Studies conducted over the years, including the prominent Turnaway Study, show that most women who abort their babies do so because they feel pressured to, perhaps by a boyfriend or by family members. Now, Tessa Longbons of the Charlotte Lozier Institute highlights her pro-life organization's peer-reviewed study recently published in the medical journal Cureus.
"What was really striking about our study was that even though many women acknowledged that they thought abortion was the right choice given their circumstances, given their options, it wasn't what they wanted," Longbons relays. "In fact, 60% of the women we surveyed said that they would have preferred to give birth if they had received more emotional support or had more financial security."
Those same women also reported higher levels of subsequent mental health and quality-of-life issues, such as depression. But Longbons points out that there are thousands of places where pregnant women can find the support they need to avoid an unwanted abortion.
"There are nearly 3,000 pregnancy centers nationwide that are offering women and families financial support, material support that they need, but also the counseling and the love to come alongside them and walk with them through difficult situations and make sure that no one feels like they ever have to be alone through something like this," the pro-lifer asserts.
So in addition to uncovering a "hidden epidemic," the Charlotte Lozier Institute believes their study reflects what can happen if people rally around pregnant women and show them that the help and support they crave is readily available.
