(Nov.
23, 2009) Although it may seem like a quick solution to a difficult problem,
those who get abortions are one and one-half times more likely to develop mental
health disorders than those who do not abort, says a recent study in a major
British health journal.The study, in the well-respected British Journal of Psychiatry, contradicts the claims of many American medical groups.
“Analyses showed that the number of negative responses to the abortion was associated with increased levels of subsequent mental health disorders,” the study, published this year, said.
The British study’s lead author, Prof. David Fergusson, who has described himself as pro-choice, is an outspoken critic of the American Psychological Association and has called for more research into the safety of abortion.
Abortion's Beneficial Effects Questioned
In the current paper, the authors noted that "this evidence raises important questions" about the practice of performing abortions "on the grounds that this procedure will reduce risks of mental health problems in women having an unwanted pregnancy."
"Currently there is no evidence to support the assumptions underlying this practice, and the findings of the present study suggest that abortion may, in fact, increase mental health risks among those women who find seeking and obtaining an abortion a distressing experience," the study stated.
The report stated that those having an abortion and reporting negative reactions to it had rates of mental health disorders that were approximately 1.4 – 1.8 times higher than those not having an abortion. Earlier this year, a study in the United States showed that having an abortion had a negative affect on parenting practices.
Women in Berwyn, Cicero, Stickney, N. Riverside, Forest Park, Maywood and other nearby suburbs in the western Chicago, IL area who want to know more the effects of abortion should call WomanCare Services, at 708-795-6000.
Note: Much information here was taken from the Elliot Institute.