Myth: Aborting a fetus will cause more mental health issues than being denied an abortion.
Truth: This is false.
Although many individuals believe that having an abortion will come with several mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, this may not be the case. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Psychiatry looked at the impact of being granted or denied an abortion on mental health. Researchers of this study analyzed the mental health of women five years after being granted or denied an abortion. The study found that women who were granted the ability to have an abortion had a lower risk of adverse psychological consequences, in comparison to women who were denied an abortion.
Interestingly, it was found that after one week of seeking an abortion, those who were denied an abortion had more anxiety symptoms, inferior self-esteem issues, and lower life satisfaction. Women who were denied an abortion either suffered miscarriages or went to other clinics for an abortion, which the authors suggest is the reason for the high levels of stress, depression, and anxiety seen in these women.
Reference
- Biggs MAUpadhyay UDMcCulloch CEFoster DG. Women’s Mental Health and Well-being 5 Years After Receiving or Being Denied an Abortion: A Prospective, Longitudinal Cohort Study. JAMA Psychiatry. 2017; 74(2):169-178. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.3478
