Study: Abortion Can Cause Mental Illness
Women may be at risk of mental health breakdowns if they have abortions, a medical royal college has warned. The Royal College of Psychiatrists says women should not be allowed to have an abortion until they are counselled on the possible risk to their mental health. This overturns the consensus that has stood for decades that the risk to mental health of continuing with an unwanted pregnancy outweighs the risks of living with the possible regrets of having an abortion... Royal College of Psychiatrists recommends updating abortion information leaflets to include details of the risks of depression. "Consent cannot be informed without the provision of adequate and appropriate information," it says.
This news out of the UK is unexpected and a validation of what some advocates have been saying for years. The Royal College of Psychiatrists--not pro lifers--have determined that women who have abortions are at risk of mental breakdown. From the story:
It seems to me that regardless of where one falls on the legality issue, informed consent is crucial to "choice" that really meets the definition of that term.
But don't expect that to go down easy, at least on this side of the Pond. The politics of abortion are as much about the deep cultural divide that is rending American society as about the procedure itself. I predict the Royal College's advice will be resisted, or major efforts made to rebut it.
I have no idea what, if anything, women are told here about the risks of mental illness associated with abortion. But if women have not been warned about this and later suffered mental difficulties, I also predict some will sue. If this is a major problem, my old pals the trial lawyers might decide to sink their teeth into this new area of litigation. If they do, it could transform the landscape.
posted by Wesley J. Smith @ 9:33 PM
8 Comments
8 Comments:
*crosses her fingers*
Support for the pro-life view keeps growing-- here's hoping it reaches critical mass SOON!
I doubt they'll sue. Maybe survivors of women who commit suicide after abortion (they're 9 times more likely to commit suicide than a non-postabortive woman), but Mark Crutcher talks about why post-abortive women don't sue in his book Lime 5. He says being wronged by an abortionist is like getting robbed by a prostitute- you simply suck it up because you don't want anyone knowing you are there.
Compound that with the guilt and shame that's maligning their mental and a desire not to exacerbate it by going public- and the feeling that they deserve the pain, that God is somehow punishing them for having an abortion. All this makes them choose not to sue and suffer in silence. It's so sad- and abortionists get away with murder (literally and figuratively.
This is from the Planned Parenthood website: "Serious, long-term emotional problems after abortion are rare — they are about as likely as after childbirth. Most women feel relieved. Some women experience anger, regret, guilt, or sadness for a short time. Sudden hormonal changes may intensify these feelings.
You are more likely to have long-term emotional problems after abortion if you had emotional problems before your pregnancy. You are more likely to experience serious regrets if you have strong religious feelings against it. Be sure to examine your moral concerns before choosing abortion. You may want to seek counseling counseling is available before and after abortion."
Very often abortion clinics downplay the emotional and mental side effects and say that they are either a myth, an exception to what most "normal" women experience after abortion, or the symptom of a preexisting mental or emotional condition.
Is this the same as this study, I wonder? I found it looking for this heartbreaking story b/c it seemed apt.
I thought the abortionists told us that if a woman was ambivalent about having an abortion they sent her away. Guess not.
Laura: No. As I understand it, The Royal College is basing its opinion and recommendatins on other studies, perhaps such as the one you referenced.
You are right that abortion politics will get in the way of this. There are many reasons why, but probably not in the scope of SHS. I would suggest the study could be attacked as being "political" or driven by zealous pro-lifers. O well. Usually the research will come in suggesting some problem, but then an editorial writer for the publication will say it doesn't suggest anything.
It's hard to know if this will break through in America even though there's a big study in Austrailia that says the same. There's a substantial amount of research on the increased riks of breast cancer too. But that gets denied as this will too. So I think Foxfier is right, keep your fingers crossed. Depression, health risks and etc don't make abortion right or wrong, but you'd think it would be part of informed consent.
Hmmm. Reading the Royal College statement, it didn't say any of those things.
Here's the full text:
In the Government Response to the Report from the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee on the Scientific Developments Relating to the Abortion Act 1967, the following request was made:
“In view of the controversy on the risk to mental health of induced abortion we recommend that the Royal College of Psychiatrists update their 1994 report on this issue”
The College has undertaken a literature review to inform the following position statement, which includes the recommendation that a full systematic review around abortion and mental health is required.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists is concerned to ensure that women’s mental health is protected whether they seek abortion or continue with a pregnancy.
Mental disorders can occur for some women during pregnancy and after birth.
The specific issue of whether or not induced abortion has harmful effects on women’s mental health remains to be fully resolved. The current research evidence base is inconclusive – some studies indicate no evidence of harm, whilst other studies identify a range of mental disorders following abortion.
Women with pre-existing psychiatric disorders who continue with their pregnancy, as well as those with psychiatric disorders who undergo abortion, will need appropriate support and care. Liaison between services, and, where relevant, with carers and advocates, is advisable.
Healthcare professionals who assess or refer women who are requesting an abortion should assess for mental disorder and for risk factors that may be associated with its subsequent development. If a mental disorder or risk factors are identified, there should be a clearly identified care pathway whereby the mental health needs of the woman and her significant others may be met.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists recognises that good practice in relation to abortion will include informed consent. Consent cannot be informed without the provision of adequate and appropriate information regarding the possible risks and benefits to physical and mental health. This may require the updating of patient information leaflets approved by the relevant Royal Colleges, and education and training to relevant health care professionals, in order to develop a good practice pathway.
These difficult and complex issues should be addressed through additional systematic reviews led by the Royal College of Psychiatrists into the relationship between abortion and mental health. These reviews should consider whether there is evidence for psychiatric indications for abortion.
Sounds like they said the evidence for mental health problems with abortion is equivocal. While post-partum depression is a well-known risk of term pregnancy, and quite common, it is unclear whether abortion has a specific depressive symptomology. The Royal College seems to be saying that just to be sure you want to screen women for mental illness before the procedure. A reasonable precaution for any interaction with a patient undergoing a procedure, but not a statement that abortion causes mental health disorders.
Mark H., if it's equivocal, that means you don't know and so you still need to screen and disclose. Don't bet on the abortion industry doing that any time soon. There's too much money at stake and too much risk for those who have pushed it and benefitted from it.
There's a typical response in the abortion movement: If the woman shows some negative emotional/psychological problems post abortion, it's because there was something wrong with her ahead of time (mental illness included) because everyone in the abortion industry and every abortion supporter and every person who has benefitted from it-like not having to pay child support for 18 years and etc- knows that there's nothing wrong with an abortion and terminating the life of your own child that would cause regret, remorse, guilt, depression and etc. No way THAT could ever happen...
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