Therapeutic Abortion—Quo Vadimus

Abstract

A literature review dealing with therapeutic abortion in psychiatric patients indicates that benefits of therapeutic abortion for psychiatric patients will occur on only a chance basis. Even when the principal psychiatric indication for abortion was threatened suicide several studies have documented the absence of suicide among obstetrical patients even those whose application for abortion was denied. Of 479 women studied in Sweden in the early postabortion period and 2 1/2-3 years later only 42% were considered normal personalities but only 1% had work impairment. These women had severe neurotic manifestations before the abortion as well. Several reports indicate that the women for whom legal abortion can best be justified from a psychiatric standpoint have the greatest risk of mental illness during the postabortion period. One area which has been inadequately studied to date are the psychological characteristics of women having therapeutic abortion. Another area in need of review is the problem of recurring pregnancy and abortion. It is concluded that the prospect of more liberalized abortion laws with the possibility of ultimately becoming termination on demand will solve the problem of illegal abortion but is likely to provide more rather than fewer problems for psychiatrists.