Risk factors predictive of post-abortion distress demonstrate that most abortions are contraindicated: A retrospective cross-sectional study.
For Christian physicians, it is clear that induced abortion is a moral evil precisely because it involves the deliberate destruction of a human life. But there is also clear evidence that induced abortion is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease, gestational diabetes mellitus, thyroid-related diseases, placenta-related diseases, and Asherman syndrome increased risk of premature and low birth weight deliveries in subsequent pregnancies, and premature death from multiple causes. Even more common than physical sequelae, abortion is an independent risk factor for the onset or worsening of mental illnesses, as demonstrated in both record linkage studies and case-control studies. These and other studies have firmly established that abortion may trigger, exacerbate, complicate or otherwise contribute to new or existing mental illnesses.
Counseling the Abortion-Vulnerable Patient
Induced abortion is defined as a procedure done to end a pregnancy in such a manner as to avoid a live birth ie intentional feticide. Many physicians will encounter patients considering intentional feticide (induced abortion) for various reasons. Such interactions present an opportunity not only to create a lasting bond with the patient, but also to open doors for her to explore possibilities she may not have considered, and thereby enable her to make a life-affirming decision. Given the importance of offering accurate information about induced abortion and continuation of pregnancy, this Guideline provides guidance and resources for the prolife physician encountering an abortion-vulnerable patient.