Abortion and Women’s Health is a fully referenced review based on global research and lists a catalogue of physical and mental health problems linked to terminations. It was carried out by Dr Gregory Pike, a medical researcher and the Founding Director of the Adelaide Centre for Bioethics and Culture.
Download Abortion and Women's Health here.
Key findings from the review include:
- women are more likely to die from any cause after abortion versus giving birth
- suicide is around six times greater after abortion than after childbirth
- abortion is associated with significantly higher death rates for women up to ten years after an abortion, compared with women who gave birth
- women described significant grief three years after abortion
- a 30% increased risk of depression and a 25% increased risk of anxiety following abortion
- women who had abortions experienced mental health disorders 30% more often compared to women who had not had an abortion
- depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder are also associated with the subsequent pregnancies of women who have had an abortion.
- women who have had an abortion are at a higher risk of psychiatric admission compared to women who keep their babies
- women having medical abortions may experience hospital admission, blood transfusion, emergency room treatment, administration of IV antibiotics and infection