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''Critique of the APA Task Force on Abortion and Mental Health''

 

 

 

'''Critique of the APA Task Force on Abortion and Mental Health'''

Priscilla K. Coleman, Ph.D.

Priscilla K. Coleman, Ph.D.

==Supplmentary Material==

==Supplmentary Material==

The Wall Street Journal reports that the APA Task Force finding was limited to a single, elective abortion of adult women and did not address abortions for teenagers (representing about 17% of all abortions), nor did it address the effects of multiple abortions on women, which account for about half of all abortions in the United Stateds.<ref name=wsj1>[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121868309379939765.html Study Fails to Find Link On Abortion, Mental Health] By STEPHANIE SIMON, The Wall Street Journal August 14, 2008; Page D6. accessed 8/15/2008</ref>  The lead author, Brenda Major told Reuters that "The evidence regarding the relative mental health risks assocaited with multiple abortions is more uncertain."<ref name="reuters1">[http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSN1346057620080813 "One abortion no threat to mental health: group"] Reuters. Wed Aug 13, 2008 4:59pm EDT accessed 8/15/2005.</ref>  Women with prior mental health problems, women who worried about stigma or secrecy, and those with low self-esteem, the Task Force concluded, were more likely to develop mental health problems after an abortion.<ref name="reuters1"/>

The APA Task Force concluded that "There is no credible evidence that a single elective abortion of an unwanted pregnancy in and of itself causes mental health problems for adult women." <ref name=APArelease>[http://www.apa.org/releases/abortion-report.html APA TASK FORCE FINDS SINGLE ABORTION NOT A THREAT TO WOMEN'S MENTAL HEALTH: Calls for Better-Designed Future Research] APA Media Information, accessed August 15, 2008.</ref>

The task force found that some studies indicate that some women do experience sadness, grief and feelings of loss following an abortion, and some may experience "clinically significant disorders, including depression and anxiety." However, the task force found "no evidence sufficient to support the claim that an observed association between abortion history and mental health was caused by the abortion per se, as opposed to other factors."<ref name=APArelease/>[

 

The APA Task Force's conclusions were limited to cases of a single, elective abortion of adult women and did not address abortions for teenagers (representing about 17% of all abortions), nor did it address the effects of multiple abortions on women, which account for about half of all abortions in the United Stateds.<ref name=wsj1>[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121868309379939765.html Study Fails to Find Link On Abortion, Mental Health] By STEPHANIE SIMON, The Wall Street Journal August 14, 2008; Page D6. accessed 8/15/2008</ref>  The lead author, Brenda Major told Reuters that "The evidence regarding the relative mental health risks assocaited with multiple abortions is more uncertain."<ref name="reuters1">[http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSN1346057620080813 "One abortion no threat to mental health: group"] Reuters. Wed Aug 13, 2008 4:59pm EDT accessed 8/15/2005.</ref>  Women with prior mental health problems, women who worried about stigma or secrecy, and those with low self-esteem, the Task Force concluded, were more likely to develop mental health problems after an abortion.<ref name="reuters1"/>

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