Psychological consequences of induced abortion
Schleiss, L.; Mygind, K.A.; Borre, R.V.; Petersson, B.H.
Ugeskrift for Laeger 159(23): 3603-3606
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0041-5782 PMID: 9206861 Document Number: 479486
Between March 1, 1991, and April 1, 1992, a questionnaire-based investigation was carried out among 361 selected consecutive women seeking abortion in connection with a study at the Gynecological Ward of Hillerod Hospital, Copenhagen. 142 women were also asked to participate in an interview 4 months after the abortion; 12 did not want to collaborate, which left 130 women. 61 were later interviewed and the remaining 69 were lost to follow-up. The questions related to their demographic and socioeconomic situations, contraceptive behavior, decision-making processes, and reasons for choosing abortion. The participants also filled out a rating scale describing 29 psychological symptoms. 92% of the subjects had a steady partner. 29 (48%) of the 61 women were not psychologically affected before the abortion, but 32 (52%) were to an extent indicating severe crisis or actual psychiatric illness. After the abortion procedure 43 (70%) were not psychologically affected, but 18 (30%) were. 13 of these continued to be psychologically affected after the abortion. 5 women who were not affected before the abortion had developed psychological problems. 4 of these women had 13 or more symptoms of psychological disease after the abortion. Among 49 (80%) women the number of symptoms averaged 10.2 before abortion and 4.6 after the abortion. For the remaining 12 women the number of symptoms increased. Among 10 of the women the psychological problems could only be related to the circumstances in connection with the abortion. 17 (28%) women admitted guilty feelings 4 months after the abortion. 13 (21%) women reported that after abortion they were afraid to get pregnant again, and 6 felt less libido at one time or another. For a number of the women (30%) the abortion had a negative influence on their relationships and their sex lives, whereas others claimed that their relationships had become closer because of their reaction towards abortion. In spite of the problems all women indicated that their decision to have an abortion had been right under the circumstances.