Abortion doesn't raise depression risk: study

[friesianrider]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051028/hl_nm/abortion_depression_dc

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Among women with an unwanted pregnancy, those who carry the pregnancy to term are more likely to experience later depression than those who terminate the pregnancy with an abortion, new study findings suggest.

[valerief]

1. This is only news to the News

We women have known that for years.

[friesianrider]

3. Of all the women I've met while volunteering...

...at the clinic near me, the only ones who have ever had problems with depression afterwards were the ones who were either a) wanted the baby but were terminating because the baby would have died shortly after birth, b) wanted the baby but NOT terminating would seriously endanger the life of the mother, or c) wanted the baby but were pressured into an abortion by their parents/boyfriend/husband/someone else.

I've been volunteering there for years now and have never seen someone have depression problems afterwards who didn't fall into one of those categories (and we check up on the women at 6 months and one year following their abortions). The only time women seem to regret their abortions and have problems dealing with their choice are the ones who did want the baby but terminated for medical reasons or were pressured into it by someone else.

[valerief]

4. Makes sense to me

If you want a baby and can't keep it, I can see how that would be depressing. Also, if you don't want a baby and are forced to have one, that, too, can be depressing.

BTW, you're very brave to volunteer. I salute you. It can be very hazardous work.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

2. Well DUH!

[REP]

5. More Studies

Abortion doesn't affect well-being, study says

New York Times (as printed in the San Jose Mercury 2/12/97)

Abortion does not trigger lasting emotional trauma in young women who
are psychologically healthy before they become pregnant, an eight-year
study of nearly 5,300 women has shown. Women who are in poor shape
emotionally after an abortion are likely to have been feeling bad about
their lives before terminating their pregnancies, the researchers said.

The findings, the researchers say, challenge the validity of laws
that have been proposed in many states, and passed in several, mandating
that women seeking abortions be informed of mental health risks.

The researchers, Dr. Nancy Felipe Russo, a psychologist at Arizona
State University in Tempe, and Dr. Amy Dabul Marin, a psychologist at
Phoenix College, examined the effects of race and religion on the
well-being of 773 women who reported on sealed questionnaires that
they had undergone abortions, and they compared the results with the
emotional status of women who did not report abortions.

The women, initially 14 to 24 years old, completed questionnaires and
were interviewed each year for eight years, starting in 1979. In 1980
and in 1987, the interview also included a standardized test that
measures overall well-being, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale.

"Given the persistent assertion that abortion is associated with
negative outcomes, the lack of any results in the context of such a
large sample is noteworthy," the researchers wrote. The study took
into account many factors that can influence a woman's emotional
well-being, including education, employment, income, the presence of
a spouse and the number of children.

Higher self-esteem was associated with being employed, having a
higher income, having more years of education and bearing fewer children,
but having had an abortion "did not make a difference," the researchers
reported. And the women's religious affiliations and degree of
involvement
with religion did not have an independent effect on their long-term
reaction to abortion. Rather, the women's psychological well-being
before
having abortions accounted for their mental state in the years after the
abortion, the researchers said..

In considering the influence of race, the researchers again found
that the women's level of self-esteem before having abortions was the
strongest predictor of their well-being after an abortion.

"Although highly religious Catholic women were slightly more likely
to exhibit post-abortion psychological distress than other women, this
fact is explained by lower pre-existing self-esteem," the researchers
wrote in the current issue of Professional Psychology: Research and
Practice, a journal of the American Psychological Association.

Overall, Catholic women who attended church one or more times a week,
even those who had not had abortions, had generally lower self-esteem
than other women, although within the normal range, so it was hardly
surprising that they also had lower self-esteem after abortions, the
researchers said in interviews.

The Relationship of Abortion to Well-being: Do Race and Religion Make a
Difference?
Nancy Felipe Russo and Amy J. Dabul
Professional Psychology, Research and Practice, 1997, Vol. 28, No ,
23-31

Relationships of abortion and childbearing to well-being were examined
for 1,189 Black and 3,147 White women. Education, income, and having a
work role were positively and independently related to well-being for
all women. Abortion did not have an independent relationship to
well-being, regardless of race or religion, when well-being before
becoming pregnant was controlled. These findings suggest professional
psychologists should explore the origins of women's mental health
problems in experiences predating their experience of abortion, and they
can assist psychologists in working to ensure that mandated scripts from
'informed consent' legislation do not misrepresent scientific findings.


RUSSO, NANCY FELIPE
ZIERK, K.
Abortion, Childbearing, and Women's Well-Being
Professional Psychology, Research and Practice 23 (1992): 269-280. Also,
http://www.prochoiceforum.org.uk/psy_research5.asp
Cohort(s): NLSY79
ID Number: 4029
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)

This study is based on a secondary analysis of NLSY interview data from
5,295 women who were interviewed annually from 1979 to 1987. Among this
group 773 women were identified in 1987 as having at least one abortion,
with 233 of them reporting repeat abortions. Well-being was assessed in
1980 and 1987 by the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. The researchers used
analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multiple regression to examine the
combined and separate contributions of preabortion self-esteem,
contextual variables (education, employment, income, and marital
status), childbearing (being a parent, numbers of wanted and unwanted
children) and abortion (having one abortion, having repeat abortions,
number of abortions, time since last abortion) to women's post abortion
self-esteem.




Most Women Do Not Feel Distress, Regret After Undergoing Abortion, Study
Says


The majority of women who choose to have legal abortions do not
experience regret or long-term negative emotional effects from their
decision to undergo the procedure, according to a study published in the
June issue of the journal Social Science & Medicine, NewsRx.com/Mental
Health Weekly Digest reports. Dr. A. Kero and colleagues in the
Department of Clinical Sciences, Obstetrics and Gynecology at University
Hospital in Umea, Sweden, interviewed 58 women at periods of four months
and 12 months after the women's abortions. The women also answered a
questionnaire prior to their abortions that asked about their living
conditions, decision-making processes and general attitudes toward the
pregnancy and the abortion. According to the study, most women "did not
experience any emotional distress post-abortion"; however, 12 of the
women said they experienced severe distress immediately after the
procedure. Almost all of the women said they felt little distress at the
one-year follow-up interview. The women who said they experienced no
post-abortion distress had indicated prior to the procedure that they
opted not to give birth because they "prioritized work, studies, and/or
existing children," according to the study. According to the
researchers, "almost all" of the women said the abortion was a "relief
or a form of taking responsibility," and more than half of the women
said they experienced positive emotional experiences after the abortion
such as "mental growth and maturity of the abortion process"
(NewsRx.com/Mental Health Weekly Digest, 7/12).

http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=24751

The psychological sequelae of therapeutic abortion--denied and completed

PK Dagg
Department of Psychiatry, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ont., Canada.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to review the available
literature on the psychological sequelae of therapeutic abortion,
addressing both the issue of the effects of the abortion on the woman
involved and the effects on the woman and on the child born when
abortion is denied. METHOD: Papers reviewed were initially selected by
using a Medline search. This procedure resulted in 225 papers being
reviewed, which were further selected by limiting the papers to those
reporting original research. Finally, studies were assessed as to
whether or not they used control groups or objective, validated symptom
measures. RESULTS: Adverse sequelae occur in a minority of women, and
when such symptoms occur, they usually seem to be the continuation of
symptoms that appeared before the abortion and are on the wane
immediately after the abortion. Many women denied abortion show ongoing
resentment that may last for years, while children born when the
abortion is denied have numerous, broadly based difficulties in social,
interpersonal, and occupational functions that last at least into early
adulthood. CONCLUSIONS: With increasing pressure on access to abortion
services in North America, nonpsychiatrist physicians and mental health
professionals need to keep in mind the effects of both performing and
denying therapeutic abortion. Increased research into these areas,
focusing in particular on why some women are adversely affected by the
procedure and clarifying the relationship issues involved, continues to
be important.
Am J Psychiatry 1991; 148:578-585


Psychological sequelae of medical and surgical abortion at 10-13 weeks
gestation.

Ashok PW, Hamoda H, Flett GM, Kidd A, Fitzmaurice A, Templeton A.

From the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of
Aberdeen, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Aberdeen, UK.

Background. Although not much research comparing the emotional distress
following medical and surgical abortion is available, few studies have
compared psychological sequelae following both methods of abortion early
in the first trimester of pregnancy. The aim of this review was to
assess the psychological sequelae and emotional distress following
medical and surgical abortion at 10-13 weeks gestation. Methods.
Partially randomized patient preference trial in a Scottish Teaching
Hospital was conducted. The hospital anxiety and depression scales were
used to assess emotional distress. Anxiety levels were also assessed
using visual analog scales while semantic differential rating scales
were used to measure self-esteem. A total of 368 women were randomized,
while 77 entered the preference cohort. Results. There were no
significant differences in hospital anxiety and depression scales scores
for anxiety or depression between the groups. Visual analog scales
showed higher anxiety levels in women randomized to surgery prior to
abortion (P < 0.0001), while women randomized to surgical treatment were
less anxious after abortion (P < 0.0001). Semantic differential rating
scores showed a fall in self-esteem in the randomized medical group
compared to those undergoing surgery (P = 0.02). Conclusions. Medical
abortion at 10-13 weeks is effective and does not increase psychological
morbidity compared to surgical vacuum aspiration and hence should be
made available to all women undergoing abortion at these gestations.
Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2005 Aug;84(8):761-6.


Post abortion syndrome: myth or reality?

Koop CE.

What are the health effects upon a woman who has had an abortion? In his
letter to President Reagan, dated January 9, 1989, Surgeon General C.
Everett Koop wrote that in order to find an answer to this question the
Public Health Service would need from 10 to 100 million dollars for a
comprehensive study.

PIP: At a 1987 briefing for Right to Life leaders, the author--US
Surgeon General C Everett Koop--was requested to prepare a comprehensive
report on the health effects (mental and physical) of induced abortion.
To prepare for this task, the author met with 27 groups with
philosophical, social, medical, or other professional interests in the
abortion issue; interviewed women who had undergone this procedure; and
conducted a review of the more than 250 studies in the literature
pertaining to the psychological impact of abortion. Every effort was
made to eliminate the bias that surrounds this controversial issue. It
was not possible, however, to reach any conclusions about the health
effects of abortion. In general, the studies on the psychological
sequelae of abortion indicate a low incidence of adverse mental health
effects. On the other hand, the evidence tends to consist of case
studies and the few nonanecdotal reports that exist contain serious
methodological flaws. In terms of the physical effects, abortion has
been associated with subsequent infertility, a damaged cervix,
miscarriage, premature birth, and low birthweight. Again, there are
methodological problems. 1st, these events are difficult to quantify
since most abortions are performed in free-standing clinics where
longterm outcome is not recorded. 2nd, it is impossible to casually link
these adverse outcomes to the abortion per se. Resolution of this
question requires a prospective study of a cohort of women of
childbearing age in reference to the variable outcomes of
mating--failure to conceive, miscarriage, abortion, and delivery.
Ideally, such a study would be conducted over a 5-year period and would
cost approximately US$100 million
Health Matrix. 1989 Summer;7(2):42-4.

Psychological sequelae of induced abortion.

Romans-Clarkson SE.

Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago Medical
School, Dunedin, New Zealand.

This article reviews the scientific literature on the psychological
sequelae of induced abortion. The methodology and results of studies
carried out over the last twenty-two years are examined critically. The
unanimous consensus is that abortion does not cause deleterious
psychological effects. Women most likely to show subsequent problems are
those who were pressured into the operation against their own wishes,
either by relatives or because their pregnancy had medical or foetal
contraindications. Legislation which restricts abortion causes problems
for women with unwanted pregnancies and their doctors. It is also
unjust, as it adversely most affects lower socio-economic class women.

PIP: A review of empirical studies on the psychological sequelae of
induced abortion published since 1965 revealed no evidence of adverse
effects. On the other hand, this review identified widespread
methodological problems--improper sampling, lack of data on women's
previous psychiatric history, a scarcity of prospective study designs, a
lack of specified follow-up times or evaluation procedures, and a
failure to distinguish between legal, illegal, and spontaneous
abortions--that need to be addressed by psychiatric epidemiologists.
Despite these methodological weaknesses, all 34 studies found
significant improvement rather than deterioration in mental status after
induced abortion. There was also a high degree of congruity in terms of
predictors of adverse reactions after abortion--ambivalence about the
procedure, a history of psychosocial instability, poor or absent family
ties, psychiatric illness at the time of the pregnancy termination, and
negative attitudes toward abortion in the broader society. As expected,
criminal abortion is more likely than legal abortion to be associated
with guilt, and women who have been denied therapeutic abortions report
significantly greater psychosocial difficulties than those who have been
granted abortion on the grounds of their precarious mental health.
Overall, the research clearly attests that abortion carried out at a
woman's request has no deleterious psychiatric consequences. Problems
arise only when the woman undergoes pregnancy termination as a result of
pressure from others. Legislation that undermines the ability of the
pregnant woman to assess herself the impact of an unwanted pregnancy on
her future impedes mental health and should be opposed by the
psychiatric profession.
Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 1989 Dec;23(4):555-65

Psychological and social aspects of induced abortion.

Handy JA.

The literature concerning psychosocial aspects of induced abortion is
reviewed. Key areas discussed are: the legal context of abortion in
Britain, psychological characteristics of abortion-seekers, pre- and
post-abortion contraceptive use, pre- and post-abortion counselling, the
actual abortion and the effects of termination versus refused abortion.
Women seeking termination are found to demonstrate more psychological
disturbance than other women, however this is probably temporary and
related to the short-term stresses of abortion. Inadequate contraception
is frequent prior to abortion but improves afterwards. Few women find
the decision to terminate easy and most welcome opportunities for
non-judgemental counselling. Although some women experience adverse
psychological sequelae after abortion the great majority do not. In
contrast, refused abortion often results in psychological distress for
the mother and an impoverished environment for the ensuing offspring.
Br J Clin Psychol. 1982 Feb;21 (Pt 1):29-41.

[REP]

6. Adoption, However, Does:

J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 1999 Jul-Aug;28(4):395-400.
Related Articles, Links

Postadoptive reactions of the relinquishing mother: a review.

Askren HA, Bloom KC.

Deer Valley OB/GYN, Mesa, AZ, USA.

OBJECTIVE: To review the literature addressing the process of
relinquishment as it relates to the birth mother. DATA
SOURCES: Computerized searches in CINAHL; Article 1 st,
PsycFIRST, and SocioAbs databases, using the keywords adoption
and relinquishment; and ancestral bibliographies. STUDY
SELECTION: Articles from indexed journals in the English
language relevant to the keywords were evaluated. No studies
were located before 1978. Studies that sampled only an
adolescent population were excluded. Twelve studies met the
inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. DATA
EXTRACTION: Data were extracted and information was organized
under the following headings: grief reaction, long-term
effects, efforts to resolve, and influences on the
relinquishment experience. DATA SYNTHESIS: A grief reaction
unique to the relinquishing mother was identified. Although
this reaction consists of features characteristic of the
normal grief reaction, these features persist and often lead
to chronic, unresolved grief. CONCLUSIONS: The relinquishing
mother is at risk for long-term physical, psychologic, and
social repercussions. Although interventions have been
proposed, little is known about their effectiveness in
preventing or alleviating these repercussions.

Med J Aust. 1986 Feb 3;144(3):117-9.
Related Articles, Links

Psychological disability in women who relinquish a baby for
adoption.

Condon JT.

During 1986, approximately 2000 women in Australia are likely
to relinquish a baby for adoption. A study is presented of 20
relinquishing mothers that demonstrates a very high incidence
of pathological grief reactions which have failed to resolve
although many years have elapsed since the relinquishment.
This group had abnormally high scores for depression and
psychosomatic symptoms on the Middlesex Hospital
questionnaire. Factors that militate against the resolution of
grief after relinquishment are discussed. Guidelines for the
medical profession that are aimed at preventing psychological
disability in relinquishing mothers are outlined.

Community Health Stud. 1990;14(2):180-9.
Related Articles, Links

Erratum in:
	•	Community Health Stud 1990;14(3):314.

Social factors associated with the decision to relinquish a
baby for adoption.

Najman JM, Morrison J, Keeping JD, Andersen MJ, Williams GM.

Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of
Queensland.

Little is known about the characteristics, social
circumstances and mental health of women who give a child up
for adoption. This paper reports data from a longitudinal
study of 8556 women interviewed initially at their first
obstetrical visit. In total, 7668 proceeded to give birth to a
live singleton baby, of which 64 then relinquished the baby
for adoption. Relinquishing mothers were predominantly 18
years of age or younger, in the lowest family income group,
single, having an unplanned and/or unwanted baby and reported
that they were not living with a partner. These women were
somewhat more likely to manifest symptoms of anxiety and
depression both prior, and subsequent to, the adoption, but
the majority of relinquishing mothers were of 'normal' mental
health. The decision to relinquish a baby appears to be a
consequence of an unwanted pregnancy experienced by an
economically deprived single mother rather than the result of
emotional or psychological/psychiatric considerations. These
findings document a particular dimension of the impact of
poverty on health.

[Name removed]

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