As a physician, an abortion provider, and a Christian, I’ve confronted countless harmful myths about abortion over the years. They introduce stigma, perpetuate misinformation, and hurt the very people I’m here to serve.
Let’s address 12 of these myths directly, guided by research and experiences shared in my book, Undue Burden.
Myth 1: Abortion Causes Regret and Mental Suffering
I’ve heard hundreds of times how abortion leads to deep regret or even mental health disorders, but scientific evidence shows this simply isn’t true.
Extensive research, including a landmark study involving over 1,000 women across 21 states, confirms that wanted abortions do not increase the risk of depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts. The most commonly reported emotion after an abortion is relief.
Conversely, those who are denied access to abortion care experience significantly worse mental health outcomes, including increased anxiety, stress, and lower life satisfaction. Additionally, women denied abortions face greater economic hardships, ongoing exposure to violent relationships, and even higher risks of maternal mortality.
Restricting abortion access, not abortion itself, is what leads to substantial emotional and physical harm.
Myth 2: Abortion Is Against Religious Teachings
My faith has never conflicted with providing compassionate abortion care. In fact, many religious traditions support abortion rights, including:
- Episcopal Church
- Evangelical Lutheran
- Presbyterian Church (USA)
- Reform and Conservative Judaism
- United Methodist Church
While some denominations, such as the Catholic Church, Southern Baptist Convention, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, officially oppose abortion, there is significant diversity in beliefs even within those denominations.
Myth 3: Choosing Abortion is Irresponsible or Selfish
I often see patients unfairly labeled as irresponsible or selfish for seeking abortion care, but my experience says otherwise—and so does the data.
According to the Guttmacher Institute, nearly half of pregnancies that end in abortion happen earlier than people feel ready for, while a significant number say it would not be responsible to birth a child at that particular time in their lives.
This research aligns with what I know to be true. People approach these decisions deeply and carefully. Many are already parents, carefully considering how another child would impact their family’s well-being and stability. These aren’t casual choices; they’re profoundly responsible decisions.
Myth 4: Abortions are ‘Good’ or ‘Bad’
This oversimplified framing leads to harmful policies and stigma. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists emphasizes that every abortion decision is complex, nuanced, and deserves dignity and respect.
An ACOG study found that, five years after their abortions, more than 95% of those surveyed felt their abortion was the right choice. Additionally, women who sought abortions were under more stress if they were refused treatment.
No abortion is inherently “good” or “bad,” and each reflects personal, often challenging circumstances.
Myth 5: Abortion Should Be Rare or Exceptional
Labeling abortion as “rare” distorts reality, and it causes real harm, despite abortion being a routine medical procedure. Around 29% of all pregnancies worldwide end in abortion, and about 60% of unintended pregnancies result in one, showing how common this care truly is.
Even the World Health Organization stresses that safe abortion is an “essential health service” that should be integrated into routine care—yet when we treat it as rare or morally suspect, we deny its importance and dignity.
Myth 6: Abortion Providers Lack Compassion
Abortion providers choose this work precisely because of compassion.
Research published in the journal Contraception highlights that abortion providers report higher compassion satisfaction and significantly lower burnout compared to other healthcare workers. Moreover, studies demonstrate that reducing stigma around abortion directly improves providers’ professional quality of life, lowering burnout and compassion fatigue.
At my clinic, empathy and patient care are foundational, reflecting these broader findings about the commitment and compassion inherent in abortion care.
Myth 7: Abortion Providers Are Immoral or Greedy
People often falsely assume abortion providers are motivated by profit or lack moral integrity. This couldn’t be further from the truth. A 2023 study in Women’s Health examined abortion providers across the U.S., exploring why they choose this often-challenging field.
The authors found that their work is rooted in moral commitment. Providers saw abortion care as a calling to preserve dignity, autonomy, and safe reproductive care, even as society brands them unfairly.
Many of us absorb financial losses, sacrifice personal time, and accept workplace threats because we are deeply dedicated to healthcare and justice.
Myth 8: Abortion Poses Significant Physical Health Risks
Abortion care is among the safest medical procedures available, despite widespread misinformation.
Abortion does not cause breast cancer, infertility, or increased risks of preterm delivery in future pregnancies. She explains that medical abortions, performed with medication such as Mifepristone and Misoprostol, are extremely safe and effective up to 11 weeks of pregnancy.
Complications from abortion are exceedingly rare and significantly less frequent than complications from childbirth. The risks associated with carrying a pregnancy to term are far greater, particularly among Black women.
Rather than fear-based misinformation, we must present more accurate information to keep our patients safe and better informed.
Myth 9: Adoption Is a Better Choice Than Abortion
Adoption is often presented as an easy or morally superior alternative to abortion, but that doesn’t reflect reality.
According to a detailed study published by researchers in Michigan and New Mexico, adoption is not an acceptable option for many who are weighing their pregnancy options. Participants emphasized several critical factors that made adoption unsuitable for their situation:
- Parenting Responsibility: Participants consistently described continuing a pregnancy as inherently linked to their role as parents. Adoption, therefore, felt like they were abandoning this responsibility rather than making a positive choice.
- Emotional Impact: Those surveyed described distress associated with adoption, including fears about their child’s long-term safety and well-being. The thought of placing their child in uncertain circumstances was deeply troubling.
- Risk to Child’s Safety: Concerns over the child’s safety and potential future hardships influenced decisions against adoption. Participants were anxious about the possibility that their child might face neglect, abuse, or a challenging foster care system.
The study demonstrates that suggesting adoption as a simple alternative to abortion ignores the profound emotional and ethical considerations involved.
Carrying a pregnancy to term so the child can be adopted brings its own set of moral and ethical challenges. Treating adoption as an alternative to abortion does not recognize the uniquely sensitive decisions each option carries.
Myth 10: People Get Abortions on a Whim
My patients don’t “lightly choose” abortion. They weigh it against their health, life goals, finances, relationships, and children.
Research confirms this. A survey by Medical News Today shows abortion decisions are shaped when health risks, unstable home situations, or financial constraints arise, not out of casual convenience
A landmark analysis of nearly 1,000 clinic patients called the Turnaway Study pinpoints the most common motivations:
- About 40% cited financial strain. They couldn’t afford to have a child.
- 36% said it was about timing: feeling emotionally, professionally, or financially unprepared.
- 31% mentioned relationship issues. This includes unstable partnerships to abuse, absentee partners, or pressure to wait for marriage.
Other factors—mental health, wanting stability for existing children, housing concerns, or pressure from family—emerge too.
Myth 11: There Is No Stigma Around Legal Abortion
Even in states where safe abortions are legal, social stigmas can have real consequences for mental health, access to care, and provider well‑being. The attitudes of families and religious communities can discourage pregnant people from seeking advice and treatment.
A scoping review in BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health explains that abortion stigma “shapes the environment in which abortion is delivered and received and can have important implications for quality in abortion care.”
For patients, stigma often means silence. People avoid seeking help and make decisions driven by shame or fear of judgment. Providers, too, face social isolation, harassment, and emotional exhaustion.
If we treat stigma as just social discomfort, we risk ignoring the real harms it inflicts on both patients and providers alike.
Myth 12: Abortion Experiences Are the Same for Everyone
The belief that everyone’s abortion experience is the same ignores how race, class, and geography intersect to shape abortion journeys—and it costs lives.
People of color, especially Black and Latinx individuals, face unintended pregnancy rates far higher than their white counterparts. That’s 70% for Black women versus 42% for white women, and 57% for Latinas.
That’s not because they’re irresponsible. It’s because barriers like limited access to contraception, quality healthcare, and financial resources are stacked against them.
And the fallout is worse post-Dobbs. States with the strictest abortion bans often have larger populations of Black residents and fewer providers, further restricting access for communities already marginalized. Over half of U.S. Black women live under abortion restrictions, increasing both their economic instability and risk of harm.
Legal rights mean nothing if we don’t dismantle structural barriers like racism, poverty, and geography.
Why Addressing These Myths Matters
Each of these myths perpetuates misunderstanding, stigma, and injustice around abortion. As a physician and a believer committed to social justice and compassionate healthcare, I see how harmful narratives discourage patients and healthcare providers alike.
We owe it to ourselves, our patients, and our communities to challenge misinformation. Let’s replace myths with truth and stigma with compassion.
