Lorretta Sikoski: Abortion does not meet the definition of health care

To The Daily Sun,

The definition of health care taken from the Oxford Dictionary is: the prevention and treatment of disease. Last time I, as a nurse, looked, pregnancy was not considered a disease, therefore the pro-abortion, allegedly pro-women groups who tout abortion as health care are incorrect. While it is a surgical procedure, it does not meet the definition of health care. The purpose of health care as defined by Wikipedia is to enhance the quality of life by enhancing health. Abortion does not meet the defined purpose of health care, therefore it is not health care. Making abortion illegal does not restrict a woman’s access or “right” to health care.

Sadly, the American Psychological Association, in their politics, support abortion. Their website clearly states that "the science says," and I am paraphrasing, that getting an abortion is better for women’s mental health, than having unwanted babies or being denied an abortion. These irresponsible “scientists” don’t even attempt to offer any of the negative results of abortion on women cited in many studies.

Remember, a pregnancy by definition is: having a child or other offspring developing in the body. So therefore we must conclude that having an abortion is killing a child. How can anyone dispute that the killing of one’s own child or offspring will not carry with it emotional baggage for the majority of women who truly understand what they are doing?

At least 38 scientific studies in my research show that abortions cause mental stress, anxiety and some long term effects on the woman. Women who have had abortions are 2.6 times more likely to commit suicide, twice as likely to have sleep disorders, 81% more likely to encounter mental health problems, are at significantly increased risk of drug abuse and alcoholism, and are more likely to commit child abuse with subsequent children born after having had an abortion.

Researching the effects of adoption on parents, grief, anger and sense of loss are the common themes, as one would expect as this is a loss. The difference is parents are offered choices with adoption that do not exist with abortion, including open adoptions in which the parents may play a role in the life of their child.

Lorretta Sikoski

Gilford