Implicações pós-aborto

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

A number of well designed recent studies confirm the view that adverse psychological outcomes occur after abortion and are not just related to prior psychiatric history. A range of disorders including depressive illness, substance abuse and self-harm have been identified. There is evidence for an increase in psychiatric service utilization (in-patient and out-patient) also.

Suicide rates are higher in women post-abortion when compared to pregnant women and non-pregnant women but whether this is due to the abortion or to some pre-existing common factor associated with both abortion seeking and suicide (mental illness or impulsivity) is as yet unanswered. This set of studies (5 above) confirms the safe health status associated with pregnancy.

Written information on the psychological consequences of abortion should be provided to women considering abortion so that their decisions are fully informed. Those seeking abortion for foetal anomaly should also be advised of the long duration of the adverse consequences.

Post-abortion check-ups should include questions relating to mental illness including suicidal behaviour, depressive symptoms and psychotic symptoms.

Appropriate interventions that fully respect the reality of the emotional consequences of abortion should be in place.

September 2007

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