Has the Association Between Abortion and Mental Illness Been Overstated?

A large Danish study showed no link between first-trimester abortion and subsequent mental health problems.

Previous work has suggested that therapeutic abortion is associated with mental disorders; however, flaws in study design prevented definitive conclusions about causation. Now, in a large study, using Danish national registry data from 1995 through 2007, researchers sought to determine whether or not first-trimester induced abortions and mental health problems are linked.

From 1995 through 2007, 84,620 women (age, ≥15) underwent first-time first-trimester induced abortions and 280,930 women gave birth to first live-born children. Incidence of first-ever psychiatric contact for a mental health problem was 14.6 per 1000 person-years during the 9 months preceding abortion and 15.2 per 1000 person-years during the 12 months following abortion. O…

Reviewing Author

Allison Bryant, MD, MPH

Disclosures

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesSociety for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (Board of Directors)

Allison Bryant, MD, MPH

Disclosures

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesSociety for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (Board of Directors)

Has the Association Between Abortion and Mental Illness Been Overstated?

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Reviewing Author