Extensive Review of Published Data on Risk Factors for Heightened Susceptibility to Post-Abortion Mental Health Problems

 

 

A recent search of the MEDLINE, PubMed, and PsycINFO data bases for articles identifying demographic (e.g., marital status, education, religion, age, number of live born children, and number of abortions), personal (e.g., pregnancy intention, connection to fetus, decision ambivalence), and situational (e.g., interpersonal pressure, relationship instability, financial instability) factors that place women at greater risk for experiencing post-abortion mental health problems was conducted. The years examined were from 1972 to 2011. Over 400 abstracts were pulled, 258 articles were examined closely, and a final list of 119 empirical reports, 40 narrative literature reviews, and 8 detailed reports of case studies were located, summarized, and evaluated. A journal submission is to follow.