Women who had abortions were far more likely to attempt suicide than women who delivered their babies, a new study found.
About 35% of the women who had an abortion attempted suicide, according to the study, published last month in the peer-reviewed Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology.
This was much higher than the 13% suicide attempt rate for women who successfully delivered their babies and had not had any miscarriages or problematic pregnancies, meaning those that were difficult, unplanned, or unwanted.
The study surveyed a total of 2,829 American women between 41 and 45, asking them about their reproductive histories and any history of attempted suicide. The women were asked to rank how much their pregnancy outcome contributed to any suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, and self-destructive behaviors.
Women with miscarriages or problematic pregnancies reported lower suicide attempt rates at 30% and 28% respectively. Women who had never been pregnant had a much lower 17% suicide attempt rate, and women who had only successful deliveries had the lowest suicide attempt rate at 13%.
Women who said they felt coerced into an abortion contrary to their own values and preferences had the highest attempted suicide rate at 46%.
More than half the women who had abortions and attempted suicide said their abortions were a “moderate to high” contributor to their suicide attempts. Women who said they felt coerced into abortion were particularly likely to say it was a major contributor to their suicide attempt.
“Abortion was significantly more likely to be associated with self-destructive thoughts and suicidal thoughts or behaviors compared to all three other pregnancy outcomes,” the study said.
The study concluded that the higher risk of suicide among post-abortive women is not coincidental.
“Women who experience pregnancy losses, either induced or natural, are at higher risk of suicidal and self-destructive thoughts and behaviors,” David Reardon, the researcher behind the study wrote in his conclusion.
“Exposure to abortion, especially when the abortion is contrary to the values and preferences of the pregnant women, may contribute to higher rates of suicide attempts, suicidal thoughts, and self-destructive behaviors,” Reardon wrote, adding that these findings should be used to improve pre-abortion screenings as well as post-abortion care.
Reardon, director of the Elliot Institute and an associate scholar with the Charlotte Lozier Institute conducted the survey in July.
The survey’s results dovetail with Reardon’s previous 2023 survey that found women say nearly 70% of abortions were unwanted, inconsistent with women’s preferences, or coerced.
The older study reported that among more than 200 women in the United States, 33% said the abortion was wanted, 43% said it was accepted but inconsistent with their values and preferences, and 24% said it was unwanted or coerced.
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Women who had abortions were far more likely to attempt suicide than women who delivered their babies, a new study found.
About 35% of the women who had an abortion attempted suicide, according to the study, published last month in the peer-reviewed Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology.
This was much higher than the 13% suicide attempt rate for women who successfully delivered their babies and had not had any miscarriages or problematic pregnancies, meaning those that were difficult, unplanned, or unwanted.
The study surveyed a total of 2,829 American women between 41 and 45, asking them about their reproductive histories and any history of attempted suicide. The women were asked to rank how much their pregnancy outcome contributed to any suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, and self-destructive behaviors.
Women with miscarriages or problematic pregnancies reported lower suicide attempt rates at 30% and 28% respectively. Women who had never been pregnant had a much lower 17% suicide attempt rate, and women who had only successful deliveries had the lowest suicide attempt rate at 13%.
Women who said they felt coerced into an abortion contrary to their own values and preferences had the highest attempted suicide rate at 46%.
More than half the women who had abortions and attempted suicide said their abortions were a “moderate to high” contributor to their suicide attempts. Women who said they felt coerced into abortion were particularly likely to say it was a major contributor to their suicide attempt.
“Abortion was significantly more likely to be associated with self-destructive thoughts and suicidal thoughts or behaviors compared to all three other pregnancy outcomes,” the study said.
The study concluded that the higher risk of suicide among post-abortive women is not coincidental.
“Women who experience pregnancy losses, either induced or natural, are at higher risk of suicidal and self-destructive thoughts and behaviors,” David Reardon, the researcher behind the study wrote in his conclusion.
“Exposure to abortion, especially when the abortion is contrary to the values and preferences of the pregnant women, may contribute to higher rates of suicide attempts, suicidal thoughts, and self-destructive behaviors,” Reardon wrote, adding that these findings should be used to improve pre-abortion screenings as well as post-abortion care.
Reardon, director of the Elliot Institute and an associate scholar with the Charlotte Lozier Institute conducted the survey in July.
The survey’s results dovetail with Reardon’s previous 2023 survey that found women say nearly 70% of abortions were unwanted, inconsistent with women’s preferences, or coerced.
The older study reported that among more than 200 women in the United States, 33% said the abortion was wanted, 43% said it was accepted but inconsistent with their values and preferences, and 24% said it was unwanted or coerced.
“}]]
