Psychiatric Harm from Restricting Access to Abortion

Introduction

Abortion Restriction and Mental Health - JAMA Psychiatry.

Restricted access to abortions will cause tremendous stress and potential major psychiatric illnesses for individuals carrying unwanted pregnancies, write Northwestern Medicine and Columbia University psychiatrists in a commentary in JAMA Psychiatry.

Main Item

This is especially dangerous because these individuals are already three times more likely to have a psychiatric disorder than the general population.

The ramifications of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade are immense for the one in four pregnant people who seek abortion in the United States.

"Unwanted pregnancies generate severe stress for individuals with limited resources to access safe abortions, which may be several hundred miles or more away, and which disproportionately affect people of color, individuals with disabilities and unmarried mothers," write Dr. Katherine Wisner, the Asher Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and Dr. Paul Appelbaum, the Dollard Professor of Psychiatry, Medicine and Law at Columbia University, in the commentary.

Severe Stress to Mother Results in Psychiatric, Developmental Problems in Child

Research shows severe stress of the mother in a forced pregnancy is passed to her developing child.

"That exposure to severe stress is as impactful as drugs or disease and results in developmental problems and psychiatric illness in the children," Wisner said. "We have many programs to reduce stress and medical morbidity and mortality for the pregnant person, and this emotional burden does the exact opposite."

How Restricted Abortions Harm Pregnant Persons Seeking Abortions

"Imagine a person who is working and trying to take care of kids and pay for childcare," Wisner said. "The partner also is working several jobs. About 55% of Americans who give birth live in poverty. That person, who is struggling to make ends meet, may have an unwelcome pregnancy. Most individuals who seek abortions already have kids, and many can't afford to take care of their families with another pregnancy and child."

"If that person decides abortion is the best option and lives in a state with restricted access, the challenges are where to get one, since the nearest site may be hundreds of miles away, how to get the money to pay for it and the transportation, how to arrange for care other children, and how to make up for the loss of pay if there is no sick leave," Wisner said.

"That is incredibly stressful. If the person has any psychiatric vulnerability, like depression or an anxiety disorder, this powerful new stressor is imposed upon them," Wisner said. "The ability to cope with this situation has been aggravated by the loss of autonomy - treating them as if they have fewer rights than the embryo or fetus. Even if they never had any psychiatric illness, this stress level increases the likelihood of developing one."

"Some mothers who already have psychiatric illness have episodes associated with pregnancy. They may have had postpartum psychosis or suicide attempts and are at high risk to have that happen again if they become pregnant."

What if a Pregnant Woman is Taking Psychiatric Medications?

Wisner treats people who need medications for psychiatric disorders that may affect pregnancies negatively.

"A person might take lithium, and, although the rate of birth defects associated with exposure is low, it's there," Wisner said. "Some patients say, 'I want to have a baby, and I need to take my lithium to keep my bipolar illness in check, but I want my 20-week ultrasound to find out if my baby's body is normal.' If their baby has a serious cardiac malformation, they have the choice to elect an abortion. If they live in a state that restricts abortions, what do they do? Stop taking lithium during pregnancy and risk relapsing into a psychotic episode? Or take the lithium and risk giving birth to a child who may need extensive medical care?"

Related Information

• U.S. Supreme Court Unanimously Upholds Access to Abortion Pill Mifepristone: American Psychological Association (APA) applauds U.S. Supreme Court’s opinion allowing Mifepristone, a drug commonly used for medical abortions to remain on the market.
• Possible Denial of Drugs for Women with MS, Migraine, Epilepsy Due to Abortion Ban: The University of California, San Francisco perspective article says abortion ban ruling may result in an increased risk of deaths, disability.
• Care for Women Who Miscarriage May Be Compromised in States Restricting Abortion: A female who miscarriages in U.S. states with restrictive abortion policies may be less likely to receive optimal care than in states with supportive abortion policies.
• 25 Million Unsafe Abortions Annually Worldwide: A study by WHO and the Guttmacher Institute reveals majority of unsafe abortions occurred in developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
• FDA Approves Ella Abortion Drug as Emergency Contraceptive: Ella is a drug that can cause abortions but is misleadingly labeled as an effective Emergency Contraceptive.
• Trust in U.S. Supreme Court Plummets Due to Rising Political Polarization: Survey exposes declining public confidence in Supreme Court approval and legitimacy process.
• Care for Women Who Miscarriage May Be Compromised in States Restricting Abortion: A female who miscarriages in U.S. states with restrictive abortion policies may be less likely to receive optimal care than in states with supportive abortion policies.

Attribution/Source(s):

This peer reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World due to its significant relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by Northwestern University, and published on 2023/02/10 (Edit Update: 2024/06/14), the content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity. For further details or clarifications, Northwestern University can be contacted at northwestern.edu. NOTE: Disabled World does not provide any warranties or endorsements related to this article.

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Cite This Page (APA): Northwestern University. (2023, February 10 - Last revised: 2024, June 14). Psychiatric Harm from Restricting Access to Abortion. Disabled World. Retrieved October 5, 2024 from www.disabled-world.com/health/female/pregnancy/abortion-restriction.php

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