Overwhelmed, depressed, with tears rolling down her cheeks, Sunita spoke to a Psychologist ... 'The sound of a train moving slowly hums in my ears. I'm scared at the thought of seeing a train or even hearing one'

Sunita, a twenty-two-year-old, became pregnant in the second month of her marriage, one that culminated after years of romance. She and her husband were unwilling to accept this unexpected guest. Her explanations to destroy a new life in her womb were, "We just got married, we can't have children now, pregnancy will ruin my figure, let us enjoy our marriage for some time and then we can take on the responsibility of a child". Sunita had a strong support from her husband.

The couple were both IT professionals, earned quite well and lived in a luxurious flat in Cochin. With nothing to worry and without the slightest remorse, they decided to end the life that is growing in her womb.

With a firm mind, they started enquiring for hospitals that perform abortions. They approached a hospital in Ernakulam and met the doctor there. However, they failed to give a satisfactory answer to the doctor's question on why they wanted an abortion. The doctor turned down their request and the couple had to go home without a solution. After a month they visited the same doctor again.

Now armed with enough reasons that they collected from their friends, colleagues and relatives, they approached the doctor and demanded an abortion. This time again, the doctor tried to avert them. But his words fell on the deaf ears of the couple. They did not budge from their decision. The doctor had to finally give in to their request.

The doctor told them to come back next week for a scan and then decide on a day for the procedure. They came back the following week for an ultrasound. Sunita was taken to the scanning room without her husband. During the scan, she heard the heartbeat of the baby. It sounded like the chugs of a train to her. The doctor told the startled Sunita, “That is what you're going to destroy”. He then pointed to the tiny baby that looked like a dot in the screen and told, “Look carefully because after the abortion, you will not get a chance to see this again”

Shell shocked, Sunita rushed out of the room to her husband and tried to convince him to change their decision. The infuriated young man however, stood firm in his decision. Sunita, now reluctant and confused finally agreed to the abortion.

The couple returned home the next day after the procedure. “Let's take a break and enjoy for some days” the excited young man said to his wife. Sunita, broken and full of remorse, did not have the same excitement for a break as her husband. After a two-week siesta, the two returned to work. However, her colleagues and friends noticed some changes in her. She was totally depressed, could not concentrate in work, her vigour had suddenly disappeared; a talkative girl had now become silent.

Soon Sunita had to be taken to a prominent psychologist in the city. Sunita opened up to the Psychologist in tears "The sound of a train moving slowly hums in my ears…”. The psychologist listened as she described the events one by one. After listening to what she had to say, her husband was called into the room. The psychologist reported, “Your wife is suffering from a minor depression.” Looking at the perplexed husband, he went on, “It's fine, treatable”

Months and years went by. All treatments and consultations ended in vain. Sunita was unable to return to her old self. Being a native of Kozhikode and having travelled by train all through her life, she could no longer take a train journey. She could not even go to the railway station. Her husband had to quit his job. His mother had to always accompany the distraught daughter-in-law. Even the thought of becoming pregnant for a second time terrified Sunita.

The above incident is an eye opener to how a wrong decision can destroy the family life of a young couple. The gift they got for wanting a callous life by resorting to abortion turned their sweet married life into a sour one. Like Sunita and her husband, there are many couples around us who ruin their lives without realizing what they are doing.

It is not wealth or a high earning job that makes family life happier. It's our children ... its their constant chatter, the sound of their laughter, their naughtiness, their fights and even their little screams and sobs that creates joy in our lives.

Psychiatrists point out that more than half of the women who have had an abortion face psychological and sometimes minor health issues. They suffer from guilt, depression, humiliation, anxiety, helplessness, lack of confidence, excessive anger, withdrawal from society, lack of sexual interest, suspicion, nightmares, insomnia and suicidal tendencies.

Statistics show that more than half of the women who go to various counselling centres and psychiatrists in Kerala had made the big mistake of going through an abortion for small reasons; only to succumb to severe psychological stress.

Sunita, who had ruthlessly ended a defenseless life, became a depressed and disturbed person at the tender age of 22. The story of Agnes, a native of Kottayam, is one with a more disastrous outcome...more on this in the next part of this series.

Note : Original names in this series have been altered to maintain the privacy of those involved.

Click here to read the earlier article in this series