Abortion remains medically safe for women in the United States

No more harmful than an unwanted pregnancy

Women who have a desired abortion often do much better than those who are denied an abortion, added Diana Green Foster, a professor at the University of California, Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health in San Francisco.

Foster cites the Turnaway study, a long-term research effort that employed nearly 1,000 women from 30 abortion facilities across the country over a three-year period. A quarter of women were rejected and did not have an abortion.

It turned out that there was little difference between the two groups in terms of mental health.

“Women who have been denied an abortion actually experience more anxiety and lower self-esteem during abortion than those who have had an abortion,” Foster said. “But the groups got closer from 6 to 12 months and we don’t see a difference after that moment. And in terms of results like depression, suicidal thoughts, post-traumatic stress disorder, life satisfaction, we don’t really see a difference at every point between the two groups. “

“It’s not because both those who have abortions and those who are denied do poorly. In fact, both groups improve over time,” Foster continued.

However, unwanted pregnancies have serious consequences for women’s health, she said. They are more likely to suffer from gestational high blood pressure, joint pain and headaches or migraines.

In addition, two of the 200 women in the study who were denied an abortion died during childbirth, Foster added.

“It’s an astronomical mortality rate. It’s much higher than Dr. Prager told you,” Foster said. “It simply came to our notice then. This is an indication that carrying a pregnancy to term is associated with many risks. And when people don’t feel ready to do it, it’s a very big physical health risk that they haven’t done. be sure to sign up. “

Women who are denied abortion also face more economic hardship than those who receive a desired abortion, Foster added. They are more likely to fall into poverty and are more likely to find themselves in a single-parent household.

“It’s not like when a woman is denied an abortion, in some way the man involved in the pregnancy helps support the family,” Foster said. “There is no difference in the possibility that she is actually still in a romantic relationship with him and that he supports the child.