A survey of 1,500 women has found that at-home chemical abortion is much more painful than they were told it would be by medics.
Medics have been accused of “sugar-coating” the painful reality of chemical abortion after a poll found that around half of female respondents said that the pain was worse than had been anticipated. Over four in 10 women said the pain was severe.
Polled women reported being told that they could expect discomfort comparable to period pain during their DIY abortion.
But one respondent said: “Pain was so much stronger than period pain, it was like having contractions in labour. I’ve given birth three times, and the pain really wasn’t too much different from that pain, the cramping contraction pain.”
Some women said that the pain was so bad that, if they had to go through it again, they’d opt for a surgical abortion.
Women also described the information they received from leaflets and consultations about abortion pain as being “sugar-coated” and “downplayed”.
Lead researcher Hannah McCulloch, reflecting on the poll findings, concluded that “counselling on this aspect of medical abortion needs to improve. For many respondents, using period pain as a reference point for what to expect was not helpful for managing expectations, or in line with their experiences.”
As one respondent stated: “I feel that patients have a right to fully understand the risks and benefits. This should be made absolutely transparent; shared and informed decision-making is essential.”
SPUC comment
A SPUC spokesperson said: “The grim and painful effects of DIY at-home abortion have been whitewashed by the abortion industry and its apologists who prioritise their ideology over women’s safety and well-being.
“Finally, the facts are coming to light, though they have always been there. Women have been lied to by the pro-abortion lobby, which has shown little or no interest in the pain it inflicts on them, often in lonely circumstances inside the home.
“Even now, abortion ideologues are attempting to block a parliamentary bill to introduce an annual report into abortion complications, a measure that would more accurately reflect the painful reality of at-home abortion. But transparency doesn’t serve the pro-abortion agenda.”
