Abortion Doesn’t Increase Risk of Psych Readmissions
“Women with a history of inpatient psychiatric care are not at increased risk for readmission following a first-time, first-trimester induced abortion, according to a new study.
In this subgroup of women, the risk of readmission is similar before and after a first-trimester abortion, the researchers note. However, this is in marked contrast to an increased risk for readmission within the first month following childbirth in this patient population.
‘We believe it is very likely that having a recent psychiatric episode may influence women’s decisions to have an induced abortion, but we do not find that this choice influences the illness course in this group of women,’ lead author Trine Munk-Olsen, PhD, from the National Center for Register-Based Research at Aarhus University in Denmark, toldMedscape Medical News. ’Ibelieve that women with a history of mental illness should be offered counseling when they need it, regardless of timing and regardless of whether they consider having an induced abortion or giving birth,’ Dr. Munk-Olsen said.”
