Royal college warns abortions can lead to mental illness

cnredd · #1 (**permalink**) 03-16-2008, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Women may be at risk of mental health breakdowns if they have abortions, a medical royal college has warned. The Royal College of Psychiatrists says women should not be allowed to have an abortion until they are counselled on the possible risk to their mental health.

This overturns the consensus that has stood for decades that the risk to mental health of continuing with an unwanted pregnancy outweighs the risks of living with the possible regrets of having an abortion.

MPs will shortly vote on a proposal to reduce the upper time limit for abortions “for social reasons” from 24 weeks to 20 weeks, a move not backed by the government. A Sunday Times poll today shows 59% of women would support such a reduction, with only 28% backing the status quo. Taken together, just under half (48%) of men and women want a reduction to 20 weeks, while 35% want to retain 24 weeks.

Some MPs also want women to have a “cooling off” period in which they would be made aware of the possible consequences of the abortion, including the impact on their mental health, before they could go ahead.

More than 90% of the 200,000 terminations in Britain every year are believed to be carried out because doctors believe that continuing with the pregnancy would cause greater mental strain.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists recommends updating abortion information leaflets to include details of the risks of depression. “Consent cannot be informed without the provision of adequate and appropriate information,” it says.

Several studies, including research published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry in 2006, concluded that abortion in young women might be associated with risks of mental health problems.

This shows that abortion isn't just a "I have a problem, so I can just get rid of it" mentality...The consequences of the REaction may be more damaging than the consequences of the action in the first place...

winston53660 · #2 (**permalink**) 03-17-2008, 03:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cnredd

Royal college warns abortions can lead to mental illness

This shows that abortion isn't just a "I have a problem, so I can just get rid of it" mentality...The consequences of the REaction may be more damaging than the consequences of the action in the first place...

And Royalty has been so great at breeding in the first place right? BTW the link did'n't work for me

chuck7251 · #3 (**permalink**) 03-17-2008, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cnredd

Royal college warns abortions can lead to mental illness

This shows that abortion isn't just a "I have a problem, so I can just get rid of it" mentality...The consequences of the REaction may be more damaging than the consequences of the action in the first place...

I am not sure I have ever heard someone say it was just that easy.

I have heard ALOT of people say access to abortion should be just that easy, but I have never heard anyone say that the actual decision was as easy as deciding whats for dinner.

cnredd · #4 (**permalink**) 03-17-2008, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by winston53660

And Royalty has been so great at breeding in the first place right? BTW the link did'n't work for me

I just clicked it and had no problems...

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuck7251

I am not sure I have ever heard someone say it was just that easy.

I have heard ALOT of people say access to abortion should be just that easy, but I have never heard anyone say that the actual decision was as easy as deciding whats for dinner.

But the decision, nomatter how hard or easy one tinks it is, SHOULD be decided with information...

And not telling the patient that she could be at risk of mental illness is a lie of omission...

saltwn · #5 (**permalink**) 03-17-2008, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cnredd

Royal college warns abortions can lead to mental illness

This shows that abortion isn't just a "I have a problem, so I can just get rid of it" mentality...The consequences of the REaction may be more damaging than the consequences of the action in the first place...

Nothing is done in a vacuum. It is my contention that it would not be a bad thing to require at least a brief mental health evaluation.

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