FRC: New Research Reveals Abortion Harmful to Women's Mental Health

WASHINGTON, Sept. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a meta-analysis published today in the British Journal of Psychiatry, 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.

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Jeanne Monahan, Director of the Family Research Council's Center for Human Dignity, made the following comments about the extensive report:

"Dr. Coleman's research reveals the indisputable truth that abortion is bad for women's mental health. The fact that Coleman's study found 81 percent of women who have had an abortion to be at increased risk for significant mental health problems is proof of this. The study also reveals that as many as ten percent of all mental health problems are directly attributable to abortion.

"With this information, doctors now have a valid and unbiased synthesis of the current research available on the relationship between abortion and women's mental health. Because it is a meta-analysis the research is much more thorough and reliable than any other single study or review to date.

"Women need to know this information; they have the right to informed consent before choosing abortion. Abortion not only takes the life of a baby but it often causes much emotional harm to the mother."

To read the abstract of the article, click here: http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/199/3/180.abstract.

SOURCE Family Research Council