Teens have many different opinions on abortion. In my high school alone, there are various perspectives. On one hand, a majority of male and female students feels that girls have a right to choose abortion.

"I don't believe abortion is wrong. I believe a girl should explore all of her options before making a final decision," says Vicki Roman, 16, of New Jersey.

On the other hand, some feel that abortion is wrong, goes against their religious beliefs, and should happen only in certain situations. 

"Abortions should be considered only in the event of rape or incest.  Any other excuse isn't really valid to me. If girls don't want to get pregnant, they should use protection or shouldn't have sex at all," says Ronak Shekhadia, 17, of New Jersey.

But despite its controversial nature, abortion is still one of a girl's options in the case of unplanned pregnancy. There are two main types of abortion: surgical and non-surgical (or "medical").

About 19 percent of females having abortions in the United States are teens, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, in Menlo Park, CA. And many teens have questions about the procedure.

To answer some common teen questions, I spoke with Barbara K. Snyder M.D., director of the Adolescent Medicine Program at the Robert Wood Johnson University Medical Group, in New Brunswick, NJ.

Sex, Etc.: Why would a teen girl consider having an abortion?

Barbara K. Snyder, M.D.: Choosing to have an abortion is a very personal and difficult decision. There is no right or easy solution for a teenager who finds out that she's pregnant. Reasons why a girl might choose this option include:

• Fear that others, especially her parents, will find out that she's pregnant and be very upset or angry with her.
• The pregnancy is a result of rape/sexual assault, often with a family relative or friend.
• Knowing that she is not emotionally or financially prepared to be a parent at this time in her life. (Maybe she wants to complete her education and/or has no support to help with a baby.)
• Knowing that the baby has a serious, perhaps life-threatening condition—a genetic problem or serious malformation.

Sex, Etc.: What are the pros and cons of abortion?

Dr. Snyder: The "pros" of deciding to have an abortion may be:

• To prevent becoming a parent when you're very young and not really prepared to be a parent
• To protect your health if it's threatened by the pregnancy
• To prevent being forced to have a child that is a result of rape/sexual assault
• To avoid possibly having to marry or be with the father, who might be unable to care for and support a baby
• To avoid difficulty completing high school and other schooling or difficulty getting a good job as a teen mother
• To avoid shame at having a child without being married, or possible rejection from family and others

The "cons" of having an abortion may be: 

• Feelings of loss and perhaps depression later (for example, maybe part of you wanted to get married and raise a child, or perhaps you consider abortion "murder")
• Feelings of guilt—especially if others don't support your decision to have the abortion (for example, because your family's religious or personal values consider abortion "murder")
• Feelings of fear (for example, that family and friends will find out about the abortion, or that you won't be able to become pregnant again)
• Having to deal with state laws that require parental notification and/or consent, or that forbid third-trimester abortions

Sex, Etc.: Is abortion a risky procedure?  What are the physical risks, if any?

Dr. Snyder: Abortion is not a risky procedure. It is a very safe procedure, especially in healthy teens.

During and right after the procedure, the woman usually feels like she's having brief, but intense or bad menstrual cramps. She may bleed for a few days or up to two weeks after the abortion.

Uncommon risks include: laceration (cut) of the cervix; perforation (making a hole) of the uterus; severe bleeding; infection; and failed abortion (when not all the fetal tissue is removed).

If the woman gets a severe infection after the procedure, like pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), she is at increased risk for infertility or chronic pelvic pain. But this is no different than if a woman gets PID and has never had an abortion.

There is NO increase in miscarriages, ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside the uterus, such as tubal pregnancy), or problem pregnancies if a woman has had an abortion.

Second-trimester abortions (abortions performed from the 13th week to the 22nd week of pregnancy) are more difficult and complicated. They often require an additional step to dilate the cervix.

These are more expensive, harder to get (fewer people perform them), and may be more upsetting to the woman (since the fetus is more developed).

The key point here is that early abortions—abortions performed during the first trimester or less than 13 weeks into the pregnancy)—are safe and rarely lead to short- or long-term complications.

Unfortunately, teens are more likely than older women to have a second-trimester abortion, because they delay finding out they're pregnant or making the decision.

Medical abortion—abortions performed using medicines (like RU-486) rather than surgery—are relatively newer. They're generally only done if the woman is less than eight weeks pregnant. They're effective and have none of the surgical risks, such as uterine perforation.

Sex, Etc.: Is it OK to have an abortion more than once?

Dr. Snyder: Some studies have shown that a woman who's had more than one abortion may have slightly more problems with subsequent pregnancies.  Abortion should never be used as a birth control method!

Sex, Etc.: What might a girl usually feel after an abortion?

Dr. Snyder: Sadness, confusion, and anger. Anger because she was pregnant or because she was "forced" to have an abortion when this was not her choice.

She may also experience guilt, worry, loss, and depression. These feelings can happen even when the teen has made the decision herself and knows it's the best one for her.  Not uncommonly, women may have "anniversary reactions"—that is, feeling very upset or sad, one or more years after the abortion. 

These feelings are natural. It helps if a teen has someone to talk to—someone who will listen and support her decision. 

And remember, many teens will also eventually feel relieved that the experience—pregnancy and abortion—is over.

Sex, Etc.: Any final words for teens about abortion?

Dr. Snyder: Abortion is never an easy decision. It takes a lot of thought and courage to make this choice. It's very important that teens be able to talk about it and come to their own decision about what to do with their pregnancy—for example, complete the pregnancy and place the baby for adoption, complete the pregnancy and keep the baby, or have an abortion.

Too often, other people—like parents or boyfriends—pressure teen girls into one of these options.

And remember: preventing pregnancy is absolutely the way to go! The best way to prevent pregnancy is to use two forms of contraception each and every time you have intercourse—one (like the condom) to protect against sexually transmitted infections, and another (like the Pill) to avoid pregnancy.

But if you ever have unprotected intercourse, you can take emergency contraception within 120 hours to prevent pregnancy.

Editors' Note: To learn more about emergency contraception, go to Not-2-Late.com, or call the Emergency Contraception Hotline at 1-888-NOT-2-LATE (668-2528).

Some helpful Web sites for pregnant teens are www.momdadimpregnant.com and www.menandabortion.com.