What Are the Mental Health Effects of Abortion?
Abortion can be a controversial topic, but for the sake of women’s well-being, it’s important to address all the potential risks of abortion, including the emotional risks.
Read the rest of this article to learn more about the connection between abortion and its impact on mental health.
What is the Connection Between Mental Health and Abortion?
While experts on both sides of the conversation will argue about how much abortion impacts mental health, many experts can agree that “abortion is consistently associated with elevated rates of mental illness.”
Women who already struggle with mental health are especially at risk for negative psychological impacts after an abortion procedure.
What Do Some Women Experience After Abortion?
Mental health is a vague term that can cover a lot of different symptoms; however, its scope can range from depression to anxiety and substance abuse or even symptoms of PTSD.
Other symptoms can include:
- Suicidal behavior
- Decreased self-esteem
- Feelings of grief or loss
People react differently after an abortion procedure, and the feelings can range from mild loss to extreme depression or beyond. Because of this, it’s important to be aware of how abortion can impact a woman’s mental health.
Options Counseling
If you’re considering the best option for you, it’s important you take your mental health into consideration, not just what is the most convenient.
At First Coast Women’s Services, we offer no-cost limited ultrasounds which can provide more evidence-based education about the age and health of your pregnancy (such as confirming it is non-ectopic).
Our services are confidential and we provide the opportunity for you to ask questions about your options or anything related to the pregnancy process. Contact us today to schedule an appointment!