Extract: The Straits Times (Nov 30, 2023), By Gamaliel Tan (Dr).
I refer to the article “Teen abortion: Grief, guilt and shame can linger for decades” (Nov 26).
Singapore conducts approximately 6,600 abortions annually, translating to one in six (17.1 per cent as at 2021) pregnancies being terminated. Although abortion might offer immediate relief from an unwanted or unsupported pregnancy, it is crucial to acknowledge the potential long-term emotional harm, which can include grief, guilt and regret.
Supporting this perspective, a study published in 1996 in The BMJ medical journal found that the suicide rate associated with women who had abortions (34.7 per 100,000) was six times higher than those who had live births (5.9 per 100,000).
Furthermore, a 2011 meta-analysis published in the British Journal of Psychiatry highlighted an 81 per cent increased risk of mental health problems in women post-abortion compared with those who did not undergo the procedure.
It is imperative to address the deeper issues underlying unsupported or unwanted pregnancies.
Adolescent girls who abort compared to their peers who carried unplanned pregnancies to term, are 5 times more likely to seek help for psychological/emotional problems.
Coleman, P. K. (2006). Resolution of unwanted pregnancy during adolescence through abortion versus childbirth: Individual and family predictors and psychological consequences. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 35, 903-911.
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-address-impact-of-abortion-on-women-s-mental-health
