Study suggests link between abortion, mental health disorders

Patients showing signs of mood disorders, drug abuse should be screened

By Jen Skerritt, Vancouver Sun, May 1, 2010, p. B5

Depression and substance abuse plague about half of American women who reported having an abortion, according to a University of Manitoba study.

The study, published in the Canadian Journal of Psychology, suggests there’s an association between mental disorders and abortion and that doctors should screen for a history of abortion in women who present symptoms of anxiety, mood disorders and substance abuse.

However, researchers are adamant the findings do not conclude abortion causes mental disorders or drug abuse, saying the study did not examine other factors—including whether the mental disorder existed before a woman had an abortion.

The study analysed data collected from 3,310 women by the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Institute of Drug Abuse in the U.S. between 2001 and 2003.

Layperson interviewers asked women if they ever had an abortion in their lifetime, and used guidelines from the World Health Organization to assess such mental conditions as major depression, suicide, alcohol abuse and panic attacks.

Researchers found drug and alcohol abuse was more prevalent among women who reported having an abortion sometime in their life. About 25 per cent of women who had an abortion reported some form of substance abuse in their lifetime, compared to seven per cent of women who did not have abortions.

The study also found women who had an abortion had an increased likelihood of mood and anxiety disorders, although the relation is weaker and less consistent. Researchers speculate other factors, such as violence and poor social supports, may contribute to mental disorders.

Natalie Mota, a U of M graduate student who was the study’s primary author, said the findings are unclear.

“You absolutely cannot say from this data that an abortion causes mental illness. There’s an association present, but whether the mental illness comes before or after needs to be further examined.”

The study did not examine what portion of the abortions were medically necessary or elective, and said “unintended pregnancy itself may be a stressful event that can be a confounding factor in the relation between abortion and mental illness.”

Mota speculates the connection between substance abuse and abortion was strong because it’s possible that women self-medicate with drugs and alcohol following an abortion, although the study did not investigate this.

Mota said it’s important the study is not misinterpreted, and that people understand researchers found an “association” between mental disorders and abortions, not a “cause and effect” relationship.

“There is a possibility the person was diagnosed with a mental disorder and 20 years passed and they had an abortion,” Mota said.

Abortion providers worry the study’s findings could be misinterpreted and become fodder for anti-abortion groups.

“I think there are lots and lots of questions about this study and I would like to see some answers to those before I know it has any affect as an abortion provider and the way I provide my service,” said Joan Dawkins, executive director of the Women’s Health Clinic in Winnipeg.