What Happens When We Deny People Abortions? | Diana Greene Foster | TED

翻译人员: Kate Tang 校对人员: suya f.

I'd like to start by telling you the story

首先，我想给你们讲个故事，

of two women born early in the 20th century.

关于在 20 世纪初出生的两名女性。

They lived on different coasts, they had different religious backgrounds

她们生活在不同的地方， 有不同的宗教背景。

and they were in different stages of life

当她们意外怀孕时，

when each experienced an unwanted pregnancy.

正处于不同的人生阶段。

Sally was newly married at the start of the Great Depression.

莎莉刚刚结婚， 正处于大萧条开始时期。

She and her husband decided

她和丈夫觉得，

they couldn't afford to start a family yet,

他们还无法负担一个家庭的费用，

but abortion was illegal in New York City,

但是堕胎在纽约市是非法的

and so she traveled to Puerto Rico to get an illegal abortion.

因此她前往波多黎各 进行非法堕胎。

Dorothy had recently graduated from high school

多萝西最近刚从高中毕业,

when she became pregnant by a much older golf instructor.

当时她被一位年纪大得多的 高尔夫教练导致怀孕。

Her conservative parents shunned her

她的保守派父母回避了她

and she had to go away

所以她不得不去

to a Salvation Army home for unwed mothers,

救世军为未婚母亲开设的住所，

where she gave birth and placed the child for adoption.

在那里她分娩并将孩子交为收养。

These women were my grandmothers,

这两位女性是我的奶奶和外婆，

and they're part of the reason I became a demographer and professor

她们也是我成为人口学家和教授，

studying the causes and consequences of unintended pregnancy.

研究意外怀孕原因 和后果的部分原因。

For years, people have alleged that abortion harms women.

多年来，人们一直声 称堕胎会伤害妇女。

The idea that abortion causes mental health harm in particular

堕胎尤其会对 心理健康造成伤害的观点

has been used to justify laws that ban abortion

一直被用来为禁止堕胎

or try and dissuade people from choosing it.

或试图劝阻人们选择堕胎的法律辩护。

This came to a head in 2007,

这种情况在 2007 年达到了顶峰，

when Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy

当时最高法院大法官安东尼·肯尼迪

allowed restrictions on abortion to stand

允许对堕胎的限制生效，

because, as he said, "While we find no reliable data

因为正如他所说， “尽管我们没有找到

to measure the phenomenon,

衡量这种现象的可靠数据，

it seems unexceptionable to conclude

但我们不难得出结论， 一些妇女对自己选择

that some women come to regret their choice

堕胎自己创造和维持的婴儿生命

to abort the infant life they once created and sustained.

而感到后悔。

Severe depression and loss of esteem can follow."

随之而来的是严重的抑郁 和自尊心丧失。"

"No reliable data"?

“没有可靠的数据”？

Those are words a demographer lives for.

这些是人口学家赖以生存的词语。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

We began data collection the very next year.

我们从第二年开始收集数据。

(Applause)

（掌声）

(Cheers)

（欢呼）

To study the outcomes for people who get abortions,

要研究堕胎者后来的生活，

you need a comparison group,

你需要一个比较小组，

ideally people who want an abortion and can't get them,

理想的是那些想要堕胎但无法堕胎的人，

because they would be in exactly the same circumstances,

因为他们的处境完全相同，

but one group gets the abortion and the other group doesn't.

但一组被允许堕胎，另一组不能。

My research team at the University of California,

我在加州大学

San Francisco,

旧金山分校的研究小组

went to 30 abortion facilities across the country,

走访了全国 30 个堕胎机构，

each one selected

选择每家机构的原因

because it was distant enough from other clinics

都是因为那里 距离其他诊所足够远，

that if someone were too far along in pregnancy for that clinic,

以至于如果有人 在怀孕期间离该诊所太远，

there was very few other places they could go.

她们几乎没有其他地方可以去。

At each site, we focused on recruiting two groups of people,

在每个地点，我们重点招募两组人，

women who were just under the limit and got their abortions,

一组是刚好达到标准，堕胎了的女性，

and women who showed up a little bit too late in pregnancy

以及为时已晚

and were turned away.

而被拒之门外的妇女。

I called it the Turnaway Study,

我称之为 Turnaway 研究

and the study design was a success.

而这个研究设计取得了成功。

In analyzing the data,

在分析数据时，

we see those two groups were the same at the start.

我们发现这两个组一开始是相同的。

Women who received and women who were denied abortions

接受堕胎的妇女 和被拒绝堕胎的妇女

had similar mental health, physical health and socioeconomic well-being

在寻求堕胎时

at the time they sought an abortion.

具有相似的心理健康、 身体健康和社会经济福祉。

We followed almost a thousand women,

我们跟踪了近千名女性， 在五年内每六个月

calling them every six months for five years,

using scientifically validated questions to measure their physical health,

使用经过科学验证的问题 来衡量她们的身体健康、

their mental health and their families' well-being.

心理健康和家庭的幸福感。

And we can see that although they started the same,

我们可以看到，尽管这两个群体

those two groups,

一开始是相同的，

their lives diverged in ways that could be directly attributed

但他们的生活却逐渐产生差异， 而这可以直接归因于

to whether they got their abortion or were turned away.

他们是否被允许堕胎 亦或者被拒之门外。

And it didn't work out the way

而且这一切并不是

that Kennedy had "unexceptionably" concluded.

像肯尼迪法官说的一样， “无一例外”。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

In fact, we found no mental health harm from abortion.

事实上，我们没有发现 堕胎对心理健康的危害。

Instead, we saw higher anxiety, lower self-esteem,

相反，我们看到被拒绝 堕胎的人的焦虑加剧，

lower life satisfaction for the people who were denied the abortion.

自尊心降低， 生活满意度降低。

But this difference didn't last.

但是这种差异并没有持续下去。

Over time, the two groups looked the same,

随着时间的推移， 这两个群体看起来是一样的，

not because both groups were doing poorly in terms of mental health.

并不是因为这两个群体 在心理健康方面的表现都很差。

In fact, symptoms of depression and anxiety improved

实际上，随着时间的推移， 抑郁症和焦虑症状都有所改善

for both groups over time.

而这对两组都成立。

But the two groups diverged in other important ways.

但是这两个群体 在其他重要方面存在分歧。

We find worse physical health for women

我们发现，怀孕到足月

who carried the pregnancy to term

并分娩的妇女的

and gave birth.

身体健康状况较差。

Consistent with the vast medical literature,

与大量医学文献一致，

we see that childbirth is associated with greater risks than abortion,

我们发现分娩比流产 具有更大的风险，

including hemorrhage, eclampsia,

包括出血、子痫甚至死亡。

and even death.

And the differences in physical health don't end at the time of childbirth.

而且，身体健康的差异 不会在分娩时结束。

For years later, we saw higher chronic pain, more hypertension

多年后，我们看到被拒绝堕胎

and overall worse physical health for women who were denied the abortion

并分娩的妇女的慢性疼痛加剧，

and gave birth.

高血压升高， 身体健康状况总体恶化。

We also find large socioeconomic differences,

我们还发现巨大的社会经济差异，

where women who are denied abortions

被拒绝堕胎的妇女 比接受堕胎的妇女

face more hardships than women who receive abortions.

面临更大的困难。

We find an increase in public assistance,

我们发现公共援助有所增加，

but it's not enough to make up for a loss of full-time employment.

但这不足以弥补全职工作的流失。

Women, often raising children alone,

通常独自抚养孩子的妇女

end up falling below the federal poverty level.

最终会降至联邦贫困线以下。

Working with economists,

与经济学家合作，

I was able to show that those who received and those who were denied abortions

我得以证明，

在意外怀孕之前的几年中， 那些接受堕胎的人

were similar economically for years before the year of the unwanted pregnancy,

和被拒绝堕胎的人 在经济背景上是相似的，

but for years after, we see more debt, lower credit scores

但是在之后的几年里， 我们看到更多的债务，更低的信用评分

更低的信用评分

and a greater chance of eviction and bankruptcy

以及被拒之门外， 被驱逐和破产

for people who were turned away.

的可能性出现增长。

And one other area of difference I'll mention.

我还要提及另一个不同之处。

We see differences in the chance

我们看到了女性

that women set and achieve aspirational plans for their future.

制定和实现未来 理想计划的机会存在差异。

This includes things like breaking ties with abusive partners,

这包括与施暴伴侣断绝关系、

finding high quality romantic relationships,

寻找高质量的恋爱关系、

getting advanced educational degrees,

获得高等教育学位、

financially supporting their older children

为她们年龄较大的孩子提供经济支持，

and even differences in the chance of having an intended pregnancy later.

甚至是以后计划怀孕的机会 差异之类的事情。

The results of my study consistently show

我的研究结果一致表明，

that when there is a difference,

当存在差异时，

those who were able to get their wanted abortion

那些能够按意愿流产的人

did better than those who weren't.

比没有能够流产的人做得更好。

This may come as a surprise to people

对于那些不考虑 女性为什么要堕胎的人来说，

who don't think about why women get abortions.

这可能会令人感到惊讶。

Women often give many reasons:

妇女往往会给出许多理由：

housing and financial circumstances,

住房和经济状况、

their relationship with the man involved in the pregnancy,

她们与导致怀孕的男子的关系、

their need to take care of existing children.

她们照顾现有孩子的需求。

More than half of those seeking abortions nationally

在全国寻求堕胎的人中， 有一半以上已经

are already parenting at least one child.

在养育至少一个孩子。

All of the areas women were concerned about --

妇女关心的所有领域，包括

finances, children, relationships, life aspirations --

财务、孩子、 人际关系、生活愿望，

were the areas in which we see differences.

都是我们看到差异的领域。

In the experiences of those denied abortions,

从那些被拒绝堕胎的人的经历中，

we see all their concerns playing out exactly as they anticipated

我们看到他们所有的担忧都完全符合

when they were deciding whether to have an abortion.

他们在决定 是否堕胎时的预期。

Their concerns were justified.

他们的担忧是有道理的。

Over the five years we followed them,

在我们关注他们的五年中，

we see that over 95 percent of those who received their abortion

我们发现超过 95％ 的接受堕胎的人

said it was the right decision for them.

表示这是正确的决定。

Very few of those people who gave birth

在那些分娩的人中，

decided to place a child for adoption.

很少有人决定将 他们的孩子交给别人收养。

Less than 10 percent.

这个占比低于 10%。

So there's another example

因此，还有另一个例子，

of a Supreme Court justice making an assumption

一名最高法院的法官做出的假设

that turned out to be wrong.

被证明是错误的。

You may remember Amy Coney Barrett,

你可能还记得艾米·康尼·巴雷特

in deliberating on ending 50 years of abortion rights in our country,

在考虑终止我国 50 年的堕胎权时，

suggested that women could drop their babies off at fire stations.

她曾建议妇女可以 把孩子送到消防局。

We find that once people have taken the risk

我们发现，一旦人们承担了风险，

and made the monumental sacrifice of giving birth to a child,

并做出了生下孩子的巨大牺牲，

most people decide to parent that child.

大多数人就会决定 为孩子扮演父母的角色。

Adoption is not an easy choice.

收养不是一个容易的选择。

And in fact, the women who placed children for adoption

事实上，将孩子交为收养的女性

were the most likely to say

有更大的可能性发现

that they were having difficulty coping with their experience.

她们难以应对自己的经历。

It's not news to me that some people think abortion is wrong,

有些人认为堕胎是错误的， 这对我来说并不是什么新闻，

but when someone's in the circumstance where they are pregnant

但是当某人正在孕期

and they cannot support a child and take care of their existing children

并且没有能力养育一个孩子， 供养现有的孩子

or make a decent life for themself,

或为自己过上体面的生活时，

they're trying to make a decision

他们正在努力做出一个

that is right for their life and their family.

适合自己和家庭的决定。

As the abortion provider Dr. George Tiller used to say

正如堕胎提供者乔治·蒂勒 博士在 2009 年被谋杀前

before his murder in 2009:

所说的那样：

Trust women.

信任女性。

(Applause)

（掌声）

Access to safe, legal abortion is important for all of us.

获得安全、合法的堕胎服务 对我们所有人都很重要。

Unintended pregnancy is very common in my family,

意外怀孕在我的家庭、

in all of our families,

我们所有的家庭、

across our country, in red states and blue states,

全国各地、共和党和民主党当选的州

and across the globe.

以及全球范围内都很常见。

I've worked with scientists in Tunisia, Colombia, South Africa,

我曾与突尼斯、 哥伦比亚、南非、

Bangladesh and Nepal

孟加拉国和尼泊尔的

to study the experiences of people who are pregnant when they aren't ready.

科学家合作，研究尚未 准备好怀孕的人的经历。

And we see these same concerns about wanting to have children

这种顾虑同样适用于 想要在正确的时间

under the right circumstances.

生下孩子。

Access to abortion is universally,

让全世界获得堕胎服务

fundamentally important to the well-being of families.

对家庭的福祉至关重要。

(Applause)

（掌声）

The overwhelming international trend is towards liberalizing abortion laws

压倒性的国际趋势 是放宽堕胎法

and not, like the United States, of imposing new restrictions.

而不是像美国那样施加新的限制。

Until the United States rejoins the rest of the world,

在美国重新加入世界其他地区之前，

there is a lot we can do to support pregnant people,

我们可以做很多工作来支持孕妇，

whether they do or do not want to carry that pregnancy to term.

无论他们是否 想将妊娠延续到足月。

We need much more generous and less punitive supports

我们需要为低收入家庭提供

for low-income families,

更慷慨的支持和更少的惩罚，

like income supports,

例如收入补助、

extended periods of health care coverage,

延长医疗保险期、

child care and parental leave,

儿童保育和育儿假，

so nobody decides to end an otherwise wanted pregnancy

自此没有人会仅出于经济原因

for economic reasons alone.

决定结束原本想要的怀孕。

But when someone's in the position where they don't have the circumstances

但是，当某人处于

where they want to raise a child

不具备抚养孩子的情况

and they want to end their pregnancy,

并想要终止妊娠时，

they need the information and resources to do so safely.

他们需要信息和资源 来保证流程是安全的。

Since the 2022 Supreme Court Dobbs decision

自 2022 年 最高法院多布斯裁决

that overturned Roe

推翻罗伊（Roe）

and ended federal protections for abortion rights,

并终止联邦政府 对堕胎权的保护以来，

we see that people who are experiencing an unwanted pregnancy are determined.

我们看到，意外怀孕的人 的立场是坚定不移的。

People have strong motivation

人们之所以有强烈的动力，

because they understand the consequences of carrying an unwanted pregnancy to term.

是因为他们了解将意外怀孕 延续到足月的后果。

People who have the resources to circumvent their state law

能通过离开州或者索取堕胎药

by traveling or ordering medication abortion pills online, do.

来规避当地法律的人们 对此心知肚明。

Now with large swaths of the Southern United States and Midwest

现在，美国南部和 中西部的大部分地区

without a single legal abortion clinic,

没有合法的堕胎诊所，

women who can travel hundreds of miles

妇女可以长途跋涉数百英里

to get an abortion out of state.

到州外进行堕胎。

People without the emotional and financial and social resources to travel --

没有情感、经济 和社会资源可以离开的人

that includes minors and immigrants

包括未成年人和移民

and people whose travel is restricted because of their own health or the law --

以及因自身健康或法律 而旅行受到限制的人，

will experience all the hardships we've documented in the Turnaway Study.

将经历我们在 Turnaway 研究 中记录的所有困难。

The importance of control over childbearing

控制生育的重要性

is also shown in the stories of my grandmothers.

也体现现在我祖母和外婆的故事中。

My father's mother, Sally,

我父亲的母亲莎莉

got her abortion in Puerto Rico and went on with her life,

在波多黎各流产 并继续生活，

which included having three children later,

包括后来生了三个孩子，

when her financial footing was more secure.

因为当时她的经济基础更加有保障。

She was warm and funny and a wonderful mom.

她既热情又滑稽 而且很棒的妈妈。

My --

我的——

(Applause)

（掌声）

My other grandmother, who gave birth,

我的另一位祖母在分娩时

she experienced severe complications from childbirth,

出现了严重的生理

both physical and emotional.

和情感并发症。

After placing my mother for adoption,

在收养我的母亲之后，

she struggled to find strong romantic relationships

她很难找到 牢固的恋爱关系

and she never did get to have more children,

而且她再也没有更多的小孩，

although she desperately wanted to.

尽管她非常想生孩子。

My mother found her when I was 12,

我妈妈在我12岁时找到了她，

and she and I became very close.

她和我变得非常亲密。

She was my nearest relative when I went off to college at UC Berkeley

当我在加州大学伯克利分校上大学时， 她是我最亲近的亲戚，

and she even came to visit me

当我在普林斯顿大学读研究生时，

when I was in graduate school at Princeton.

她甚至来探望我。

And I was the one by her side, holding her hand,

多年后她去世时

when she died many years later.

我正是她身边，牵着她的手。

(Applause)

（掌声）

What I think about her experience is that her life took a detour

我对她的经历的看法是，

when she got pregnant as a teenager

当她十几岁时怀孕时，

and she never found a way to get back on the track she wanted.

她的生活走了弯路， 从来没有找到回到自己想要的轨道的方法。

从来没有找到回到 自己想要的轨道的方法。

The experiences of my grandmothers are consistent with the Turnaway Study,

我祖母的经历 与 Turnaway 研究一致，

and also show us what to expect in this post-Dobbs world.

也向我们展示了在后多布斯（Dobbs） 世界中会发生什么。

What we know is that being able

我们所知道的是，

to make one's own decision about childbearing

能够在不受政府干预的情况下

without government interference

自行决定生育

is crucial for the economic well-being of families

对家庭的的经济福祉至关重要，

and allows people to pursue personal and educational goals,

并可以让人们追求 个人和教育目标，

including having wanted children later.

包括以后想要孩子。

Access to abortion is about control

获得堕胎服务关乎着

over one's body, life and destiny.

一个人对自己的身体、 生命和命运的掌控权。

Thank you.

谢谢。

(Applause and cheers)

（掌声和欢呼）