City Councilman Joshua Siegel Claims, "Post-Abortion Syndrome Isn't Real"
“Post-Abortion Syndrome is not a real, actual medical condition” stated Allentown PA City Councilman Joshua Siegel during an August 24th meeting where he attempted to make a case that a set of abortion rights ordinances is needed in Allentown. Ordinances 60-61,60-62, 60-63, and 60-64 if passed would unjustly impose a 15-foot buffer-zone regulation that would prevent sidewalk counselors from assisting women and families seeking prenatal care away from abortion facilities, violate Pregnancy Health Organizations' first amendment rights as they are accused of engaging in "deceptive advertising" since they do not provide abortion services and instead educate women about the realities of the procedure, instruct city authorities to withhold their assistance from any out-of-state criminal abortion investigations without a court order, which could cause undue hardship to women who have already suffered harm at the hands of abortionists, lastly if an abortion ban is passed in Pennsylvania, state law will be undermined by an order to the police department to "de-prioritize" implementation of the law. Even more shocking, Siegel’s tone-deaf claim was followed by numerous women who bravely gave testimony to the physical, mental, and emotional trauma of abortion procedures.
While Planned Parenthood and other abortion industry leaders refuse to recognize Post-Abortion Syndrome (PAS) as a valid condition that a woman may experience following an abortion, the reality is that many psychologists and doctors do recognize the stress, emotional pain, and physical pain that often follows an abortion. Joshua Siegel is not a physician but instead, a career politician placing his agenda above the real feelings of women shared bravely during the Allentown City Council meeting.
Post-Abortion Syndrome is a form of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD often occurs after an individual has suffered an event so stressful and so traumatic that this person is unable to cope with this experience in a usual manner, including being able to express feelings they may experience. The symptoms of PTSD (including PAS) vary from case to case, and sometimes, these reactions may not arise until years after the event, making it occasionally difficult to identify.
A meta-analysis published in 2011 in the British Journal of Psychiatry prepared by Dr. Priscilla Coleman combined the results of 22 studies which found 81% of women with abortion experiences were more likely to suffer from mental health issues. The meta-analysis included data on 877,181 women from six different countries, conducted between 1995 and 2009. This research also found that for the women who had abortions, the rate of anxiety was 34% higher as opposed to women who had no abortion experiences and that depression among post-abortive women was 37% higher. In addition, this study revealed that women who had abortion experiences were 110% more likely to struggle with severe alcohol abuse, marijuana use increased by 230%, and a 155% increased risk of suicide. (1)
Representative Siegel has already made it clear that he is not empathetic to women who have suffered from PAS. Act now to help educate Councilman Siegel about the truth of PAS and that silencing a woman’s suffering is never tolerated.
1. Coleman, Priscilla K. “Abortion and Mental Health: Quantitative Synthesis and Analysis of Research Published 1995–2009.” British Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 199, no. 3, 2011, pp. 180–186., https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.110.077230.
City Councilman Joshua Siegel Claims, "Post-Abortion Syndrome Isn't Real"
“Post-Abortion Syndrome is not a real, actual medical condition” stated Allentown PA City Councilman Joshua Siegel during an August 24th meeting where he attempted to make a case that a set of abortion rights ordinances is needed in Allentown. Ordinances 60-61,60-62, 60-63, and 60-64 if passed would unjustly impose a 15-foot buffer-zone regulation that would prevent sidewalk counselors from assisting women and families seeking prenatal care away from abortion facilities, violate Pregnancy Health Organizations' first amendment rights as they are accused of engaging in "deceptive advertising" since they do not provide abortion services and instead educate women about the realities of the procedure, instruct city authorities to withhold their assistance from any out-of-state criminal abortion investigations without a court order, which could cause undue hardship to women who have already suffered harm at the hands of abortionists, lastly if an abortion ban is passed in Pennsylvania, state law will be undermined by an order to the police department to "de-prioritize" implementation of the law. Even more shocking, Siegel’s tone-deaf claim was followed by numerous women who bravely gave testimony to the physical, mental, and emotional trauma of abortion procedures.
While Planned Parenthood and other abortion industry leaders refuse to recognize Post-Abortion Syndrome (PAS) as a valid condition that a woman may experience following an abortion, the reality is that many psychologists and doctors do recognize the stress, emotional pain, and physical pain that often follows an abortion. Joshua Siegel is not a physician but instead, a career politician placing his agenda above the real feelings of women shared bravely during the Allentown City Council meeting.
Post-Abortion Syndrome is a form of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD often occurs after an individual has suffered an event so stressful and so traumatic that this person is unable to cope with this experience in a usual manner, including being able to express feelings they may experience. The symptoms of PTSD (including PAS) vary from case to case, and sometimes, these reactions may not arise until years after the event, making it occasionally difficult to identify.
A meta-analysis published in 2011 in the British Journal of Psychiatry prepared by Dr. Priscilla Coleman combined the results of 22 studies which found 81% of women with abortion experiences were more likely to suffer from mental health issues. The meta-analysis included data on 877,181 women from six different countries, conducted between 1995 and 2009. This research also found that for the women who had abortions, the rate of anxiety was 34% higher as opposed to women who had no abortion experiences and that depression among post-abortive women was 37% higher. In addition, this study revealed that women who had abortion experiences were 110% more likely to struggle with severe alcohol abuse, marijuana use increased by 230%, and a 155% increased risk of suicide. (1)
Representative Siegel has already made it clear that he is not empathetic to women who have suffered from PAS. Act now to help educate Councilman Siegel about the truth of PAS and that silencing a woman’s suffering is never tolerated.
1. Coleman, Priscilla K. “Abortion and Mental Health: Quantitative Synthesis and Analysis of Research Published 1995–2009.” British Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 199, no. 3, 2011, pp. 180–186., https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.110.077230.