Post-abortion and post-partum psychiatric hospitalization

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Epidemiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Persistent confusion exists regarding the comparative psychological risks associated with term deliveries versus induced abortions.
• Scarcity of epidemiological data on post-abortion and post-partum psychiatric hospital admissions hinders comparative analysis.
• Psychiatric admissions are measurable events reflecting severe psychological stress, less subject to interpretation than clinical consultations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the psychological risks of term deliveries and induced abortions.
• To investigate post-abortion and post-partum psychiatric hospital admission rates.
• To provide comparative findings using national health register data.

Main Methods:

• Review of published international research on post-abortion and post-partum psychiatric admissions.
• Computer linkage of Danish national registers to track psychiatric hospital admissions.
• Comparison of three-month psychiatric admission rates post-delivery or abortion for women under 50 against a control group of Danish women of similar age.

Main Results:

• For never-married and currently married women, the post-pregnancy-related risk of psychiatric admission is approximately equal (around 12 per 10,000) for both abortion and delivery.
• Separated, divorced, and widowed women exhibited higher psychiatric admission rates following either abortion or term delivery.
• The study provides epidemiological data on severe psychological stress associated with pregnancy outcomes.

Conclusions:

• The psychological risk of psychiatric hospitalization is similar for women undergoing induced abortion or delivery.
• Marital status significantly influences the risk of psychiatric admission following pregnancy outcomes.
• This study contributes crucial epidemiological data to the understanding of mental health risks associated with abortion and delivery.