Myths about the negative mental health impacts after getting an abortion are widespread, and they can even come from your own doctor. During a House Committee hearing on the impact of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, witness Sarah Lopez shared her abortion experience from six years prior. She testified that the “most confusing part” of her experience was when her provider told her about how abortion can cause depression, infertility, and breast cancer, but then followed up with how that was merely mandated rhetoric, and that abortion is actually “100 percent safe.” 

Ms. Lopez’s case was not an isolated incident. Eight states mandate counseling that fails to correctly report a range of emotional responses or includes information regarding abortions not supported by scientific evidence. Historically, negative mental health consequences have been weaponized and twisted repeatedly by anti-abortion groups to justify not only restrictive policies, but also total abortion bans as a means of “protecting women.” For instance, some states require providers to tell patients that an abortion can cause a PTSD-like condition called “Post Abortion Stress Syndrome,” yet the American Psychological Association and the American Psychiatric Association never recognized this condition. It is also worth noting that depression that occurs after childbirth – Peripartum Depression (formerly Postpartum) – is officially recognized by both organizations, but rarely mentioned or mandated as required counseling for people who intend to give birth. Health care providers and policy makers should recognize these double standards.

From increased rates of breast cancer, depression, and suicide ideation, to the scientifically unrecognized “Post Abortion Stress Syndrome,” anti-choice lawmakers have repeatedly employed unsupported claims to exaggerate negative mental health impacts. These false and fearmongering sentiments around the mental health effects of abortion are dangerous, and they ignore the reality of those who choose to get an abortion and those who are forced to carry out an unwanted pregnancy to term. Many experts, researchers, and even Sarah’s health care provider agree that having a wanted abortion is not linked to negative mental health impacts. A taskforce from the American Psychological Association concluded that getting an abortion does not increase risk for depression, anxiety, drug use or the likelihood of other psychological disorders. Preventing access to abortion based on the notion that abortion harms mental health is, simply, not supported by rigorous evidence.

This conclusion does not deny the potential arisal of complicated feelings and reactions after seeking an abortion. The truth is, however, such mental health problems are often not associated with abortion itself but rather the denial of abortion access and the stigma around abortion juxtaposed with existing risk factors, such as prior experiences of mental health issues, history of child abuse, neglect, sexual assault, and intimate partner violence. Population Institute’s “Beyond Roe” series chronicles the restrictive policies that work to prevent access to abortion care. From restrictions on Insurance coverage for abortion which restricted affordable and equitable access to essential care, to Parental Involvement Laws that bars young people’s access, these restrictive policies disproportionately impact women, Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), low-income people, and young people. Especially after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, many states went beyond abortion restrictions to banning abortion altogether. Consequently, we must shift our focus from abortion itself to the mental health outcomes of being denied an abortion.

Negative mental health outcomes are strongly correlated with being denied an abortion at the clinic or being forced to delay an abortion by three or more days. Another study found that women who were denied an abortion reported significantly more anxiety symptoms, lower self-esteem, and lower life satisfaction as women receiving abortions, even five years after seeking an abortion. A plethora of research suggests a strong and persistent relationship between having an unwanted pregnancy resulting in a live birth and poorer later-life mental health outcomes. In other words, when having an unwanted pregnancy, access to abortion care is necessary for preserving individuals’ short-term and long-term mental well-being.

Policies based on the notion that abortion harms mental health of women and others of reproductive age are simply not supported by rigorous evidence. However, this by no means denies or alienates an individual’s complicated feelings and reactions after seeking an abortion. Both grief and relief are valid. If you do need psychological help or just someone to talk to, there are mental health providers and talk lines that provide support and care. 

Looking beyond proximal mental health consequences, studies illustrate that abortion bans that deny women the ability to terminate unwanted pregnancies can potentially keep them in contact with violent partners, thus putting them and their children at risk. Women denied abortions who ended up giving birth also had higher odds of poverty than women who received abortions. A factsheet on the economic costs of abortion documents a plethora of socio-economic burdens caused by being denied an abortion - it not only worsens existing family’s economic well-being, but also restricts equal access to workforce participation and greater economic equality. Instead of “protecting” them, abortion bans only add to a person’s harm. 

It is unscientific and inhumane to weaponize scattered and unsupported sources to deny basic access to abortion. Abortion is essential health care and vital for an individual’s mental health and well-being. Women and all people of reproductive age must have access to the care they need and maintain the ability to choose. We must advocate for national bills like the Women’s Health Protection Act and state legislations that protect and expand a person’s ability to determine whether to continue or end a pregnancy. We must also raise awareness of the complicated abortion experiences with unbiased scientific facts. By advocating for equitable access to safe, legal abortions and comprehensive contraceptive programs, we can make strides towards a more just and effective abortion process.