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Volume 18: Number 1: Article 2
Anomalous Experience of a Family Physician
James H. Armstrong, Sr. , 2986 Rufenach Lane, Kalispell, MT 59901-6776
Abortion is the most frequently performed surgical procedure in the United States—between 1.2 and 1.5 million annually—and it is one of the safest when done properly. Yet few family physicians or gynecologists commonly discuss or offer it.
A woman having an unintended and/or unwanted pregnancy experiences considerable emotional stress and often finds little support from family or friends. Frequently she travels long distances alone to have an abortion. After abortion there may be a sense of loneliness and misgivings, instilled by rhetoric and billboards of anti-abortion groups in the community. In this atmosphere, a woman rarely informs her primary caregiver, who, if trained, might provide for her needs in an empathic, familiar, and positive environment.
Physicians infrequently have the opportunity to be trained to provide abortion in their practices; yet, if trained they can contribute significantly to the health and privacy of women and families. The author has been performing abortions as part of his family medicine practice in Montana for 30 years and is the sole provider in NW Montana within a radius of 100 miles and for a population that has grown from less than 100,000 to over 200,000 in this period. This paper will present data and experiences derived from this practice.
Keywords: medicine, anomalous medical experience, population data, abortion
FULL TEXT:
Anomalous Experience of a Family Physician
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