Wellbeing and mental growth—long-term effects of legal abortion

The present study aims to increase knowledge about coping with legal abortion by studying womenʹs reasoning, reactions and emotions over a period of 1 year. The study comprises interviews focusing on the experiences and effects of abortion in 58 women, 4 and 12 months after the abortion. The women also answered a questionnaire before the abortion concerning their living conditions, decision-making process and feelings about the pregnancy and the abortion. Majority of the women did not experience any emotional distress post-abortion and almost all the woman reported that they had coped well at the 1-year follow-up, although 12 had had severe emotional distress directly post-abortion. Furthermore, almost all described the abortion as a relief or a form of taking responsibility and more than half reported only positive experiences such as mental growth and maturity of the abortion process. Those without any emotional distress post-abortion stated clearly before the abortion that they did not want to give birth since they prioritised work, studies and/or existing children. The study shows that women generally are able to make the complex decision to have an abortion without suffering any subsequent regret or negative effects, as ascertained at the 1-year follow-up.