Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants
Published on: June 13, 2021
Pregnancy loss and psychiatric disorders in young women: an Australian birth cohort study
Kaeleen Dingle1, Rosa Alati, Alexandra Clavarino
1School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Herston Road, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia. s4002827@student.uq.edu.au
Background:
Recent evidence has linked induced abortion with later adverse psychiatric outcomes in young women.
Aims:
To examine whether abortion or miscarriage are associated with subsequent psychiatric and substance use disorders.
Method:
A sample (n=1223) of women from a cohort born between 1981 and 1984 in Australia were assessed at 21 years for psychiatric and substance use disorders and lifetime pregnancy histories.
Results:
Young women reporting a pregnancy loss had nearly three times the odds of experiencing a lifetime illicit drug disorder (excluding cannabis): abortion odds ratio (OR)=3.6 (95% CI 2.0-6.7) and miscarriage OR=2.6 (95% CI 1.2-5.4). Abortion was associated with alcohol use disorder (OR=2.1, 95% CI 1.3-3.5) and 12-month depression (OR=1.9, 95% CI 1.1-3.1).
Conclusions:
These findings add to the growing body of evidence suggesting that pregnancy loss per se, whether abortion or miscarriage, increases the risk of a range of substance use disorders and affective disorders in young women.
Related Concept Videos
Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
Depressive Disorders: Etiology
Biological Factors in Depression
Biological predispositions significantly influence the risk of developing depressive disorders. Genetic studies highlight the role of variations in the serotonin transporter...
Infertility in Females
Endometriosis, a condition characterized by abnormal growth of endometrial...
Disorders of the Female Reproductive System
Bulimia Nervosa
Anorexia Nervosa
Symptoms and Physical Effects
Individuals with anorexia nervosa commonly exhibit extreme...

