According to estimates from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 20% of Americans struggle with mental illness each year. Some mental health experts, as well as studies, have found a connection between abortion and mental illness in women.
If you are facing an unplanned pregnancy and considering an abortion it’s important to know all the potential side effects and long-term risks you may experience. It’s your body and your health, so you deserve to have the information you need to make the best decision.
What is Mental Health?
Your mental health is an important part of your overall well-being that impacts your relationships, your productivity at work or school, and even your physical health. The World Health Organization describes it this way, “Mental health is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.”
Effects on Mental Health After Abortion
Medical research done by Professor David Fergusson found that women who had abortions suffered notable side effects to their mental health, including:
- Abortion was an independent “risk factor for the onset of mental illness”.
- Post-abortive women had rates of mental health disorders that were nearly a third higher than the rates of mental health issues in women who had not had an abortion.
- At age 25, 42% of post-abortive women said they had struggled with major depression in the previous 4 years, which is twice the rate for other women.
In its review of multiple studies regarding the connection between mental health disorders and abortions the NIH found that 13 studies “showed a clear risk for at least one of the reported mental problems”.
Additionally, Psychotherapist Vincent Rue’s study, “Induced Abortion and Traumatic Stress”, found that nearly two-thirds of women who had an abortion experienced multiple symptoms associated with PTSD–which the women attributed to their abortions.
Know Your Options
Facing an unplanned pregnancy can feel overwhelming, and a desire to find the answer that brings a peace of mind. But it’s important to get all the information you can about what options you have and any risks or side effects you may be facing depending on your choice.
The team at Life Choices is available and ready to listen to your concerns and provide you with the information you need, including a free ultrasound, to make the best choice for your health and future.
Contact Life Choices today to schedule your confidential, no-cost appointment.