Abortion Harmful to Women's Mental Health - Study
MEDIA RELEASE
2 September 2011
Abortion Harmful to Women's Mental Health - Study
Family First NZ says that a meta-analysis published today in the British Journal of Psychiatry has revealed that 81
percent of females who had an abortion were found to be at an increased risk for mental health problems, including
depression, alcohol abuse and suicidal behaviors.
The study, "Abortion and Mental health: Quantitative Synthesis and Analysis of Research Published 1995-2009" by Priscilla
Coleman, Ph.D., took into account 22 studies and over 877,000 participants over the 14-year period. The study also
reveals that as many as ten percent of all mental health problems are directly attributable to abortion.
"This confirms and is consistent with previous NZ research which showed that abortion harms women. Abortion harms women
but poro-abortion groups refuse to acknowledge this, seeing the right to abortion more paramount than the long-term
health and welfare of the women. We believe women have the right to the best independent information and advice before
making a decision that could impact them later in life," says Marina Young, Spokesperson for Family First NZ, who
through her own abortion experience formed the Buttons Project.
A University of Otago study in 2008 found that women who had an abortion faced a 30% increase in the risk of developing common mental health
problems such as depression and anxiety. Other studies have found a link between abortion and psychiatric disorders ranging from anxiety to depressionww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12544786> to substance abuse disorders. And the Royal College of Psychiatrists in the UK recommended updating abortion information leaflets to include details of the risks of depression. They said that consent could not
be informed without the provision of adequate and appropriate information.
"Family First NZ is calling for a law which requires informed consent including the offer of ultrasound for all
potential abortions, and counselling to be provided only by non-providers of abortion services as is being introduced in
the UK. Parental notification of teenage pregnancy and abortion should happen automatically except in exceptional
circumstances approved by the court," says Mrs Young.
"With 98% of abortions in NZ being performed on the basis of the mental health of the mother, it is time that the
research on the post-abortion mental health outcomes was given equal weight against the pro-abortion claims."
ENDS