Essay Example on Relationship, Sex and Pregnancy

If a woman gets an abortion, will it be harder for her to get pregnant in the future?

I asked 20 respondents at random whether an abortion can make it more difficult for a woman to get pregnant in future. Out of these respondents, 55%, 30%, and 15% reported that yes it makes it hard for conception later in life, no effect on fertility and not sure about the effect of abortion on getting pregnant later in life respectively.

The 55% (11 respondents) who reported that abortion makes it harder for one to get pregnant later said that abortion affects the fertility of a woman and that the procedure may damage the uterus and especially for the surgical abortions that involve the intrusion that can cause uterine perforation and damage the cervix. The finding supports the literature that abortion causes secondary infertility. According to this literature, a woman who could previously conceive a child can no longer do so. Abortion can affect infertility directly or indirectly, where a surgical abortion scars the uterine wall, and this can make the later abortion to be ectopic making the fallopian tube to rupture resulting in infertility (Thorp 68).

The 30% of the respondents who objected that abortion does not hinder future pregnancy said that one could conceive and carry their pregnancy to full term even after an abortion. Rather, they reported sexual dysfunction, guilt feeling, substance abuse and feeling to have another baby to cover for the terminated pregnancies. The responses support the statements by Daling (172), that abortion does not necessarily cause infertility but vaginal bleeding in the early days of pregnancy, preterm birth, low birth weight and retained placenta. A surgical abortion rarely damages the uterus or the cervix.

The percentage that was not sure whether an abortion could hinder future pregnancies or not supported their viewpoint by saying that an abortion can cause secondary infertility, but not a hundred percent sure. Their argument was that post-abortion care could help correct the condition before its too late and therefore they were 50% of the view that abortion does cause infertility and at the same time 50% that secondary infertility cannot result from an abortion. The responses are in line with the findings by Gawinski (441) that abortion may and may not cause infertility.

Question 2

Does sex change a relationship if so, how and why?

In this question, 60% of the participants said that sex changes a relationship. The reasons were that after sex, the quality of communication and respect for one another changes and that sex makes the feel secure and happy. The response that most of them gave is that through sex they discover many realities unknown before and therefore see themselves as equal. Sex changes everything because of the chemical changes after sex (IsHak &Waguih 258). One of these chemical changes is that orgasm makes people lose control of their rational mind such that at the moment of orgasm one does not think rationally. A study by Canadian researchers found out that sex makes a couple happier in their relationship than before, where some of the respondents reported that sex is healthy and more sex is better for a healthy relationship. According to the researchers, when a couple does not have sex, one feels disconnected from their partners as most people consider sex as the most intimate act and that there is no difference between friendship and love without sex.

Sex in a relationship reduces irritability and insecurity feelings as well. Through sex, one gets to know that their partner desires and wants them and thus raises their sense of self-worth and makes them feel special (Byers 115). Love without sex increases the chances that one partner will seek an affair from outside and this negatively changes the relationship. Scientists report that regularly indulging leads to better mental states as well as lowering the incidences of headaches and migraines and enhances superiority feelings that are necessary for a healthy relationship.

The Canadian researchers found out that couples that restrain from sex die sooner, with the studies prove that the risk of death drops by 50% for the middle-aged men who have an orgasm even twice a month. Again, having sex twice a week prevents heart diseases for the couple, boosts their immune system and reduces the risk of prostate and breast cancer as well.

The five participants (twenty-five percent) that denied that sex changes a relationship were of the idea that many factors surround a relationship. For example, children, financial and emotional satisfactions that can maintain a relationship other than sex. According to an Australias Monash University professor, Russell Smyth, sex is not the only factor that contributes to the well-being of a couple. To him, men are likely to be happier from the physical aspects of sex, but for women, the attachment results from emotional issues. According to a report by Lefebvre (5), a psychologist Terri Orbuch found that personal space is crucial for a successful relationship. The findings of her research were that twenty-nine percent reported not having enough time and privacy for self in their relationship. Thirty-one percent and twenty-six per cent of women and men in marriage respectively said they lack enough space.

The other three respondents (fifteen percent) were not sure whether sex changes a relationship or not. The explanation is that happiness in life can be best understood when looked at holistically, social, emotional and financial dimensions. Psychological, spiritual and physical well-being is also important. The sex aspect is important but only when a person is physically fit, emotionally and financially stable, or otherwise, they couple will be unhappy.

References

Byers, E. Sandra. "Relationship satisfaction and sexual satisfaction: A longitudinal study of individuals in longterm relationships." Journal of sex research 42.2 (2005): 113-118.

Daling, Janet, R. and Irvin Emanuel. "Induced abortion and subsequent outcome of pregnancy: A matched cohort study." The Lancet 306.7926 (1975): 170-173.

Gawinski, Barbara A., et al. "A biopsychosocial model of training in abortion care. (Training)." Families, Systems & Health 20.4 (2002): 439-447.

IsHak, Waguih William, et al. "Original Research Sexual Satisfaction and Quality of Life in." J Clin Psychiatry 74.3 (2013): 256-261.

Lefebvre, Henri. Rhythm analysis: Space, time and everyday life. A&C Black, 2004.

Thorp Jr, John M., Katherine E. Hartmann, and Elizabeth Shadigian. "Long-term physical and psychological health consequences of induced abortion: review of the evidence." Obstetrical & gynecological survey 58.1 (2003): 67-79.