As you think about your options, it’s important to consider how an abortion could affect your mental health now and in the future. Keep reading to learn more.
How Does Abortion Affect Mental Health?
Everyone experiences abortion differently. The abortion procedures can be traumatic, thus putting women at a higher risk of mental health problems.1 Sometimes, abortion exacerbates mental health problems you may already be experiencing. Other times, an abortion could cause new mental health problems.2 These mental health problems could include:3, 4
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Low Self-Esteem
- Substance Abuse
- Suicidal Behaviors
If you’re having thoughts of suicide, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 immediately.
Is the Abortion Pill Better for My Mental Health?
Both the abortion pill and the surgical abortion could increase your risk for mental health problems. One study showed that abortions later in pregnancy increase your risk of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.5 Any woman considering abortion should know the processes and what to expect.
Call 402-228-6410 for pregnancy confirmation, a free ultrasound, and education about abortion.*
Will An Abortion Help My Depression?
Your current circumstances may lead you to believe that abortion will alleviate some of your stress. Although women sometimes report initially feeling better,6 they then feel numb and experience negative emotions for years later.7
No study shows that abortion will improve your mental health.1 Instead, one study suggests that women who choose abortion have a 30% increased risk of developing a mental health disorder,1 with many women seeking mental health services afterward.8
Will an Unplanned Pregnancy Make My Depression Worse?
An unplanned pregnancy can cause a lot of emotional and physical stress. However, a study shows that women who choose abortion had a higher rate of mental health problems than those who chose to carry their pregnancy to term.1
If you’re currently experiencing depression, call 402-228-6410. We want to ensure that you have all of the resources you need so you can make an informed decision.
Will I Feel Guilt After Abortion?
No one knows exactly how you will feel after your abortion. Although abortion offers to remove the immediate stress of an unplanned pregnancy, some women face negative emotions, including guilt, for years afterward. A study shows that abortion increases the risk of depression up to eight years afterward.9
If you have already had an abortion and need help, call 402-228-6410.
How Does Abortion Affect Relationships?
Abortion can sometimes affect intimate relationships in dating, marriage, friendships, family, and children.10 One study shows that abortion can lead to an increased risk of depression and anxiety in future pregnancies.11 Women who feel pressured into having an abortion report more stress, grief, and anxiety for years after their abortion.12
Abortion Information in Beatrice, Nebraska
You aren’t alone! Whatever you’re feeling, Willow Center is a safe place to talk about your options and get the confidential care you deserve.
Call us at 402-228-6410, text us at 402-228-6411 or schedule your appointment online today.. All services are free and confidential!
Sources
- Fergusson DM, Horwood LJ, Boden JM. Abortion and mental health disorders: evidence from a 30-year longitudinal study. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry/article/abortion-and-mental-health-disorders-evidence-from-a-30year-longitudinal-study/59A90CBF3A58C58B342CBCFFBBFEBD2E
- Mota, N. P., Burnett, M., & Sareen, J. (2010, April). https://www.aaplog.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Mota-et-al.pdf
- Fergusson, D. M., Horwood, L. J., & Ridder, E. M. (2005, September 22). https://acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2005.01538.x
- Coleman PK. Abortion and mental health: quantitative synthesis and analysis of research published 1995–2009. British Journal of Psychiatry. 2011;199(3):180-186. doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.110.077230
- Priscilla K. Coleman, Catherine T. Coyle, Vincent M. Rue, “Late-Term Elective Abortion and Susceptibility to Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms”, https://doi.org/10.1155/2010/130519.
- Dagg, P. (1991, May). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2018157/
- Smith Dallabrida, E. (2022, October). https://supportafterabortion.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Study-Shows-Long-Term-Negative-Impact-of-Medication-Abortion.pdf
- Studnicki, J., Longbons, T., Fisher, J., Reardon, D. C., Skop, I., Cirucci, C. A., Harrison, D. J., Craver, C., Tsulukidze, M., & Ras, Z. (2023, June 15). https://www.dovepress.com/a-cohort-study-of-mental-health-services-utilization-following-a-first-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-IJWH
- Cougle JR, Reardon DC, Coleman PK. Depression associated with abortion and childbirth: a long-term analysis of the NLSY cohort. Med Sci Monit. 2003 Apr;9(4):CR105-12. PMID: 12709667.
- Coleman, P. K., Rue, V. M., & Spence, M. (2006, December 31). https://ispub.com/IJMH/4/2/3804
- Huang, Z., Hao, J., Su, P., Huang, K., Xing, X., Cheng, D., Xiao, L., Xu, Y., Zhu, X., & Tao, F. T. (2012). https://psychiatry-psychopharmacology.com/en/the-impact-of-prior-abortion-on-anxiety-and-depression-symptoms-during-a-subsequent-pregnancy-data-from-a-population-based-cohort-study-in-china-131424
- Reardon DC, Longbons T. Effects of Pressure to Abort on Women’s Emotional Responses and Mental Health. Cureus. Published online January 31, 2023. doi:10.7759/cureus.34456