Women who have abortions are at an 81 percent increased risk of mental health problems, according to a new study.
Women who have abortions are at an 81 percent increased risk of mental health problems, according to a new study. The research found that those who undergo abortion face nearly double the risk of mental health difficulties compared with others and that one in ten of all mental health problems was a result of abortion.
American academic Priscilla Coleman's study was based on an analysis of 22 separate projects, which together analysed the experiences of 877,000 women, of whom 163,831 had had an abortion.
"Results indicate quite consistently that abortion is associated with moderate to highly increased risks of psychological problems subsequent to the procedure," the Daily Mail quoted her as saying in the report.
"Overall, the results revealed that women who had undergone an abortion experienced an 81 per cent increased risk of mental health problems, and nearly 10 per cent of the incidence of mental health problems were shown to be directly attributable to abortion," she added.
The study said that abortion was linked with a 34 percent greater chance of anxiety disorders, and 37 per cent higher possibility of depression, a more than double risk of alcohol abuse - 110 per cent - a three times greater risk of cannabis use - at 220 per cent - and 155 per cent greater risk of trying to commit suicide.
The study has been published in the British Journal of Psychiatry.
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