Statement of Professionals on Effect of Abortion on Women

*Reprinted from Operation Outcry

The United States Supreme Court stated in Gonzales v. Carhart that “it is unexceptionable that some women will come to regret their choice to abort the infant life they once created and sustained … severe depression and loss of esteem can follow.” Abortion is a difficult and complex decision, because it has deep impact upon the woman, her own mental health and well-being, her physical health and well-being, her relationship with the child in utero, her relationship with her husband and/or relationship with her sexual partner, other family members, as well as society as a whole.

As a scientist, medical professional or mental health professional, I agree with the following conclusions about abortion:

THE FACTS
1) It is common for women to experience feelings of anger, fear, sadness, anxiety, grief, or guilt after abortion. The United States Supreme Court is correct that “some women come to regret their choice to abort the infant life they once created and sustained… Severe depression and loss of esteem can follow.”

2) Women’s reaction to these feelings vary considerably with their emotional coping abilities and pre-existing functioning. It is undeniable that significant numbers of women are injured by abortion and should not be ignored by the medical profession and that significant numbers of women suffer serious physical, mental or psychological trauma as a result of abortion.

3) The conclusion that there is a causal connection between abortion and negative problems is supported by three independent lines of evidence: (a) the self-attribution of women themselves, (b) mental health professionals who have successfully diagnosed and treated postabortion reactions, and (c) statistically validated studies controlling for a large number of confounding factors which have been published in peer reviewed journals.

4) There is a significant body of research which demonstrates that abortion has harmful consequences for women. There is definite scientific evidence that supports this claim. The best scientific evidence to date suggests that a significant number of women who elect to abort suffer serious and enduring symptoms of anxiety, depression, trauma, suicidal behaviors, sleep disorders, and substance abuse disorders. This evidence must not be suppressed for any reason and should be provided to women as part of the abortion informed consent process. Peer reviewed research has shown that abortion is statistically associated with adverse mental health outcomes compared to women who have not elected abortion.

SIGNED BY:

Marcia Albrecht, MA Counseling,

Marcus W. Allen, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Licensed Marriage & Family
Therapist, Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor

Dr. Daniel Amen, Medical Doctor

Constance Austin, Licensed Professional Counselor

Elizabeth Barnett, Licensed Associate Counselor

Kathleen Basehore, Master Arts in Psychology, Licensed Psychologist

Frank Basley, Licensed Associate Professional Counselor

Susan K. Beeney, Registered Nurse and Grief Counselor

Dr. Karl Benzio, Psychiatrist, M.D.

Kay Bleyer, Licensed Mental Health Counselor

Tonya Bonner, Master of Education, Licensed Professional Counselor

Joan M. Bosky, Marriage & Family Therapist

Mark Bowman, Licensed Professional Counselor

Linda P. Bowman, Licensed Graduate Social Worker

Dianna Bradley, Education Masters in Community Counseling

James Scott Branan, Licensed Mental Health Counselor

Robert Broadwell, Master of Arts, Licensed Professional Counselor

Lya Burgess, Licensed Master of Social Work, Independent Clinical Social Worker

Jessica Campbell, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor

Sharon Carl, Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Kay Lyn Carlson, Licensed Master Social Worker

Susan Cerni, Licensed Mental Health Counselor

Billie N. Coey, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, Licensed Marriage & Family
Therapist, Licensed Master of Social Work

Kathy Connolly, Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker

Shelli Cossel, Masters Level Licensed Professional Counselor

Ginean Gianndrea Crawford, Licensed Professional Counselor, Masters in Family Therapy

Robert Crawford, Professional Counselor, National Certified Counselor, Diplomate, American Association of Experts in Traumatic Stress

Marla Delong, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist

Susan Derdarian, M.M.C.C.

Marina Ervin, M.S., Licensed Professional Counselor, National Certified Counselor

Susan Faurce, Licensed Mental Health Counselor

Stephanie Fedler, Licensed Psychologist

Amy Frady, Licensed Professional Counselor, National Certified Counselor

John Charles Franklin, Master of Science in Counseling, Master Level Addictions Professional

Bertine C. Galipeau, Licensed Ed. Psychologist

Allene E. Geary, Registered Nurse, BSN, Master Health Ed.

Kathy Giangrande, Licensed Mental Health Counselor

Eve Marie Gilbert, Master of Arts, Nationally Board Certified Licensed Professional Counselor

Joyce D. Goodwin, Licensed Professional Counselor

Denise L. Greenhalgh, Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Chaua Hall, Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Stephanie Hamand, Master of Arts, Licensed Professional Counselor, National Certified Counselor

Matt Hartell, Licensed Mental Health Counselor

James J. Heid, Medical Doctor

Lisa Hosale, Licensed Master of Social Work

Theresa Huggins, State Licensed Counselor

Joyce N. Inskeep, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Licensed Probation Officer in Indiana

Peggy Jackson, Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Jay Jeffers, Licensed Psychologist

Karen Jones, Alpha Pregnancy Center

Janize King, Licensed Mental Health Counselor

Sidney W. Langston, Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist

Jeff Lee, Licensed Professional Counselor

Gabriel Nicholas Lett, Master of Arts in Professional Counseling, Licensed Professional Counselor
Karen Ludwig, National Certified Counselor, Licensed Professional Counselor

Violet J. McCreary, Registered Nurse

Kay B. McGovern, Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Cindy Meeks, Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Randolph Meralits, Licensed Professional Counselor

Berl Miller, Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Susan Moffitt, Masters of Science in Counseling Psychology

Fran Mora, Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Jerold Nelson, Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker

Jovani O’Grady, Bachelor’s Behavioral Science/Psychology

Brenda R. Ohursted, Licensed Independent Social Worker

Linda P. Orner, Licensed Professional Counselor

Cindy Peterson, B.A. Sociology M.A. Christian Counseling

Glenda Plummer, Provisionally Licensed Professional Counselor

Larry E. Quicksall, Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Donna Rand, Registered Nurse/Mental Health

Gina Roes, Licensed Professional Counselor, Specialty of Women’s Issues

Jeanen Sabo, Registered Nurse, Licensed Professional Counselor

Kathren Salmi, Licensed Professional Counselor, Advanced Addictions Counselor

Jacqueline Smith, Ph. D., Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor

Rick Sonale, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

Cynthia W. Starling, Masters of Social Work, Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Daniel S. Sweeney, Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist

Victor Tarassou, Doctorate, Masters

Judith L. Thompson, Family & Marriage Therapist

David V. Tosi, Masters in Theology

Joyce Waite, Licensed Masters Social Worker, American Certified Social Worker

David S. Weiss, Master of Arts, Counseling and Psychology

Dan J. Wilford, Licensed Professional Counselor

Dorothy Wills, Licensed Professional Counselor, Registered Nurse

Tina Yeager, Licensed Mental Health Counselor

Jennifer Robinson, Licensed Psychologist

Lee Brandt, Doctor of Philosophy in Counseling

Russell Suda, Medical Doctor

James J. Heid, Medical Doctor

Bonnie Lee Bryant, Psychologist & Marriage Therapist

Angel Eidschun, Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Trauma Resolution Therapist

Chauna Hall, Psychiatric Nurse

Jill Pinder, Licensed Social Worker

Jennifer Robinson, Licensed Psychologist

Sonya T. Taylor, Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Gretchen H. Boyd, Licensed Professor Counselor, Licensed Marriage & Family Counselor

James G. Linn, Obstetrician/Gynecologist, Board Certified, Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Larry S. Thornburg, Professional Master of Science

See the statement online here for footnotes.