Unwanted Pregnancy: Causes of Abortion and the Factors in Legalizing

Abortion in the Philippines for the selected students in Quezon City

Letran, Regine Fernandez, Joseph Antonio

Villarosa, Francis Apollo Wayne Embile, Mark
Pachoro, Jhea Ann De Leon, Aaliaya Mae
Alcantra, Meryl Munoz, Venice Raven

Senior High School Department

Our Lady Of Fatima University

Ariata, Erika Joy

March, 2022
June, 2022
Introduction
According to the dictionary, abortion is the deliberate termination of a human
pregnancy, most often performed during the first 28 weeks of pregnancy. The
increasing rate of people wanting to legalize abortion, and the women wanting to
terminate their pregnancy have taken all over the world. January 17, 2013, made a big
impact on the Philippine citizens, especially women. On this date, the law about
abortion has taken effect. Republic Act No. 10354 is an approved law that stopping a
woman to terminate her pregnancy (2013). And as we all know, abortion is a process
of terminating a pregnancy and this is considered a crime according to the Philippine
law

Unwanted pregnancies impact women throughout the world, and some of these
women try to terminate the pregnancy using medically safe procedures, but some of
them undergo unsafe and illegal procedures. Abortion, often known as the termination
of pregnancy, is a global issue that has happened at all levels of society and
throughout recorded history. Abortion has never been legal in any period or at any
level of societal structure. It existed long before history was written down and
continues to do so today.

Abortion is caused by a variety of factors, including teen pregnancies, poverty,

a lack of sex education, the mental and physical health of both men and women, and
rape. Pregnant teens are bullied and are more likely to have mental health concerns
such as anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem, as well as participate in bad
behaviors such as using illegal substances, self-sabotage, and other such activities,
according to a study. Bullies and bully-victims are more likely to engage in casual sex
or sex under the influence of alcohol or drugs (Holt, Matjasko, Espelage, Reid &
Koenig, 2013).

Unwanted pregnancies or abortion is banned in the Philippines, which creates

a slew of issues. Because abortion is illegal in our nation, some women have little to
no choice but to keep their babies despite their reasons for wanting to abort them,
while others choose to have an incorrect and illegal abortion to end their pregnancy.
An abortion that is performed improperly or illegally harms a woman's mental and
physical health and can result in a variety of illnesses and infections. On the other
hand, not being able to abort a child can result in a variety of issues, including poverty
and trauma for both the mother and the kid.

The study's major goal is to investigate the things that forces a female to
terminate their pregnancy, such as a lack of readiness to take on responsibility, a lack
of financial stability, fear of dropping out from education, and father’s lack of support
due to not taking responsibility and/or financial difficulties/problems. This also
focuses on how women are coerced into having an abortion such as due to rape/incest.
The psychological and physical state of a woman who desires to abort a child will also
be investigated in this study. This research also intends to look into the important
factors that went into making abortion to be legalized in the Philippines.

Future researchers, students, teachers, medical practitioners, politicians, and

both males and females can benefit from this study, as this study will tackle the causes
of abortion, legalization of abortion, and the psychological and physical state of a
woman.

3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS:
1.) What are the possible causes of abortions?

a.) common cause

b.) primary or main cause

2.) What are the factors that should be considered in legalizing abortions?

3.) How does abortion affect a female’s psychological and physical health?

Methodology
In this part of the study is where the research methodology is explained. The place
where the research location and design is described.

Research Design
We devised a Phenomenological study research strategy in order to obtain real data
what would serve as the foundation for performing this study. An interpretive
Phenomenological investigation is a type of research design that seeks to understand
and clarify the broad implication of a phenomenon and delve into contextual
characteristics of an experience in connection to different influences. As this method
explores the experiences of individuals, and observes the subject’s facets, this directs
us to the meaning of a subject that helps us to collect some important details such as
opinions and beliefs. As a result, our questions are open-ended and are directed at the
interview to lead us to their sentiments on the given dilemma.

Additionally, during the proposed study, this paper used an investigative tool to
acquire all of the data information needed to accomplish this research paper.
Dependent variables and independent variables are involved in this study. Where the
dependent variables are the factors that vary depending on the manipulated
independent variable. In this study, the independent variable is the number of women
interviewed and answered on our platform, while the dependent variable is the
number of women who considered abortion.

Research Setting
This research was conducted at Our Lady of Fatima University located at 1118,
1 Esperanza, Novaliches, Lungsod Quezon, 1118 Kalakhang Maynila during the end
semester of 2021. Under the supervision of Ms. Eka Ariata.

The researchers decided to use Facebook to search for volunteers, Google Meet
and Messenger Call for one-on-one interviews and Google Forms for a survey
questionnaire to further investigate women's perspectives on unwanted pregnancy and
the factors that lead women to abort a child.

The procedure for gathering research data is open to all students, not just Our
Lady of Fatima University students. The researchers chose these two online platforms
to ensure the safety and accessibility of the researchers and respondents due to
pandemic. Additionally, the student population outside of Our Lady of Fatima
University is capable of providing the target number of respondents. Furthermore, for
the respondent's safety, we have prepared a set of questions that do not infringe on
their privacy.

Key Informant Selection

We settled in a Non-Probability Sampling Technique in this study, specifically the
purposive sampling. Purposive sampling, also known as a judge-mental, or subjective
sampling, is one of many Non-Probability Sampling Technique in which the
researchers must rely on their own judgment in order to choose their participants.

The researcher reviewed 5 people, who served as a respondent in this study and met
our research criteria, we chose these participants to learn about their perspectives on
abortion so that we could learn more about our chosen topic. Key informant
interviews allow for the exploration of new ideas and issues.

The researcher interviewed 5 people, all of whom were female students

between the ages of 16 and 19. The researchers chose to focus on these ages in order
to fully understand their perspectives on this topic.

The basis why we choose those 5 participants is because they met our criteria and we
know they are capable to answer our questions because even though they are not yet
at the legal age, they are in the right age to understand the things about abortion.
Abortion is a procedure to end an unwanted pregnancy. The pregnancy is ended either
in the process of taking medicines or in a surgical procedure. We want to see
evidences of why women consider to abort their child.

Research ethics

The researchers persuaded to partake in the obligations to their study, and also we
made sure the responsibility to respondents will be conserved, additionally throughout
this research. The researchers made sure that ethics was a high priority. This chapter
maintains the study’s validity and reliability. Through doing so, the participants were
told all of the steps will be followed in this study, but first, the researcher made sure
the respondents were given a consent form before performing research in order to
avoid misconduct. The participants are valued because they’re more significant than
the research. The researcher was told that the research was entirely voluntary and a
guarantee that this study will have no effect on their careers and their health in any
way, the subjects’ identification information will not be sought, so confidentiality was
granted in this study. When the research was concluded, the data collection materials
were treated with the utmost confidentiality.
Furthermore, the researchers have protected the privacy of each respondent for safety
reasons. Therefore, the subjects’ identification information was not sought, so
confidentiality is granted in this study. When the research was concluded, the data
collection materials were treated with the utmost confidentiality. Also, we made sure
that they are comfortable while we’re asking our questions by using a pseudonym
over their true identity, moreover, their answers to our questions will not be open to
the public for private matters.

Research Instruments
Research instrument One-on-one interview through messenger call and Google meet
are the only instruments that we used in this study. We used OBS studio and the built-
in recorder of phones to record our interviews. The interview guide is structured to
consist of open-ended questions, so that the informants are able to give their answers
in mind fully. This set of questions were flexible and permitted the interviewer to see
and poke around to pursue simplification.

Data Collection
We used an interview data collection procedure in this study. According to this
approach, researchers begin with specific observations, which are then used to
generate generalized theories and research conclusions. Data were gathered through a
series of sets of questions and interviews with the five (5) participants. Personal
interviews have the advantage of involving personal and direct contact between
interviewers and interviewees, as well as eliminating non-response rates; however,
interviewers must have developed the necessary skills to successfully conduct an
interview.

The survey was completed using a semi-structured questionnaire, which served

as an interview guide for the researcher. Some specific questions were prepared in
order for the researcher to guide the interview toward the achievement of research
objectives, but additional questions were encountered during the interviews. The
researchers also asked follow-up questions to gain additional information as needed.
The conducted interview was recorded and transcribed, and the researchers'
interpretation and analysis were extremely careful to avoid large differences between
the selected five participants and the researchers.
4.0 Results
1.What are the possible causes of abortions?

A.)

Unexpected problems
 Ang karaniwang dahilan ay yung infection and Maternal Age. (P1:1)
(The most common cause is infection and Maternal Age.)

 For me, the possible cause is because of unexpected problems like being rape
victims so the tendency the woman who carries will proceed to the Abortion.
(P2:1)
Lack of sex education
 Ang unang-una diyan is hindi tayo open kapag sa usaping Sex Education.
(P5:1)

(The main thing there is that we are not open when it comes to Sex Education.).

 "Lack of knowledge on sex education, that causes the minors to engage in

premarital sex in an early age"(P3:1)
B.)
Financially unstable
 “ lack of financial needs at takot sa responsibilidad na dapat nilang tugunan."
(P4:2)

(lack of financial needs and fear of responsibility that they must address.)

  "Females that are not ready to be mothers and financial unstable"(P3:2) 

Unprepared
 “ Hindi pa sila ready sa malaking responsibilidad ng pagiging ina.” (P1:2)

(lack of financial needs and fear of responsibility that they must address.)

 “Unintentional pregnancy like yung galing sa rape and domestic abuse and lack
of conversation between partners about safe sex education and family
planning.” (P5:2)

(Unintentional pregnancy like those from rape and domestic abuse and lack of
conversation between partners about safe sex education and family planning.)
3. What are the factors that should be considered in legalizing abortions?
 

Women Empowerment 
 “Empowerment of the women over their bodies to give them a chance to decide
what is right for them to avoid passing the responsibility to the mother's
parent.” (P1:3)

 "Women’s right about their body decision" (P3:3)

  

 Background problems
   "mga kababaihang walang kakayahang bumuhay ng bata" (P4:3)
(Women incapable of raising a child)

 “ We should consider the background check of the woman who wants to abort
and we need to know if it is beneficial to the woman when in terms of
psychological and  physical health before proceeding with an abortion.” (P2:3)

4. How does abortion affect a female’s psychological and physical

health?
Unhealthy intrusive thoughts 
 "madedepress sa kakaisip sa ginawang pagpapa abort at pagbagsak ng
katawan"(P4:4)
(You will be depressed thinking about the abortion that you did)

 “ Sa physical kase... Base sa nababasa ko need pa nilang mag take ng

pills and mahabang process siya kaya nakaka draining talaga and sa
Mental effect naman ay pwedeng maramdaman ng babae yung loss and
trauma because kung ang dahilan naman is unintentional or rape,
magdudusa na siya sa trauma and pwede pang madagdagan ang
 pagdurusa dahil nga sa batang ipinalaglag kaya maapektuhan ang
kanyang everyday's life at future plans niya.” (P5:4)

(Based on what I read, they still need to take pills and it’s a long process,
so it’s really draining. And for the mental effect, a woman can feel the
loss, if the cause is unintentional or rape, she will suffer from trauma,
and it can cause even more suffering because of the aborted baby, so it
will greatly affect her everyday life and plans for the future.)

Harmful Emotions
 “ Negative emotions should be expected, besides, it is inevitable,
 

especially for the woman who experienced it.” (P1:4)

 "Women that do abortions with a purpose can still feel scared and
worried about the outcome of the child that they abort."(P3:4)

5.0 Discussion

This chapter presents the summary of the research, and findings of the study are
discussed here and interpreted.

5.1 Conclusion
The conclusion of a research paper is where you wrap up your ideas and leave the
reader with a strong final impression. It has several key goals: Restate the research
problem addressed in the paper. Summarize your overall arguments or findings.

Unexpected problems

The respondents stated that the risk of miscarriage increases with maternal age, has a
strong recurrence risk, and is increased after some pregnancy complications. Women
older than age 35 have a higher risk of miscarriage than do younger women. At the
age of 35, you have a 20% chance. At the age of 40, the risk is approximately 40%.
And at age 45, it’s about 80 percent. Miscarriage and other pregnancy complications
might share underlying causes, which could be biological conditions or unmeasured
common risk factors. The risk of a spontaneous abortion was 8.9% in women aged
20–24 years and 74.7% in those aged 45 years or more. Regardless of the number of
previous miscarriages, parity, or calendar period, high maternal age was a significant
risk factor for spontaneous abortion. (M.C Magnus, 2019)

Common Cause of Abortion

Lack of Sex Education

According to the respondents, one of the causes of abortion is a lack of sex education.
When a child misses out on sexual health education, they are put at an increased risk
for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unplanned pregnancies that could lead
to abortion. Since about 2007, many developed countries have experienced striking
falls in rates of teenage births and abortions. Teenage pregnancies that result in
abortions create direct healthcare costs while there is evidence that teenage
childbearing is associated with adverse health, educational, and economic outcomes
for both adolescent mothers. Teenagers that have sex before getting married suffer
from the possible consequences of sex. People who get pregnant suffer from having to
take care of a baby at a young age and trying to stay in school, or they have to deal
with dropping out of school and not having a diploma or degree.People who get a
virus have to deal with passing it on to others, including their children, and they
always have to think about how they will have the virus for the rest of their life
because they were having sex with multiple people. The children of the person with
the virus also suffer, having to deal with the virus for the rest of their lives and then
passing the virus on to their children when they get older. Without a unified
philosophy on sexual education, teens bear the brunt of the results. The other benefits
of sexuality education, when comprehensive, go far beyond information on
reproduction and health risks associated with sexuality. (Kohler PK, Manhart LE,
Lafferty WE., J Adolesc Health 42(4), 2008.)

What is the main cause of abortion?

Unprepared
The subjects' viewpoints showed that the main cause of Abortion is not readily
responsible for becoming a mother. Birth parents give the gift of birth, they do not go
through the developmental process of becoming a parent because they are emotionally
unprepared for this responsibility. While birth parents provide the gift of birth, they do
not experience the developmental process of being a parent because they are
emotionally unprepared for this responsibility. We discuss the clinical meaning of
voluntarily terminating parental rights, the appropriate grieving of the baby's real
narcissistic loss, and the meaning of adoption for a birth parent. (i.e Kraft, A.D.,
Palombo, J., Woods, P.K. et al.1985)

Financially Unstable
The respondent stated that having Financial Problems can lead to Abortion for every
woman who is encountering. The reasons given by women for having abortions
demonstrate their understanding of the financial impact unplanned childbearing would
have on themselves and their families. Most abortion patients say they cannot afford a
child or another child, and that having a baby would interfere with their work, school,
or ability to care for their other children. 9 Most women also cite concern for or
responsibility to other individuals as a factor in their decision to have an abortion.
These concerns are especially valid when six out of every ten women who have
abortions are already mothers. (Heather D. Boonstra, Guttmacher Institute, et al.2016)
additionally, Unintended pregnancy was discovered to be a major reproductive health
problem in the study area, indicating a high unmet need for family planning and thus
deserves priority attention. Extending access to family planning without regard for
effective IEC, counseling, and quality care may not yield the expected results in this
context. (The Ethiopian Journal of Health Development Vol. 20 (2) et al. 2006: 79-83)

Women Empowerment
One of the reasons why we should consider legalizing abortion, according to
the reply, is that women have the freedom to choose what they want to do with their
bodies. They also resist handing the duty to their parents because they are young and
incapable of raising their own child, according to the report.

Furthermore, Empowering women in reproductive decisions entails

empowering them in basic life issues. Women's empowerment is the basis of every
country's population and development strategy. Women's health issues, such as
pregnancy and childbirth-related mortality, unplanned pregnancies, abortion, and
HIV, occur during the reproductive phase and reveal women's powerlessness to make
decisions about their fertility. Women's empowerment results in community health
improvement. Women's empowerment concerns problems such as the right to choose
the number, timing, and spacing of their children, as well as the freedom to choose
their reproductive behaviors.

Background Problems
Before starting with the abortion, we should conduct a background check to see
if the woman who wants to abort will benefit from it in terms of psychological,
physical, and mental health.

We should also examine if the woman seeking an abortion is incapable of

raising a kid.

Background checks are crucial for anyone who will be making a difficult decision; we
should also see if the woman is capable of handling the physical, emotional, and
spiritual feelings.

How does abortion affect a female’s psychological and physical health?

Unhealthy Intrusive thoughts

The respondents stated that they would suffer from intrusive thoughts and would be
depressed due to the shock of abortion and it’s negative effects to one’s body. They
fear that they may be judged or stigmatized as someone who had an abortion. This
leads to being paranoid or being irrationally anxious, this could lead to a more serious
mental health effect and can have a lifelong trauma for the mother. However, in a
recent study on women and men with ambivalent feelings 1-year after abortion, the
researchers found that ambivalent feelings did not necessarily imply that women and
men regretted the abortion or experienced emotional distress (Kero & Lalos, 2000).
Factors found to predict post-abortion distress reflect the complexity of the abortion
issue. Women most at risk seem to be those who experienced the pregnancy as
meaningful, who lacked support and/or experienced ambivalence or coercion during
the decision-making process (Adler, 1975; Trost, 1982; Major, Mueller, &
Hildebrandt, 1985; Turell, Armsworth, & Gaa, 1990; Adler et al., 1992).

Harmful emotions

The respondents stated that the “negative emotions” are expected before, during or
after the abortion. They said that it was inevitable for those women who have
experienced it. They are prone to being scared and are worried about the outcome of
their decisions, and the result of the about to be aborted child.

Those women felt stigmatized, suppressed and distressed.

Those who felt stigmatized by abortion are more likely to feel a need to hide it a
secret from family and friends. People who are stigmatized possess an attribute or
aspect of self that is devalued by others (Crocker, Major, & Steele, 1998). Even
invisible stigmas, however, can have profound psychological, behavioral, and
interpersonal consequences for the persons who possess them (Frable, Platt, & Hoey,
1998; Goffman, 1963; Jones et al., 1984)

5.2 Recommendation
This study point out the cause of abortions and it’s possible effects especially on
woman that do aborting, the following are recommendation on how to prevent/avoid
abortion.

1. Medically correct information on abstinence and contraception that should be

included in a complete sexuality education program.

2. Government should create domestic violence and sexual abuse prevention

programs, women who can avoid an unplanned pregnancy do not have to face the
tough option of whether or not to undergo an abortion.
3. Preventing unsafe abortions entails measures such as increased access to effective
contraception, post-abortion family planning counseling, health education campaigns
focused at encouraging young people to use condoms, and men's participation in
family planning.

4. Encourage government officials, planners, including community leaders to create

and implement laws and regulations prohibiting females under the age of 18 from
marrying.

REFERENCES:

Major, B., & Gramzow, R. H. (1999). Abortion as stigma: Cognitive and emotional
implications of concealment. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 77(4),
735–745. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.77.4.735

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0277953603004672

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/481643

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5971191/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5971191/