How Will Abortion Affect Me Mentally?

If you’re facing an unplanned pregnancy and considering abortion, it’s essential to learn about the potential mental health risks so that you can make a fully informed decision.

Want to talk to someone in person about your options? Contact The Well Clinic to connect with one of our caring team members. All appointments and resources are free and confidential.

Link between adverse mental health outcomes and abortion

Each woman’s emotional reaction to abortion is unique and dictated by many factors, including personal beliefs and whether she made the decision independently or was forced. For some women, abortion can result in negative mental health outcomes that range from mild to severe.

According to a report by the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Task Force on Mental Health and Abortion (TFMHA) (opens in a new tab), “it is clear that some women do experience sadness, grief, and feelings of loss following termination of a pregnancy, and some experience clinically significant disorders, including depression and anxiety.”

The report also found that two years after their abortions, 1.5% of the women participating in the study who had abortions “had all the symptoms for abortion-specific post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).”

Furthermore, “compared to their 1-month post-abortion assessments, at 2 years the participating remnant had significantly rising rates of depression and negative reactions and lowering rates of positive reactions, relief, and decision satisfaction.”

Why making your own decision matters

The risk of experiencing an adverse mental health outcome is greater if you feel at all pressured into getting an abortion.

In a study of women who reported emotional difficulty after abortion, the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons (opens in a new tab) found that almost 75% felt at least subtly pressured into getting one. And of these women who felt pressured into abortion, many suffered adverse mental health outcomes afterward, including feelings of:

• Shame
• Guilt
• Regret
• Self-hatred
• Worthlessness
• Being unworthy of love
• Low self-esteem
• Anxiety

Before seeking an abortion, it’s critical that you are fully informed and choose this decision of your own free will without any outside influence—your mental health depends on it.

Next steps

Facing an unplanned pregnancy can feel overwhelming, especially as you consider your options. But you’re not alone in this.

We provide free resources, services, and information that can help you make an informed decision about how to move forward, because we care about your health. While the decision is yours, we’re here to offer support. Schedule your free, confidential appointment.

The Well Clinic does not perform or refer for abortions. We provide accurate information about every option so you can make an informed decision.