Mental and Social Health Risks of Abortion

1. Mental and Social Health Risks of Abortion Joe Emmerich Text Evaluation

2. Abortion Is Not A Quick Fix ! • “Abortions were supposed to be a “quick fix” for my problems, but they didn’t tell me there is no “quick fix” for regret. I went to a psychiatric hospital and they gave me shock treatments. They didn’t help. The nightmare continued. I became a workaholic. Work didn’t help. I became a compulsive eater. Food didn’t help. I became an anorexic as another form of self-punishment. That came close to killing me, I had two strokes. I tried alcohol. It helped temporarily. The torment would still be there when I woke up.” Judith Evans

3. Why Should Post Abortion Mental Health Be Addressed in Our Text? • At current rates, 35% of American women will have had an abortion by the age of 45 • Nearly half of all American pregnancies are unintended and 40% of these end in an abortion. National Right to Life • 22% of all U.S. pregnancies (excluding miscarriages) end in abortion. This equals approximately 1.3 million a year. Guttmacher Institute

4. Abortion Is Linked to Contraception • 92% of women who have an abortion have used a method of birth control prior to their abortion • 54% of American women who have an abortion have used a contraceptive method during the month they become pregnant Guttmacher Institute

5. How does abortion effect women? • Women who had an abortion have a 98% increase for one or more mental health disorders as compared to women who did not have an abortion. • In addition, women who had an abortion have an increased risk of social and relationship problems including substance abuse, divorce and child abuse Elliot Institute

6. Mental Health Risks

7. Suicide and Suicidal Thoughts • 60% of women report suicidal thoughts after abortion • 6% of all suicidal thought cases in the United States can be attributed to abortions • 28% of women have one or more suicide attempt after abortion • Suicide rate within one year after abortion is 6 times higher than for women carrying their baby to term Elliot Institute

8. Substance Abuse • 25% of cases of drug use in the U.S. are believed to be related to abortion Canadian Journal of Psychiatry • 280% increased risk for any substance abuse disorder • Five-fold increased risk of drug abuse (in those who had no previous history of drug abuse) • 261% increased risk of alcohol abuse • Twice as likely to become heavy smokers (and suffer the corresponding health risks) Elliot Institute

9. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) • At least 19% of women suffer from diagnosable PTSD after abortion • Approximately 50% of women had many but not all symptoms of PTSD • 20%-40% showed moderate to high levels of stress and avoidance behavior related to their abortion experience Elliot Institute

10. Eating Disorders • Post abortion stress is associated with: • Binge eating • Bulimia • Anorexia nervosa Elliot Institue

11. Sexual Dysfunction • 30%-50% of women report sexual dysfunction following abortion including: • Promiscuity • Loss of pleasure from intercourse • Increased pain • Aversion to sex and/or men Elliot Institute

12. Other mental health risks after abortion • 167% increase rate higher for bipolar Journal of Psychiatric Research • 65% increase risk of clinical depression Medical Science Monitor • 61% increased risk for mood disorder • 61% increased risk for social anxiety disorder Canadian Journal of Psychiatry • 59% increased risk for suicidal thoughts • 44% increased rate of panic attacks • 30% higher risk of generalized anxiety disorder Journal of Anxiety Disorder

13. Social and Relationship Problems

14. Divorce and Chronic Relationship Problems • Couples are more likely to divorce or separate following abortion • Many women develop a greater difficulty forming lasting bonds with a male partner following abortion, resulting in shorter relationships and more divorces Elliot Institute

15. Child Abuse • 144% more likely to abuse their children • Increase in child abuse likely related to: • Increased depression • Violent behavior • Alcohol and drug abuse • Replacement pregnancies • Reduced maternal bonding with children Elliot Institute

16. Post-Abortion Counseling • Rachel’s Vineyard • www.rachelsvineyard.org • 877-HOPE 4 ME • Pro-Life America • www.prolifeamerica.com • 1-800-401-6494

17. Work Cited Page • www.elliotinstitute.com • www.guttmacher.org • www.researchforlife.org • DC Reardon et al, “Death Associated With Pregnancy outcome: Record Linkage Study of Low Income Women,” Southern Medical Journal 95(8) 834-41 Aug 2002 • Mota, NP et al., “Associations Between Abortion, Mental Disorders and Suicidal Behavior in a Nationally Reprsentative Sample,” The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry 55(4): 239-246 (April 2010) • Coleman, PK et. al., “Induced abortion and anxiety, mood, and substance abuse disorders: Isolating the effects of abortion in the national co morbidity survey, “ Journal of Psychiatric Research (2008), doi10.10.1016/j.jpshchires 2008.10.009 • DC Reardon, JR Cougle “Depression Associated With Abortion and Child birth: A Long Term Analysis of the NYLS Cohort,” Medical Science Monitor 9(4): CR105-112, 2003 • JR Cougle, DC Reardon, PK Coleman, “General Anxiety Following Uninteded Resolved through Child birth or Abortion: A Cohort Study of the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth,” Journal of Anxiety Disorder 19:137-142,2005