01 October 2007
The relationship between abortion and depression: New evidence from the fragile families and child wellbeing study
Daniel I Rees, Joseph J SabiaDOI: 10.12659/MSM.502357
Med Sci Monit 2007; 13(10): CR430-436
Abstract
Background: Although a number of studies have used survey data to examine the relationship between abortion and depression, none adjusted their estimates for pre-pregnancy depression. The purpose of this study was to test if abortion is associated with a different risk of major depression (MD) symptomatology than other pregnancy outcomes after adjusting for prior depression.
Material/Methods: The current study used data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a representative sample of women living in large US cities who recently gave birth. Particpants were administered the Composite International Diagnostic Interview – Short Form (CIDI-SF) during the first and second follow-up interviews. Changes in depressive symptoms from the first to the second follow-up interviews were related to abortion and other pregnancy outcomes including giving birth and miscarriage.
Results: Women who had an abortion between the first and second follow-up interviews were almost twice as likely to have symptoms of MD as women who did not become pregnant. This difference could not be explained by factors such as race, ethnicity, age, education, household income, number of children, or prior depressive symptomatology. In fact, after adjusting for these factors, abortion was still associated with a more than two-fold increase in the likelihood of having depressive symptoms at second follow-up (OR=2.15, 95% CI: 1.01 to 4.57, p=0.047). Giving birth was associated with a statistically comparable increase in the likelihood of having the symptoms of MD.
Conclusions: The results suggest that the positive association between abortion and depressive symptoms cannot be explained by pre-pregnancy depression. Women who have an abortion are not at higher risk of MD than those who give birth.
Keywords: Abortion, Induced - psychology, Child, Child Welfare, Data Collection, Depression - psychology, Family, Odds Ratio, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Outcome, Questionnaires, Regression Analysis
Editorial
01 May 2024 : Editorial
Editorial: First Regulatory Approval for Adoptive Cell Therapy with Autologous Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs) – Lifileucel (Amtagvi)DOI: 10.12659/MSM.944927
Med Sci Monit 2024; 30:e944927
In Press
12 Mar 2024 : Clinical Research
Tissue Inhibitors of Metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1) and 3 (TIMP-3) as New Markers of Acute Kidney Injury Afte...Med Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.943500
12 Mar 2024 : Review article
Optimizing Behçet Uveitis Management: A Review of Personalized Immunosuppressive StrategiesMed Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.943240
12 Mar 2024 : Clinical Research
Metabolomic Alterations in Methotrexate Treatment of Moderate-to-Severe PsoriasisMed Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.943360
14 Mar 2024 : Clinical Research
Renal Dysfunction Increases Risk of Adverse Cardiovascular Events in 5-Year Follow-Up Study of Intermediate...Med Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.943956
Most Viewed Current Articles
17 Jan 2024 : Review article
Vaccination Guidelines for Pregnant Women: Addressing COVID-19 and the Omicron VariantDOI :10.12659/MSM.942799
Med Sci Monit 2024; 30:e942799
14 Dec 2022 : Clinical Research
Prevalence and Variability of Allergen-Specific Immunoglobulin E in Patients with Elevated Tryptase LevelsDOI :10.12659/MSM.937990
Med Sci Monit 2022; 28:e937990
16 May 2023 : Clinical Research
Electrophysiological Testing for an Auditory Processing Disorder and Reading Performance in 54 School Stude...DOI :10.12659/MSM.940387
Med Sci Monit 2023; 29:e940387
01 Jan 2022 : Editorial
Editorial: Current Status of Oral Antiviral Drug Treatments for SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Non-Hospitalized Pa...DOI :10.12659/MSM.935952
Med Sci Monit 2022; 28:e935952