What is Post-Abortion Syndrome (PAS)?

It shows up through psychological struggles and mental health issues women face after an abortion. It usually stays under the radar for 5 to 10 years—then, suddenly, the guilt, grief, and shame just start hitting all at once. You lose your confidence, feel a weird repulsion toward men, and deal with this overwhelming sense of despair, constant flashbacks to the day it happened, and in many cases, depression or even suicidal thoughts. Getting past the denial is really the first step toward healing. Has anyone here actually dealt with this? Anyone working in this field—have you even heard this specific term used before? P.S.—I’m not trying to start some massive moral debate about whether abortion is right or wrong; we've all heard enough of that already. I'm not saying people don't talk enough about miscarriage either—you can never talk too much about that—but that's not what this is about. This is specifically about the potential direct aftermath of a procedure that's already done, and I'm looking for real experiences or maybe even names of clinics or specialists who can help women navigate this.

Wait, so you start a thread asking what X is, and then you serve us the definition 5 to 10 years later? Hello? Your entire explanation feels like some kind of delayed-onset PTSD. If we're talking about experts, we mean psychologists and psychiatrists, but this whole thing you're writing smells like pure politics.

Alexander Lewis said:Wait, you start a thread about X just to lecture us on definitions? Five to ten years later? Seriously? Your whole explanation feels like some kind of delayed PTSD. You say "experts," but you mean psychologists—this whole thing smells like politics to me.

Look, I laid out a definition because I wanted to see how many people actually know about this—specifically the women who have lived through it. PAS is basically like PTSD; it’s a syndrome that shows up through a specific set of symptoms and reactions. Post-traumatic syndromes don't just happen after a war, you know. And even then, PTSD doesn't always hit immediately—so your "delayed" comment misses the point entirely. My goal was simple: figure out how much awareness there actually is and how we can help women caught in these situations.

p.s. 5-10 is a joke. Honestly, it’s not even hard to see how things could change if you actually bother to use some logic for once.

I first heard all this back in high school religion class. The whole idea was that women end up being mentally fragile because of it. Apparently, it hits them hardest during the anniversary of the procedure. Looking at the women I know who’ve gone through an abortion, I guess it really just depends on their personality. Some don't even give it a second thought, some talk about it constantly, and others hide it away like a dark secret. I actually know one woman who struggled with some pretty serious mental health issues afterward, though I honestly can't say for sure if that was caused by the procedure itself or something else.
And yeah, I can't help but feel like those women aren't ever truly happy. At least, from everything I've heard about those who have done it. But hey, that's just my take, right?
I just believe they go through so much! Every living thing has a moral compass, and in situations like this, it's so hard to just shake it off and say, "Well, it was my choice" or "I had every right." But, ugh, I don't want to sound like I'm preaching.

It is definitely NOT true that there’s such a massive delay in how this manifests... speaking from my own experience, I can tell you it's actually the exact opposite.

I went through that nightmare myself. Due to medical complications, I had to terminate a pregnancy at nearly five months... and it absolutely broke me.

The symptoms hit immediately... they were terrifying, and I won't bore everyone here with the details... it even landed me in a psychiatrist's office. I'm still trying to pull myself together (though I find myself constantly wondering "...where did it go?"). To be honest, I’d never even heard the term PTSD before this. I was diagnosed with classic PTSD... because, let's face it, it isn't just reserved for war trauma.

...and yeah, those women are definitely not happy... especially if they felt "forced" into that position after already experiencing the beauty of pregnancy and childbirth.

I ended up having an abortion after getting pregnant despite being on the pill. It happened during my sixth week, but those first five weeks—before I even realized what was happening—were pure Hell. There was absolutely nothing "beautiful" about the experience. Since I was consistently taking my birth control, this was completely unplanned. I dealt with constant nausea, vomiting, and night terrors so intense I’d wake up drenched in sweat. On top of that, there was the weight gain, the exhaustion, the mood swings, the irritability, and just this overwhelming feeling that I had zero control over my own life... it was eerie. Now, I refuse to have sex without both the pill and a condom (!) because the mere thought of getting pregnant again absolutely paralyzes me with fear. That said, I don't regret the abortion one bit, and I don't carry any trauma from it. I'm happy now. I’m living my life exactly how I want to. Honestly, I don't know a single woman who has had an abortion and ended up unhappy because of it.

This is a bit off-topic, but I wanted to ask—have you been staying totally consistent with your birth control? Like, have you missed any doses or taken them at the wrong time? Also, have you dealt with anything like vomiting or diarrhea while on them, or maybe taken any antibiotics recently that might interfere?

Ashley Perez50 said:This is a bit off-topic, but did you experience any spotting while on the pill without missing a single dose? Like, no missed pills, no vomiting or diarrhea while taking them, and no antibiotics interfering with the cycle?

I haven't missed a single one. But honestly, I’d be lying if I said I was 100% certain I didn't take some other random medication along the way. As for the stomach issues, I had some diarrhea from food poisoning once, but that was ages ago.

crimsoncrane9 said:It’s definitely NOT true that it shows up with such a huge delay... speaking from my own experience—unfortuantely—I’m claiming the exact opposite.

I went through that awful ordeal myself; because of medical reasons, I had to end my pregnancy almost in my 5th month... and it just wrecked me.

It hit me immediately... the symptoms were terrifying, and I won't bore you guys with the details here... I ended up seeing a psychiatrist too... I'm still finding my way back (though I find myself asking "...where did it go?" more often lately) and honestly, I'd never even heard the term PPD before this. I was diagnosed with classic PTSD... because, let's face it, that isn't just tied to war trauma.

...and yeah, those women definitely aren't happy... especially if they felt "forced" into it after already experiencing the beauty of pregnancy and childbirth.

I truly feel for you. I know quite a few women who had to terminate pregnancies, and most of them went through Hell. I want to give you some real credit for being brave enough to seek help—it shows you can recognize a problem and actually tackle it. I believe you're on the best possible path toward healing. I truly wish you peace. Now, when people talk about PPD, they usually mean the aftermath of an elective termination where a woman decides she doesn't want a child. After that initial sense of relief or "happiness" mentioned in one of these posts, everything seems fine for a while. Then later—sometimes triggered by the beauty of motherhood you described—PPD sets in. There's a difference between your tragedy and what feels like the easiest path to someone in a seemingly dead-end situation. Regardless, I think you're a strong, brave woman who is moving forward despite the setbacks. Stay strong.👍

Olivia Green74 said:I heard about this back in my high school religion class. The idea was that women end up mentally fragile—especially during the anniversary of the procedure. Looking at the women I know who've gone through an abortion, I guess it really just depends on their personality. Some don't give it a second thought, some talk about it constantly, and others hide it away like a dirty secret. I knew one woman who struggled heavily with her mental health afterward, though I can't say for sure if it was because of that, even if she did go through with it.
And yeah, it feels like those women aren't ever truly happy. At least, from what I've heard about the ones who made that choice. Obviously, that's just my take.
I believe it’s not easy for them! Human morality runs deep, and in situations like this, it’s hard to just shrug and say, "it was my right" or "it was just my decision." But hey, I don't want to preach.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts—especially the part about morality being hardwired into us... without me trying to act like I know everything. Angel-THANKS for the comment.🙂

Nicole Davis7 said:I ended up having an abortion after getting pregnant despite being on the pill. It happened at six weeks, but those first five weeks—back when I didn't even realize what was happening—were straight out of Hell. There was zero "glow" involved. Since I was regularly on birth control, this was totally unplanned—just constant vomiting, nausea, waking up in a cold sweat from nightmares, weight gain, exhaustion, mood swings, anxiety... just feeling like I had zero control over my own life. It was eerie. Now, I don't even touch sex without pills and condoms (!) because the mere thought of getting pregnant again paralyzes me with fear. I don't regret the abortion one bit and I don't have any trauma. I'm happy now. I live my life exactly how I want to. And honestly? I don't know a single woman who had an abortion and ended up miserable because of it.

I really hope you stay happy and keep staying in the driver's seat of your own life. Seriously. Unfortunately, there are way too many women who don't have that kind of privilege, which is exactly why I started this thread.

I honestly feel like this is deeply personal. It all comes down to the specific reasons someone decides to terminate a pregnancy. For some, it’s out of necessity due to health issues—who even knows what those complications entail—and for others, it’s simply because they weren't planning on becoming parents at that moment.
I don't want to get pregnant until I'm truly ready either, and I’ve also chosen to have an abortion. To be honest, once the procedure was over, I felt such a sense of relief. There is absolutely no way I would ever feel depressed about it.

electricowl7 said:I think it’s a deeply personal thing—it all comes down to why someone chooses to end a pregnancy. Some people have to deal with medical issues, while others just weren't planning on being pregnant in the first place.
I don't want kids until I'm actually ready either, and yeah, I've had an abortion on my own terms. Honestly? When it was over, I felt such a sense of relief. There's zero chance I'll ever feel depressed about it.

Look, we all have our own takes and the Freedom to say them. I respect where you're coming from, but I'd love it if you could give me some idea of what "being ready" actually looks like... like, when is the "right" time?😕

analogsailor98 said:Look, we all have our own takes, and everyone deserves their Freedom to express them. I totally respect where you're coming from, but I've gotta ask—could you give me a better idea of what you actually mean by "being ready"? Like, when exactly is the "right" time?😕

Being ready isn't just one thing; it’s a million different things hitting you all at once. It means actually wanting a kid, having the mental and emotional headspace for them, and knowing you're willing to put your own needs on the back burner for a long, long time. You need to have the finances lined up, a solid emotional connection with your partner, and a support system from your family that you can actually rely on. It's a massive list.
Timing is everything—it happens exactly when it’s supposed to.

If you’re looking for someone who isn't interested in preaching, you start asking the right questions... some pretty interesting ones, too.😉

...I get you, Kate Sullivan22... I see your point.

But my own experience tells me the same thing: so many of my friends waiting for that "perfect moment" ended up hitting those risky biological years for first-time moms... and now their biggest struggle is that according to their own principles, it's STILL NOT THE RIGHT TIME, even though they're ready... but things aren't that simple anymore.

For the longest time, I was convinced I’d never have kids... I never gave it much thought, never coddled baby strollers or obsessed over tiny clothes... I was more of a "free spirit" type, saving animals and stuff, and until I was 27, I was dead certain I wasn't "mother material." I loved my Freedom too much, didn't want to be tied down to anyone or anything. It wasn't about being immature; I just wasn't ready... exactly like you said, but I was also sure I'd never be.

Then, out of nowhere, I started dreaming about being pregnant, nursing a baby, feeling happy... only to wake up feeling crushed. Something inside me started counting down... I told my boyfriend back then—who is my husband now—"I WANT A BABY!" He was younger than me and just finishing up college. I was living in New York and he was in Miami. It seemed impossible... I stopped taking birth control and it took me (the longest) 8 months to conceive again... Today, I have a perfect little angel, 6 years old, who I call my "karmic destiny"...

And then, once again, I was convinced I didn't want any more kids...

Then, when what happened, happened... when I had to terminate a pregnancy at 5 months... and when I was torn about whether I actually wanted to do it or not... because there were such strong indications that the fetus might have deformities, even if the ultrasound couldn't confirm it... we were looking at potential heart, lung, or kidney issues... and when you add all those factors together—my hesitation toward having another child and all the reasons for the termination—I went through Hell all over again.

I think it varies wildly from woman to woman... but it also depends on when the termination happens... because the hormones hitting you that hard during a late-stage pregnancy (where termination isn't even an option anymore, but hey, anything can happen) or even a month, two, or three months later... they definitely aren't the same. There's probably a reason why there's a specific window allowed for elective abortions...

From what I've gathered, Postpartum Depression is directly linked to those elective terminations... especially when they hit you out of the blue... and very late.

I also had my one elective abortion when I was 18... I didn't shed a single tear back then; I was a student, the world was wide open... and I never regretted it.

...until I actually gave birth and held that tiny creature in my arms... that's when the first tear turned into a full-on sob... thinking about what I did back then... back then...

It's Hebeno when your emotions collide with your subconscious and your hormones...

analogsailor98 said:I really appreciate your take, especially that part about how morality is sort of hardwired into us—without me trying to sound like some know-it-all, obviously. Thanks for sharing that thought.🙂

Morality is just something society makes up, I guess.

But why is there all this talk about being "moral" when it comes to health?

Honestly, I feel like this thread would fit better over in the psychology section, since we're really talking about what's going on inside someone's head anyway.

Kate Sullivan22 said:Being ready means actually wanting a kid, having the mental and emotional bandwidth for them, knowing you're willing to put yourself on the back burner for a long time, being financially stable, having solid emotional connections, family support... a thousand different things.
And the "right time" is just whenever it actually happens.

Asking someone who doesn't even want kids... interesting choice of topic.😉

Look, I’m not trying to lecture anyone. My question was purely technical—and if I recall my first post correctly, I explicitly said I wasn't looking for a moral debate. The question-when regarding the "right time" was just pure curiosity, though it looks like I veered way off course. Btw, you're sounding a bit utopian with all this stuff about timing, the stars, and whatever else. Go back and read crimsoncrane9's post. The whole point was to hear from brave women who can actually talk through deep psychological trauma. crimsoncrane9-THANKS.

Sam Hughes5 said:morality is just some social construct

but seriously, why is there all this talk about "morality" when we're discussing health?

I honestly feel like this thread belongs in the psychology section... I mean, at the end of the day, we're talking about mental states, right?

According to the WHO (I think I mentioned this somewhere else already), being healthy isn't just about not being sick. It’s about how everything—physically, mentally, socially, you name it—is actually functioning. So, if we're talking about blood work issues, yeah, that's health. If we're talking about poverty, that's health too. And if we're talking about the mind? Well, obviously, that's part of it. Plus, your mental state is HUGE for your overall health. 🙂

Olivia Green74 said:According to the WHO (I think I mentioned this somewhere else), being healthy isn't just about not being sick. It’s about how everything functions—physically, mentally, socially, all of it. So, if we're talking about blood work issues, that's health. If we're talking about poverty, that's health. And if we're talking about mental state? Well, obviously that's part of health too. Plus, your headspace is HUGE when it comes to overall wellness. 🙂

Well, it's not like the WHO just discovered hot water... which is why we have a whole psychology subforum, anyway.