Psychological studies on abortion, forced pregnancy, adoption, etc.

Given the fervour that is sweeping the nation, I thought it might be interesting to have access to some studies done on:

1. Women (and their partners) on having/choosing to have a termination of pregnancy aka abortion:

Gilchrist et al 1995, Termination of pregnancy and psychiatric morbidity

Dagg, 1991, The psychological sequelae of therapeutic abortion, denied and completed


2. The impact on women who regret having abortions and why:

Difficult to find, as apparently something like 95% of women who have abortions do not regret it: Goodwin & Ogden 2007 Women's reflections about their past abortions but in the UK, which may have had a significantly different culture there.

A case study from South Africa

Kummer 2006, Post Abortion Syndrome - a Myth?


3. The impact on women who wanted abortion but were denied one, and thus had a forced pregnancy or illegal abortion:

Ludermir et al, 2011 Postnatal depression in women after unsuccessful abortion attempt

Schmiege 2001, Depression and unwanted first pregnancy - longitudinal cohort study

What happens in Brazil, where abortion is restricted to only severe cases (rape, Fatal Fetal Abnormality etc)

What happens in El Salvador, where abortion is even more restricted

[URL="Infanticide and Neonaticide: A Review of 40 Years of Research Literature on Incidence and Causes"]Porter and Gavin 2016, Infanticide and Neonaticide: A Review of 40 Years of Research Literature on Incidence and Causes[/URL]

Rattigan 2013, I thought from her appearance she was in the family way: Detecting Infanticide Cases In Ireland, 1900–1921 Can't include the full article, but 900 cases in 19 years!!

Farrell 2012 “The fellow said it was not harm and only tricks”: The Role of the Father in Suspected Cases of Infanticide in Ireland, 1850-1900


4. The impact of being an unwanted child, on the children:

Born unwanted


Unintended births

The Turnaway study


5. The impact of giving a baby up for adoption, on the woman:

O'Leary 2005, Birthparents in Adoption

Fravel et al 2000, Birthmother Perceptions of the Psychologically Present Adopted Child

Bloch Jones, 2016, Birthmothers who have relinquished babies for adoption tell their stories (Book)

6. The impact of being an adopted child:

van Ijzendoorn and Juffer 2006, Meta-analytic Evidence for Massive Catch-up and Plasticity in Physical, Socio-Emotional, and Cognitive Development

Kohler et al 2002, Adopted Adolescents' Preoccupation With Adoption: The Impact on Adoptive Family Relationships

Other relevant papers and articles:

[URL="Rich-Edwards J.W., Kleinman K., Abrams A., Harlow B.L., McLaughlin T.J., Joffe
H., Gillman M.W. “Sociodemographic predictors of antenatal and postpartum
depressive symptoms among women in a medical group practice.” J Epidemiol
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16476752"]Rich-Edwards, 2006 Sociodemographic predictors of antenatal and post natal depression[/URL]

Historical overview of women and sexuality, an interesting read: McLoughlin 1994, Women and sexuality in nineteenth century Ireland

Historical account of a case of infanticide:[URL="Sisters sentenced to death: infanticide in independent Ireland"] Rattigan 2011, Sisters sentenced to death: infanticide in independent Ireland[/URL]



The Psychological Society of Ireland did a roundup of studies way back in the early 90s at the time of some referendum or other on this (there have been so many that I don't quite recall them all), and it's a real shame that they are not doing so again.

I'll add them in as I find them. Feel free to add any you know of. (I'll tidy this all up later!)


Let this not be an argument on pro-choice/pro-life lines please - that can take place elsewhere! Let us find good research evidence, and discuss the evidence only, here.