Between Numbers and Testimonies: The Debate on Post-Abortion Suffering

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Does post-abortion depression really exist? Is it a figment of the imagination of a few fanatical women, or a tragic and undeniable reality? Perhaps a recent story can shed more light on this question than countless statistics and words. What we want to share is the story of Maria Luisa Di Ubaldo, president of FederVita Lazio. Today, she dedicates herself to helping women avoid abortion because she herself suffered from Post-Abortion Syndrome.

Here is her story. It was 1981. The law 194, allowing women to safely terminate pregnancies, had just been enacted, and there was a sense of “excitement over this new right.” Today, she recalls that her parents were “the first victims of a lie.” When she discovered she was pregnant, the child’s father abandoned her. When Maria Luisa told her family, they took her to a gynecologist, who confirmed the gestational age: more than 90 days had passed, so abortion was no longer legally possible. The doctor recommended a clinic known for performing abortions even after the legal limit.

During the procedure, she cried nonstop. The nurses chatted casually and even scolded her: “Why are you crying? Stop it!”

After the abortion, she felt an emptiness inside. She entered a difficult period, experiencing alternating shame and apathy. She met Antonio when she was 17. She shared her story with him. He didn’t run away, didn’t judge her; instead, he offered a hand. With him, she regained the will to live and to be part of society, whereas after the abortion, everything had felt gray and lifeless. She began going out, smiling again. At one point, she even thought she had overcome her suffering. She wanted to become a mother, and with Antonio, they decided to have a child—who came quickly.

She was 23 when she gave birth and believed she had left the past behind. Yet her emotional stress manifested as a constant fear of losing her newborn daughter. She had to enter therapy and realized that the weight of the abortion was still there.

Alongside her psychological journey, she began a process of reconciliation with God.

She felt the need to understand the practice of abortion and what had happened: she had to forgive herself and her parents for having chosen abortion hastily, without reflection, driven by the fear that the unexpected child would ruin everyone’s life—especially hers, as she was considered too young to raise a baby.

Once the pain was processed, it became a springboard. Years had passed. She was a loving mother, had given a name to the child she never had, reconciled with God and her parents—but her true healing began when she was able to help a woman avoid abortion. The baby she helped carried the name she had given to her own daughter: Daniela.

This marked the beginning of her mission in defense of life and alongside women.

Today, for her, every child saved from abortion and returned to the love of their mother is a victory. She holds the same compassion for women who, like her, have experienced abortion. Today, Maria Luisa—mother of four and grandmother—is at peace, not because the abortion was “nothing,” but because she understood the truth in her womb and transformed latent pain into love given.

What Science Says: The Spanish Case

A study in Spain has sparked debate at a time when the government is promoting expanded access to abortion. The article by María Fernández, titled El síndrome postaborto existe: 14 millones de mujeres en EE.UU. declaran sufrir un «trauma persistente grave», reports key findings from research by Paul Sullins. According to his study, 14 million women in the United States alone suffer long-term consequences from having chosen abortion. The study analyzed 667 women from 30 U.S. clinics, aged 41–45, with an average of 20 years since the abortion.

The Position of Those Who Deny Post-Abortion Syndrome

Critics of studies supporting the existence of Post-Abortion Syndrome argue that pre-existing psychological factors are insufficiently considered, and that some research samples are too limited to generalize results to the entire female population. Internationally, the World Health Organization (WHO) denies a direct and systematic link between abortion and mental health disorders.

After “Relief,” About One in Six Women Feels Guilt

Those who do not recognize Post-Abortion Syndrome maintain that most women who choose abortion consciously feel relief afterward. The study mentioned does not deny that 92% of women reported relief after the procedure and 95% said it was the right choice. Yet, it is significant that 29% reported notable negative emotions: 59% felt guilt, 38% regret, 29% anger, 65% sadness. Additionally, 21% showed signs of depression, 15.4% anxiety disorder, and 39% post-traumatic stress symptoms one week after abortion.

Why Discuss This?

There are many reasons: to enrich a debate on a topic that increasingly presents reality in a one-sided way. And also because suffering—whether of one woman, ten, or millions—cannot be hidden for ideological reasons. Doing so serves no one. Or perhaps, someone benefits from it?