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Abortion in Canada: History, Access to Care, Social Stigmatization and the Psychological and Physical Effects

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Abortion in Canada: History, Access to Care, Social Stigmatization and the Psychological and Physical Effects
Abortion in Canada: History, Access to Care, Social Stigmatization and the Psychological and Physical Effects

Prabhjot Singh

Ryerson University

CPSY 304 Pyschology of Gender

Kathleen Fortune

June 13, 2013

Seeking a safe and legal abortion in Canada has been an ongoing journey that has taken over one hundred years to trek. Abortion is defined by major medical dictionaries as the “termination of a pregnancy or premature expulsion of the products of conception by any means, usually before fetal viability.” Termination of a pregnancy can be spontaneous, often referred to as a miscarriage or it can be deliberately induced. This essay will focus on the deliberate termination of a pregnancy. In addition, this essay will outline the history of abortion in Canada, including varying access of care across the country, the barriers and challenges pregnant women face when seeking abortion services, social stigma attached to abortions and finally the physical and psychological effects an abortion has on men and women. This paper will attempt to lay a foundation for the basic understanding of the complexity surrounding abortion services.

When looking back on Canadian history, abortion practices in its varying forms were illegal and banned in 1869. This meant that according to the Criminal Code, it was illegal for a physician to procure a miscarriage, and/or for a woman to self-induce an abortion1 (Hargreaves, 2012 pg 14). Any woman or physician found undertaking these actions was subject to life imprisonment (Arthur, 1999). As a consequence, such prohibition resulted in women seeking illegal abortions, often resulting in their death. In 1969, one hundred years after abortions were banned in Canada, Pierre Elliot Trudeau and his government presented a bill in Canadian Parliament with the aim of liberalizing Canadian abortion laws. Under the introduction and passage of this bill, abortions remained a criminal offence and were only exempt as


References: Abortion in canada. (2013, May 30). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_in_Canada Abortion risks: A list of major physical complications related to abortion Abortion risks: A list of major psychological complications related to abortion. (2011, February 23). Retrieved from http://afterabortion.org/2011/abortion-risks-a-list-of-major-psychological-complications-related-to-abortion/ Arthur, J For women 's lives and health: Report of the global safe abortion conference. (23-24 , October 2007). Retrieved from http://www.mariestopes.org/sites/default/files/Global_safe_Abortion_Conference_Report.pdf Hargreaves, S Roche, N. E. (2004, September 28 28). Therapeutic abortion. Retrieved from http://web.archive.org/web/20041214092044/http://www.emedicine.com/MED/topic3311.htm Shaw , J
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