Abortion perils debated

Annie D. Banno

In response to Barbara Major's critique1 of the study by David Reardon and associates,2 I would like to point out that other prominent medical journals have published research reports on harmful effects associated with abortion. One study found that women who aborted a first pregnancy were at greater risk of long-term clinical depression.3 Other studies have found higher rates of substance abuse4 and death within 2 years5 among women who underwent abortion compared with those who delivered their babies. Emotional support for and behavioural problems among children of women who have had abortions may also be adversely affected.6

It would appear that the study by Reardon and associates2 published recently in CMAJ is not the first to present empirical evidence that abortion is a severe risk factor for substantial emotional and physical trauma.

Annie D. Banno Connecticut State Leader Silent No More Fairfield, Conn.

References

1.↵
Major B. Psychological implications of abortion — highly charged and rife with misleading research [editorial]. CMAJ 2003;168(10):1257-8.
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2.↵
Reardon DC, Cougle JR, Rue VM, Shuping MW, Coleman PK, Ney PG. Psychiatric admissions of low-income women following abortion and childbirth. CMAJ 2003;168(10):1253-6.
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3.↵
Reardon DC, Cougle JR. Depression and unintended pregnancy in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth: a cohort study. BMJ 2002;324: 151-2.
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4.↵
Coleman PK, Reardon DC, Rue VM, Cougle J. A history of induced abortion in relation to substance use during subsequent pregnancies carried to term. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2002;187(6): 1673-8.
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5.↵
Reardon DC, Ney PG, Scheuren F, Cougle J, Coleman PK, Strahan TW. Deaths associated with pregnancy outcome: a record linkage study of low income women. South Med J 2002;95: 834-41.
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6.↵
Coleman PK, Reardon DC, Cougle J. The quality of the caregiving environment and child developmental outcomes associated with maternal history of abortion using the NLYA data. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2002;43(6):743-57.
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