FamilyVoice, an Australian organisation promoting Christian “family values”, is continuing its campaign against abortion this week, pointing to a new study that examines the psychiatric and psychological harms of abortion.

The study by Bellieni and Buonocore, published in the journal Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences this month,  found that women face a significantly higher risk of mental illness following an abortion compared with an unplanned birth.

The researchers said: “When comparing abortion and unplanned pregnancies that ended in delivery, four studies found a higher risk for loss of self-esteem, anxiety disorders, depression, suicide ideation, and substance abuse disorder or substance abuse rate in the abortion groups.”*

“Abortion advocates tell us it is in women’s best interests to choose abortion if they feel unprepared to parent.  Research shows that the opposite is true,” Mrs Phillips said.

“The federal government should reverse its decision to subsidise the abortion drug RU486.  The Tasmanian Legislative Council committee investigating Michelle O’Byrne’s abortion bill should take this new research into account.”

* Bellieni , C., & Buonocore, G. (2013). “Abortion and subsequent mental health: Review of the literature”, Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 67(5), 301–310. Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/pcn.12067/full

Article first published on FamilyVoice Australia’s website. Republished with permission.

Image: flickr/sabianmaggy under CC Licence.

Find out more about current abortion-related issues in the lead up to the federal election. Check out our Federal Election 2013 Guide: