Abstract
Background
Some abortion policies in the U.S. are based on the notion that abortion harms women’s
mental health. The American Psychological Association (APA) Task Force on Abortion
and Mental Health concluded that first-trimester abortions do not harm women’s mental
health. However, the APA task force does not make conclusions regarding later abortions
(second trimester or beyond) and mental health. This paper critically evaluates studies
on later abortion and mental health in order to inform both policy and practice.
Method
Using guidelines outlined by
Steinberg and Russo, 2009
, post 1989 quantitative studies on later abortion and mental health were evaluated
on the following qualities: 1) composition of comparison groups, 2) how prior mental
health was assessed, and 3) whether common risk factors were controlled for in analyses
if a significant relationship between abortion and mental health was found. Studies
were evaluated with respect to the claim that later abortions harm women’s mental
health.Results
Eleven quantitative studies that compared the mental health of women having later
abortions (for reasons of fetal anomaly) with other groups were evaluated. Findings
differed depending on the comparison group. No studies considered the role of prepregnancy
mental health, and one study considered whether factors common among women having
later abortions and mental health problems drove the association between later abortion
and mental health.
Conclusion
Policies based on the notion that later abortions (because of fetal anomaly) harm
women's mental health are unwarranted. Because research suggests that most women who
have later abortions do so for reasons other than fetal anomaly, future investigations
should examine women’s psychological experiences around later abortions.
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Biography
Julia Steinberg is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at UCSF. She received her PhD in Social Psychology from Arizona State University and completed the Ellertson Postdoctoral Fellowship in Abortion and Reproductive Health in the Department of OB/GYN and Reproductive Sciences at UCSF. Her research interests are at the intersection of psychology and reproductive health.
Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
February 2,
2011
Received in revised form:
February 2,
2011
Received:
October 23,
2010
Identification
Copyright
© 2011 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
