Psychological ill-being experienced by first-time mothers and their partners in pregnancy after abortion: a cohort study

AbstractThe psychological effects of abortion have been much discussed lately, with recently published studies indicating that induced abortion (IA) may, contrary to the general consensus, be contributing to psychological symptoms post-abortion. Using a cohort of first-time mothers, we assessed the likelihood of them experiencing psychological ill-being at the midpoint of their pregnancy, depending on their IA history. We also examined the psychological symptoms of their partners, the hypothesis being that ill-being in IA-experienced mothers might reflect onto their partners. Altogether 680 future first-time mothers (9.8% of whom had an IA history) and their partners were selected. Most mothers attended their 16 check-ups at maternity health clinics (MHC), where the family's physical and emotional well-being were checked. Several internationally validated questionnaires, which gauged psychological ill-being, were filled in at the 20th week of pregnancy. There were no significant differences between the st...