The Mental Health Toll of Abortion on Women

Women who have abortions 'face double the risk of mental health problems'

Women who have abortions are at risk of severe mental health problems, according to a study.

The study comes with the endorsement of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, which published the research by American academic Priscilla Coleman in the British Journal of Psychiatry.

Professor Coleman’s study was based on an analysis of 22 separate projects which together analysed the experiences of 877,000 women, of whom 163,831 had had an abortion.

It said: ‘Results indicate quite consistently that abortion is associated with moderate to highly increased risks of psychological problems subsequent to the procedure.

‘Overall, the results revealed that women who had undergone an abortion experienced an 81 per cent increased risk of mental health problems, and nearly 10 per cent of the incidence of mental health problems were shown to be directly attributable to abortion.’

Abortion was linked with:

...a 34 per cent greater chance of anxiety disorders;

...37 per cent higher possibility of depression;

...a more than double risk of alcohol abuse – 110 per cent;

...a three times greater risk of cannabis use – at 220 per cent;

...155 per cent greater risk of trying to commit suicide.

Professor Coleman added: ‘There are in fact some real risks associated with abortion that should be shared with women as they are counselled prior to an abortion.’

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More @

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...-face-double-risk-mental-health-problems.html

so.. a procedure which is very drastic and also one women don't take lightly..takes a toll on the woman?


I know you're trying to show once again how bad abortion is and how women are doomed to suffer because of it.. but it failed, badly......

Correlation =/= Causation. Learn 2 science.

These women could very well be more likely to have abortions since they have these issues, or these issues as well as unsafe sex could be caused by some deeper root problem. What you're saying is the same as saying going to rehab for cocaine addiction is associated with increased alcoholism and depression. Well, most people who become drug addicts probably have other problems in their lives that would just as likely lead to alcoholism and depression as well as drug addiction.

Nonetheless, abortion is a pretty traumatic occurrence; I don't think anyone argues it's a good or positive thing. It's simply considered a lesser of two evils for some women.

Yup, generally when I have a catastrophic event in my life I just tip toe off through the fucking tulips and relax. Totally. Fer sure.

Icarus_Fallen said:

It's simply considered a lesser of two evils for some women.

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Implying that DEATH is a "lesser" "evil" than LIFE is pretty good evidence that the psychiatric problems resulting from abortions aren't restricted to just females...

eyer said:

Implying that DEATH is a "lesser" "evil" than LIFE is pretty good evidence that the psychiatric problems resulting from abortions aren't restricted to just females...

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But if a FETUS is never BORN than it cannot DIE, no matter how many times you say DERP!

Maybe all those impregnated by rape should be forced to carry to term in order to avoid further mental stress. Makes sense, no?

eyer said:

More @

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...-face-double-risk-mental-health-problems.html

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Women who have vaginal deliveries have higher rates of PTSD than those that deliver cesarian or never have a baby.

crazy...

eyer said:

More @

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...-face-double-risk-mental-health-problems.html

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At one time, there was a study that indicated that women who had breast implant surgery had a higher risk of cancer. Implication; fake tits=cancer.
On review, it turned out that women who were likely to have breast implants were also engaged in behaviors that were in higher risk catagories for contracting cancer (heavier drinkers, smokers, more likely to abuse drugs, etc.).

For me, the whole idea of abortion comes down to one very simple issue; Is a woman's body her private property, or is it the property of the state?
If it is her property, it is her decision, and she must deal with the consequences.
It a woman's body is state property, where does the logic of state property end?
Yah, either arguement is hyperbole. But you have to extend the logic to its conclusion, because the state will. (It's the slippery slope that we hear about in the Supreme Court so much.)

So then, as I have had 2 abortions, I am -

68% greater chance or anxiety
74% higher for depression
220% higher alcohol abuse
440% higher cannabis use
and, 310% higher suicide rate.

I am totally fucked.

warrior queen said:

So then, as I have had 2 abortions...I am totally fucked.

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You need'nt be so hard on yourself...

...the homeboys I hang with would say you're simply all jacked up.

warrior queen said:

So then, as I have had 2 abortions, I am -

68% greater chance or anxiety
74% higher for depression
220% higher alcohol abuse
440% higher cannabis use
and, 310% higher suicide rate.

I am totally fucked.

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You know, I was wondering what the genders of everyone who posted on here was... This doesn't really seem like a thread I really belong in...

I do know that in Ky, you can get counseling right there at the clinic if you choose to. Actually, I think it's mandatory now, now that I think about it.

Is there a corresponding study of women who want abortions but are not allowed to have them?
Only then would the study mentioned possibly have any real significance.

candicame said:

I do know that in Ky, you can get counseling right there at the clinic if you choose to. Actually, I think it's mandatory now, now that I think about it.

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i.e. Anti- abortion forces at work.

Nobody looks to KY for social leadership by the way.

eyer said:

More @

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...-face-double-risk-mental-health-problems.html

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I'm not real convinced with correlation data when it comes to the mental illness discussion. Without some good scientific evidence of causality, the correlative stuff seems to be little more than conjecture... very global warming to me.

Nearly 100 percent of the people in the sample tend to have an urge to urinate first thing in the morning.....

See what I mean?

eyer said:

More @

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...-face-double-risk-mental-health-problems.html

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How about the mental health toll to mother and child if a woman has a child she does not want, cannot afford or is incapable of caring for properly? Not to mention the health and safety of the child. It is very costly to raise kids and often taxpayers wind up footing the bills for unwanted kids through welfare,WIC, and other already strained programs if the money isn't there .

~hellbaby~ said:

How about the mental health toll to mother and child if a woman has a child she does not want, cannot afford or is incapable of caring for properly? Not to mention the health and safety of the child. It is very costly to raise kids and often taxpayers wind up footing the bills for unwanted kids through welfare,WIC, and other already strained programs if the money isn't there .

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Yeah? Some of those babies grow up to be president.

shoulderblade said:

i.e. Anti- abortion forces at work.

Nobody looks to KY for social leadership by the way.

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Is that anti-abortion? To provide counseling? For some people it's a pretty stressful ordeal, that particular procedure.

I wouldn't look to Ky for social leadership, it's just where I'm from and therefore the place I know the most about. I don't know if other states do it the same way, so I say, "In Ky."

OK, if you are going to quote such a study, its probably a good idea to look at the source. The newspaper that is quoted, the Daily Mail, is a very right wing tabloid newspaper.

Secondly, even if the study is correct, who is to say that abortions cause mental health issues, perhaps a significant proportion of women with mental health issues feel they need to avail of an abortion. Perhaps they are availing of an abortion BECAUSE they have mental health issues, even if they are not diagnosed at the time of the abortion.

Of course, the trauma of having to deal with an unwanted pregnancy could indeed cause some of the mental health issues, but whos to say how many women would have issues if every woman had to go through with the unwanted pregnancy or had to seek an illegal abortion.

Basically, this study is fairly meaningless, other than pointing out the need for un-biased counselling for those availing of abortions - something currently available at abortion clinics in the UK - this is effective as over 20% don't go through with the abortion after the counselling. The legal ammendments being sought by Dorries and Field as referenced in the article, would put the counselling in the hands of any independant counsellor including those provided by anti-abortion groups, as there is no legal definition if independant counselling, and counselling is a self-regulating industry. You wouldn't necessarily know the moral position of the 'independant' counsellor you had gone to see. No10 has announced that David Cameron will not be backing these proposed changes.

Karen Kraft said:

I'm not real convinced with correlation data when it comes to the mental illness discussion. Without some good scientific evidence of causality, the correlative stuff seems to be little more than conjecture... very global warming to me.

Nearly 100 percent of the people in the sample tend to have an urge to urinate first thing in the morning.....

See what I mean?

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Well, it raises the question of the possibility that women who are mentally ill or more prone to mental illness seek abortions more often in the first place.

PurpleJade said:

OK, if you are going to quote such a study, its probably a good idea to look at the source. The newspaper that is quoted, the Daily Mail, is a very right wing tabloid newspaper.

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I'm not familiar w/ the newspaper but in this story from Jan.2011, they said the opposite , based on a Danish study.

Women become crazy long before they are able to be impregnated. It's a condition I hope genetic engineering will cure.

Karen Kraft said:

Yeah? Some of those babies grow up to be president.

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I don't doubt it. There are also some who grow up to become serial killers. Still others never get to grow up.