for women with newborns, Foster says, they would have experienced greater hardship.

That's why we wish the piece had delved deeper into the multitude of issues barring poor women from accessing reproductive health care. There's basically just this:

There are many reasons women are turned away from an abortion clinic — lack of funds (many insurance plans don’t cover abortion) or obesity (excess weight can make the procedure more complicated) — but most simply arrive too late. Women cite not recognizing their pregnancies, travel and procedure costs, insurance problems and not knowing where to find care as common reasons for delay. These are the women for whom “society has the absolute least sympathy,” Foster acknowledges.

[niyad]

1. k and r

[Stargleamer]

2. K and R!

[tosh]

3. These cases will increase

in numbers as these RED state idiots continue to force clinics out of business.

"...most simply arrive too late. Women cite not recognizing their pregnancies, travel and procedure costs, insurance problems and not knowing where to find care as common reasons for delay.

[historylovr]

4. K & R!

[ReRe]

5. K&R

What are the consequences when it's too late to have an abortion (after the first trimester)? And what if it happens over and over and over again, for the same lady? It's a fucking nightmare for the mother and all those kids, that's what it is. But in this age, there should be no "turnaways." Or at least there should only be one. That woman should be given birth control or have a tubal ligation as soon as that child is born. It is abhorrent to think that we might have a problem with unwanted pregnancies still. This is the effing 21st century, for Pete's sake! Thanks for the OP, Starry Messenger.

[BrotherIvan]

6. Totally agree

Birth control is so hard to obtain and so damned expensive in this country it is appalling. We do not care for people at all and so many women must suffer for it. I thought this would be resolved in my lifetime but it is only going backward. And in the last 20 years, I don't see birth control getting more advanced. Why aren't we at 100% effectiveness yet? Why don't we have the male pill? Why are tubal ligations considered elective surgery? So much sadness...

[DCKit]

7. K&R and I'll STFU

Y'all said it all.

[Kath1]

8. Contraception and abortion services should be available and affordable for all U.S. women.

It is appalling that they are not. Unwanted pregnancies are devastating for poor women Contrary to what the RW anti-choice crowd would have you believe, most women do not regret abortion. I have friends who had abortions and they have gone on to live very fulfilling and guilt-free lives. In some cases it saved their lives. I cannot believe we still have to have this discussion. God damn, this is 2013, not 1613!