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Unfathomable Lies and a
Naive Public: Abortion and Mental Health Part Two of Three By Priscilla K. Coleman, Ph.D. On November 7th, the Washington Post published an opinion piece written by Dr. Brenda Major titled "The Big Lie about Abortion and Mental Health." This op-ed provides another illustration of the dishonesty permeating the scientific study and dissemination of information pertaining to abortion and mental health. Dr. Major is absolutely correct when she declares early on that an informed choice regarding abortion must be based on accurate information. Where she and I (and many other researchers) differ is that we believe that if abortion providers are to offer an unbiased and valid synopsis of the scientific literature on increased risks associated with abortion, the information must include depression, substance abuse, and anxiety disorders, including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), as well as suicide ideation and behaviors. The literature now echoes the voices of millions of women for whom abortion was not a liberating, health-promoting choice. A conservative estimate from the best available data is that 20% to 30% of women who undergo an abortion will experience serious and/or prolonged negative consequences. The opinion piece by Dr. Major follows on the heels of the highly biased Task Force Report on Abortion and Mental Health from the American Psychological Associations (APA). Major's opinion is just the latest effort to divert attention from a tidal wave of sound published data on the emotional consequences of abortion. Over 30 studies have been published in just the last five years and they add to a body of literature comprised of hundreds of studies published in major medicine and psychology journals throughout the world. No lies, just scientifically-derived information that individual academics, several major professional organizations, and abortion providers have done their best to hide and distort in recent years. The evidence is accumulating despite socio-political agendas to keep the truth out of the academic journals and ultimately from women to insure that the big business of abortion continues unimpeded. Like Brenda Major, I, too, am a tenured, full professor at a well-respected U.S. University, and I, too, have published peer-reviewed scientific articles in reputable journals. In fact, my publication record far exceeds that of Dr. Major on the topic of abortion and mental health. In publishing Dr. Major's opinion without soliciting other voices on the topic, the Washington Post has perpetuated a serious injustice. And I am not alone in my opinion that abortion has a devastating aftermath for women. These conclusions have been voiced by prominent researchers in Great Britain, Norway, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, the U.S., and elsewhere. As a group of researchers, who in 2008 had published nearly 50 peer-reviewed articles indicating abortion is associated with negative psychological outcomes, six colleagues and I sent a petition letter to the American Psychological Association (APA) criticizing their methods and conclusions as described in their Task Force Report on Abortion and Mental Health. It is noteworthy that Dr. Major chaired the task force. Any interpretation of the available research that does not acknowledge the strong evidence now available in the professional literature represents a conscious choice to ignore basic principles of scientific integrity. The human fallout to such a choice by the APA and like-minded colleagues is misinformed professionals, millions of women struggling in isolation to make sense of a past abortion, thousands who will seek an abortion today without the benefit of known risks, and millions who will make this often life altering decision tomorrow without the basic right of informed consent, which is routinely extended for all other elective surgeries in the U.S. Priscilla K. Coleman is a Professor of Human Development and Family Studies At Bowling Green State University. |