Women who have abortions ‘face double the risk of mental health problems’ | Mail Online.
In 2008 the American Psychological Association stated that a “single abortion†of an “unwanted†pregnancy for an “adult†woman did not “in and of itself†pose significant mental health risks. It apparently was reflecting if not relying on a New Zealand study (http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/193/6/444.abstract) which concluded “abortion may be associated with a small increase in risk of mental disorders.” That was a study of over 500 women under the age of 30.
A new study, released in the September 2011 issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry is far more comprehensive (studied more than 877,000 women, nearly 164,000 of whom had abortion) and it contradicts the notion that having an abortion results in a “small” risk of mental disorders.
The article, “Abortion and mental health: quantitative synthesis and analysis of research published 1995–2009″ concluded, “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.â€
This observation will obviously not be welcomed news for advocates of abortion but really should not come as a surprise. About 15 years ago the abortion-rights movement began making a startling confession: abortion ends a human life. Leaders in the movement finally conceded that the biological evidence was undeniable.
With that concession, however, came the real face of the abortion-rights movement. Abortion was now characterized as a “sad but necessary evil” that had to be permitted to protect a woman’s autonomy and right to control her body. To read more on this confession of the abortion-rights movement read an article I wrote for the 1st quarter issue of Clearly Caring, the magazine of Christian Life Resources at: http://www.christianliferesources.com/?9242
Unless someone has truly been calloused to the natural law of the heart, this psychological outcome of abortion fits. Terminating any life is crossing a line recognized by most cultures regardless of religious convictions. It makes perfect sense that once one acknowledges that abortion takes a life, then having an abortion would have mental consequences.
To read more about this recent study visit: http://afterabortion.org/2011/abortion-and-mental-health-controversy-reignited-by-new-study/
While those of us who oppose abortion might be inclined to view this report with a sense of vindication I counsel to the contrary. We have known from Scripture that abortion ends a life without any 15-year-old-realization of the abortion-rights movement. Those of us who have counseled post-abortive women have seen first hand the mental consequences. This report should further motivate us not only to protect women from these psychological effects of abortion but to make abortion the least desirable of all available options. We should continue to work zealously to support alternative to abortion programs that help mothers and their children – such as our own New Beginnings – A Home for Mothers ministry.
