Wednesday, February 15, 2006

A Little More Notice of Abortion Hazards Evidence

A very little: A new Google News search turns up all of 27 reports on "Fergusson and abortion."

There is a good "Guest Opinion" piece at "Scoop.nz." (New Zealand) which includes information on both the recent Norwegian report on psychological sequelae of abortion, as well as Fergusson's data out of New Zealand.

Recent research from Norway and New Zealand has reported an association between abortion and subsequent mental health problems. Although the two reports are not the first to suggest such a relationship, they are well-designed studies suggesting that abortion may be linked to negative mental health reactions for some women.

The Norwegian study, published online by the journal BMC Medicine, compared the experiences of women who had miscarriages with those who had abortions. Six months after pregnancy termination, women who had a miscarriage were more distressed than women who had abortions. However, after 5 years, women who had abortions were more likely to suffer anxiety and intrusive thoughts of the event than women who miscarried.

The New Zealand study, published by the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, found that mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, substance abuse and suicidal thoughts, were more likely to occur among women who had an abortion than women who had never been pregnant or pregnant women who did not terminate the pregnancy. The study concluded, "Abortion in young women may be associated with increased risks of mental health problems."


The psychologist who writes, Warren Throckmorton, PhD, calls for a revision of the American Psychological Association and Planned Parenthood policies on informed consent for abortion. Unfortunately, he is a "conservative,," who writes about his faith. He will most likely be marginalized.

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