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THE PSYCHOSOCIAL OUTCOME OF INDUCED ABORTION
Author(s) -
Ashton J. R
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
bjog: an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.157
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1471-0528
pISSN - 1470-0328
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1980.tb04483.x
Subject(s) - abortion , ambivalence , psychosocial , medicine , psychiatry , obstetrics , pregnancy , psychology , social psychology , genetics , biology
Summary The psycho‐social outcome of induced abortion was assessed in 64 women after eight weeks and in 86 women after eight months. Three groups were identified. About 5 per cent had enduring, severe psychiatric disturbance following abortion. Women especially at risk were those with a previous psychiatric or abnormal obstetric history or with physical grounds for abortion and those expressing ambivalence towards abortion. Short‐lived disturbances affected about half of all abortion patients. These symptoms included initial guilt and regrets and sensitivity to the comments of people around them which relate to abortion. The third group of women experienced no adverse sequelae. It is suggested that an awareness of the risk factors should lead to the instigation of more adequate counselling and support for those women who need it.