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Largest ever study finds abortion increases risk of severe mental health problems by 81%
LifeSiteNews ^ | 9/1/11 | Thaddeus Baklinski

Posted on 09/01/2011 4:08:38 PM PDT by wagglebee

LONDON, UK, September 1, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A new study published today in the British Journal of Psychiatry found that women who underwent an abortion experienced an 81% increased risk of mental health problems. The study also found that almost 10% of all women’s mental health problems are directly linked to abortion.

Conducted by Priscilla K. Coleman, Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at Bowling Green State University, Ohio, USA, the study was based on an analysis of 22 separate studies and 36 measures of effect, that involved a total of 877,181 participants of whom 163,831 had experienced an abortion. The study took into account pre-existing mental health problems prior to the abortion.

“In order to avoid any allegations of bias,” Dr. Coleman explained, “very stringent inclusion criteria were employed. This means every strong study was included and weaker studies were excluded.

“Specifically, among the rules for inclusion were sample size of 100 or more participants, use of a comparison group, and employment of controls for variables that may confound the effects such as demographics, exposure to violence, prior history of mental health problems, etc.”

This makes Dr. Coleman’s study the most comprehensive of its kind to date.

“Given the methodological limitations of recently published qualitative reviews of abortion and mental health, a quantitative synthesis was deemed necessary to represent more accurately the published literature and to provide clarity to clinicians” Dr. Coleman stated in the report.

She said her research was focused on offering “the largest quantitative estimate of mental health risks associated with abortion available in the world literature.” This, she said, would give health care practitioners “an accurate synopsis of the best available evidence in order to provide women with valid information in order to make informed health care decisions.”

The research revealed that abortion was associated with a 34% increased risk for anxiety disorders; 37% greater risk of depression; 110% greater risk of alcohol abuse and 220% greater risk of marijuana use/abuse.

Abortion was also linked with a 155% greater risk of attempting to commit suicide.

“The strongest subgroup estimates of increased risk occurred when abortion was compared with term pregnancy and when the outcomes pertained to substance use and suicidal behavior,” Dr. Coleman observed.

“Calling into question the conclusions from traditional reviews,” the report concluded, “the results revealed a moderate to highly increased risk of mental health problems after abortion. Consistent with the tenets of evidence-based medicine, this information should inform the delivery of abortion services.”

Commenting on the results of the study, Pro Life Campaign of Ireland spokesperson, Dr. Ruth Cullen said, “These findings are extremely disturbing and completely undermine pro-choice claims that abortion alleviates mental health problems. In fact, the study further proves that the opposite is the case.”

“These findings cannot be ignored,” Dr. Cullen stated. “They raise very serious issues for everyone regardless of which side they are one in the abortion debate. The best interests of women can only be served by an honest and dispassionate appraisal of the facts.”

Dr. Mary L. Davenport, president of the American Association of ProLife Obstetricians and Gynecologists and medical director of Nigeria’s Magnificat Maternal Health Project, said the study, “sheds important light on the mental health of women,” and exposes the “egregious cover-up of abortion complications” that are an aspect of “the abortion distortion.”

“This review, which is larger than any study to date, contradicts the recent and biased and less systematic review by the American Psychological Association, which fails to find a relationship between mental health problems and abortion,” Dr. Davenport wrote today in the American Thinker.

“The new meta-analysis also contradicts the stance of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), which has been silent on the mental health impact of abortion in its official publications despite overwhelming evidence over the last two decades of abortion’s adverse effects.”

“By so powerfully linking abortion to mental health problems, the Coleman study helps us comprehend the magnitude of the damage done to entire nations by reckless, permissive abortion policies,” Dr. Davenport concluded.

An abstract of the study titled “Abortion and mental health: quantitative synthesis and analysis of research published 1995–2009” with links to the full text is available on the British Journal of Psychiatry website here.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: abortion; moralabsolutes; prolife
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To: Jim Robinson

Another thanks from me.


121 posted on 09/02/2011 11:33:34 AM PDT by little jeremiah (Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point. CSLewis)
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To: 10thAmendmentGuy; Jim Thompson; wagglebee; darkwing104; 50mm; stephenjohnbanker; SunkenCiv; ...
Hat Tip to Jim Thompson and wagglebee

Particularly arrogant and annoying pro-death troll tugs on Jim's cape and finds itself turned to ashes and crunchy Viking Kitty kibble





This is a great picture of your brain's workings


122 posted on 09/02/2011 11:44:08 AM PDT by TheOldLady (FReepmail me to get ON or OFF the ZOT LIGHTNING ping list.)
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To: 10thAmendmentGuy
The moderators know who I am.

Yes. Obviously.

They know you are Zotted.

123 posted on 09/02/2011 11:56:36 AM PDT by humblegunner (The kinder, gentler version...)
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To: Jim Robinson

Thank you for zotting that troll. I have been dealing with him and a few others who are libertarians or liberals on the thread about America bearing the blame for the murders in Mexico.

Thank you from the bottom of my pea pickin heart.


124 posted on 09/02/2011 12:42:44 PM PDT by RickB444 (What one receives without working for, another must work for without receiving.)
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To: wagglebee

Great job at getting rid of another “troll”. You and your crew are really good at it.

Did you know that he was a kid in his 20’s? He could have been convinced to change his mind, but getting him banned is much more fun.


125 posted on 09/02/2011 12:50:23 PM PDT by Jean S
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To: Jean S; wagglebee

HA HA HA HA HA HA!

Many of us dealth with him reasonably at first and tried to convince him with reason.

He wasn’t here to do anything except shove his lying libertarian crap down everyones’ throats in the nastiest, most dishonest methods I’ve seen in a brand new noob for a long time. Except he didn’t seem like a noob, he seemed pretty slick for that.

He lied, was duplicitous, freepmailed tons of people all the time - and you think he was educable?

No freaking way could he have been convinced about anything. He was here to troll, no doubt about it.


126 posted on 09/02/2011 1:08:00 PM PDT by little jeremiah (Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point. CSLewis)
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To: Jim Robinson

Jim, another couple that appears to be liberals or libertarians spouting off about legalizing drugs on another thread. They are philman_36 and dcwusmc.

The latter poster may not be a problem. The first name given has been a pain. But that’s just my observation.


127 posted on 09/02/2011 1:20:48 PM PDT by RickB444 (What one receives without working for, another must work for without receiving.)
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To: Jean S
He could have been convinced to change his mind...

You may think so, but the zotted troll didn't.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2772284/posts?page=39#39

I am right about this, but even if I wasn’t, I’d still support the rape exception. Dubya does despite the fact that he isn’t Jewish. It is merely ancillary support for my position. You won’t change my mind on it. It’s like trying to get someone to change their mind on the death penalty (which I support). You waste a lot of energy and NO ONE changes their mind.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2772284/posts?page=44#44

You [actually someone else] pinged me to try to get me into another stupid and unproductive debate about something that neither one of us is going to change our mind about. What is the point?

128 posted on 09/02/2011 1:21:53 PM PDT by BykrBayb (Somewhere, my flower is there. ~ Þ)
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To: TheOldLady

*cleans up*


129 posted on 09/02/2011 1:25:19 PM PDT by DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis (Want to make $$$? It's easy! Use FR as a platform to pimp your blog for hits!!!)
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To: Jean S; Jim Robinson
Did you know that he was a kid in his 20’s? He could have been convinced to change his mind, but getting him banned is much more fun.

Really? Would you like to see the more than two dozen insulting FReepmails he sent me today? How about the ones where he said I was illiterate and unemployed?

I've got FReepmails indicating that he is considerably older than he may have told you.

This is a CONSERVATIVE forum, not a libertarian forum. If he becomes an actual conservative he can sign up under a different name and nobody will ever know.

130 posted on 09/02/2011 1:26:36 PM PDT by wagglebee ("A political party cannot be all things to all people." -- Ronald Reagan, 3/1/75)
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To: little jeremiah

I have a sneaky feeling he will be back with another account. They always come back and start up the same old crap.


131 posted on 09/02/2011 1:27:21 PM PDT by RickB444 (What one receives without working for, another must work for without receiving.)
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To: TheOldLady

This troll’s mental health just got...
.....a ZOT,


132 posted on 09/02/2011 1:48:44 PM PDT by luvie (Obama is E V I L!!! RUN, SARAH---RUN!!!)
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To: LUV W

LOL! Maybe the shock treatment did him some good.


133 posted on 09/02/2011 2:00:14 PM PDT by TheOldLady (FReepmail me to get ON or OFF the ZOT LIGHTNING ping list.)
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To: wagglebee

You felt the need to tattle on me to Jim? Really?


134 posted on 09/02/2011 2:32:09 PM PDT by Jean S
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To: TheOldLady

We can only hope....and zap him again if it didn’t! *evil grin*


135 posted on 09/02/2011 2:33:11 PM PDT by luvie (Obama is E V I L!!! RUN, SARAH---RUN!!!)
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To: LUV W

You’re my kinda gal!


136 posted on 09/02/2011 2:37:18 PM PDT by TheOldLady (FReepmail me to get ON or OFF the ZOT LIGHTNING ping list.)
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To: TheOldLady

Nice colors


137 posted on 09/02/2011 2:37:25 PM PDT by stephenjohnbanker (God, family, country, mom, apple pie, the girl next door and a Ford F250 to pull my boat.)
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To: stephenjohnbanker

Red, white, and blue? I agree. ;-)


138 posted on 09/02/2011 2:41:04 PM PDT by TheOldLady (FReepmail me to get ON or OFF the ZOT LIGHTNING ping list.)
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To: Responsibility2nd; wagglebee; BykrBayb; DJ MacWoW; little jeremiah

Jim is traveling at the moment, I think.


139 posted on 09/02/2011 4:16:46 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: Jean S

That is unfair.


140 posted on 09/02/2011 4:23:50 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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