title: Abortion and mental health: Evaluating the evidence.
abstract: The authors evaluated empirical research addressing the relationship between induced abortion and women's mental health. Two issues were addressed: (a) the relative risks associated with abortion compared with the risks associated with its alternatives and (b) sources of variability in women's responses following abortion. This article reflects and updates the report of the American Psychological Association Task Force on Mental Health and Abortion (2008). Major methodological problems pervaded most of the research reviewed. The most rigorous studies indicated that within the United States, the relative risk of mental health problems among adult women who have a single, legal, first-trimester abortion of an unwanted pregnancy is no greater than the risk among women who deliver an unwanted pregnancy. Evidence did not support the claim that observed associations between abortion and mental health problems are caused by abortion per se as opposed to other preexisting and co-occurring risk factors. Most adult women who terminate a pregnancy do not experience mental health problems. Some women do, however. It is important that women's varied experiences of abortion be recognized, validated, and understood.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California, Santa Barbara, 93106-0001 USA. major@psych.ucsb.edu
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Major
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Appelbaum
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Beckman
authors.forename: Mary Ann
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Dutton
authors.forename: Nancy Felipe
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: West
mesh_terms: D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health; D011247:Pregnancy; D011275:Pregnancy, Unwanted / Q000523:psychology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D016387:Women's Health