Title Page

PSYC10A

Psychological Consequences of Abortion

among the Post Abortion Care Seeking
Women in Tehran

Abolghasem Pourreza, PhD

Aziz Batebi, MD
2011
 Background of
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the Study

PSYC10A

Background of the Study

Abortion is the removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus
from the uterus, resulting in, or caused by its death. This
can occur spontaneously as a miscarriage, or be
artificially induced through chemical, surgical or other *Abortion
means (Ibisomi et al., 2008). Commonly, abortion refers to
a procedure induced at any point during pregnancy.
Medically, it is defined as a miscarriage or induced *Spontaneous or Artificial
termination of pregnancy before twenty weeks of
gestation, whenever the fetus is considered to be
nonviable (Wang et al., 2004).
 Background of
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the Study

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Background of the Study

Abortion is classified as either spontaneous or induced.
Spontaneous abortion which is also called miscarriage
mainly occurs due to accidental trauma or natural *Miscarriage
causes, such as structural and numerical chromosome
aberration, chronic diseases coincident with pregnancy,
and environmental factors. Induced abortion is *Induced: Therapeutic or
deliberately/intentionally performed. Induced abortions
are further subcategorized into two categories of
Elective
therapeutic and elective abortions. (Trupin, 2010)
 Background of
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PSYC10A

Background of the Study

Induced abortion has been a controversial issue through
the ages; anthropologists have found evidence of its
existence in every known culture. The earliest records of
recognized abortifacients (agents which cause the
premature termination of pregnancy) which are
presumed to have been written more than 4500 years *Hotbed of Controversy
ago are found in ancient Chinese texts. In ancient
Greece also, philosophers had accepted abortion as a
permissible act to put an end to an unwanted pregnancy *As old as Ancient China
or to control population. Reflecting a variety of religious,
social, and political forces, laws and regulations
permitting or restricting abortion have been enacted over
the centuries (Berkowitz & Daling, 2000).
 Background of Statement of the
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the Study Problem

PSYC10A

Statement of the Problem

Abortion is known as the main cause of maternal
*Maternal mortality
mortality, life-threatening complications such as
hemorrhage, fever, and infection on one hand, and
psychological disorders such as regret, guilt, smoking, *Physical or Pyschological
alcoholism, self-destructive behaviors, and even suicide
on the other (Ferris et al., 1996; deVebber & Gentles,
complications
2005; Singh & Fisher, 2005).
 Background of Statement of the
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the Study Problem

PSYC10A

Statement of the Problem

Abortion is known as the main cause of maternal
*Maternal mortality
mortality, life-threatening complications such as
hemorrhage, fever, and infection on one hand, and
psychological disorders such as regret, guilt, smoking, *Physical or Pyschological
alcoholism, self-destructive behaviors, and even suicide
on the other (Ferris et al., 1996; deVebber & Gentles,
complications
2005; Singh & Fisher, 2005).
 Background of Statement of the
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the Study Problem

PSYC10A

Statement of the Problem

There are too many factors attributed to the abortion which
cover socio-economic, emotional, and psychological aspects
of human beings' life, particularly those women as direct *Multi-faceted
beds of abortion practices. However, the conclusion of
studies do not indicate a linear relation between abortion and consequences
its consequences, rather, they show great variations in terms
of socio-economic and demographic variables of abortion in
*No linear correlation
care seeking women, and whether their abortion was
performed legally or illegally (Bankole et al., 1998). However, however
the psychological consequences of abortion was also
affected by the quality of family life, number of children,
planned or unplanned pregnancy, beliefs and genetics
(Sweet, 1977; Bagchi & Friedman, 1999).
 Background of Statement of the
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the Study Problem

PSYC10A

Statement of the Problem

Abortion as an aspect of reproductive behavior is defined and
characterized by different bio psychosocial determinants.
Despite the fact that abortion has been practiced over the *Psychosocially
world throughout the history, there are still controversies about defined
abortion in terms of its legitimacy and consequences (Baird &
Flinn, 2001). However, a study conducted in Teheran before the
Islamic revolution, has found out that out of 16.707 pregnancies *Prevalence in Tehran,
reported by 4209 women, 243 (1.5%) resulted in stillbirths and
Iran
1834 (11%) in abortions (Navidi-Kasmaii & Nahapetian, 1976).

The aim of this study was to identify psychological

consequences of abortion among women who were seeking
for abortion or post abortion care in Tehran's hospitals.
 Background of Statement of the Significance of
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the Study Problem the Study

PSYC10A

Significance of the Study

Since abortion is a legally and religiously prohibited
phenomenon in Iran, there is no reliable data on the
*Need to cover physiological
prevalence of abortion in this country. Proceedings of a
Seminar held in Kermanshah (2002) on "Comprehensive and psychological effects for
Analysis of all Aspects of Abortion in Iran", present some safe abortion mobilization
useful information about abortion. Physiological effects of
abortion are in fact rarely studied in Iran, particularly in the
last three decades.
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Results
Age at marriage is known as a strong demographic variable
with significant implications on the health of mothers and their
children. Abortion, as a birth preventive strategy may develop *Age at marriage
correlation with age at marriage. Findings of the present study
demonstrated that abortions were mostly practiced among
the youngest age groups.
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Results
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Results
Although there is legal permission for abortion for specific
reasons, the distribution of consultants for abortion and
post abortion care indicate that abortion seems to be still a
hidden phenomenon practiced out of family and the family
*Taboo in families
of origin supervision. Nearly one-quarter of the respondents
conducted abortion at home. This could be an alarming
indication of unsafe abortion. The main reason for abortion
*1/4 conducted abortion at
among the respondents belongs to “spontaneous abortion”. home
Spontaneous abortion has been practiced by (45.2%) of the
respondents.
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Results
Fetus and mother health with 22.2% and 16.4% frequency
rates (respectively) were known as the second and third
most important reasons for abortion. The sex preference
*Fetus and mother health
stayed on the forth step as a reason for abortion
(7.3%).Whatever the reason and frequency of abortion, the
findings have indicated that there was no sizeable
*Sex Preference
knowledge about the consequences of abortion among all
age groups of respondents.
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Results

Findings revealed that at least one-third of the respondents have experienced one of the
psychological consequences of abortion (except suicide, drug abuse and smoking).

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Results
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Results
The commonest psychological consequences of
“Depression, 60.5%” and “Worry about not being able to *Depression
conceive, 53.6%”, which were experienced by the
respondents indicate two more points. The first is that the *Worry about not being able to
respondents were unhappy and unsatisfied with abortion, conceive
though they did not seek intended and somehow criminal
abortion. The second point is that losing the capability to *Tehran's conservative and
conceive a child seems to be a major concern for women,
patriarchal concept vis-a-vis
perhaps because of stigmas attached to infertility, an
infecund women as reproduction of children in a hierarchical
conception and importance of
male dominated community may help to stabilize newly life
formed families, and to promote the social status of new
mothers.
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Results
On the whole, the respondents suffered more psychological
side effects than physical or social. It seems plausible that
due to advances in medical technology and education, *Psychological > Physical
physical consequences of abortion decrease. Nevertheless,
psychological consequences of abortion which refer mainly
and Social
to very personal understanding and feelings of abortion
practiced by individuals may be rooted in depths of the
individuals' mind and conscience.
 Background of Statement of the Significance of
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Insights personally gained from

the chosen research
The consequences of abortion are almost certainly manifested psychologically and not physically in
the female body.

The premise that life begins at conception as psychologically defined does not affect one’s volition
to pursue or not pursue abortion, either legal or illegal, in as much as socioeconomic factors and
stigma towards a woman’s worth (fear of not being able to conceive a child) do.

Social and systematically enabled repression towards the possibility of having an abortion does not
guarantee an abortion-free community. It only delegitimizes the act of getting it, resulting in more
detrimental health repercussions.
 Background of Statement of the Significance of
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Insights personally gained from

the chosen research
Teratogens, which include general environmental factors, such as air pollution and radiation, but also
the cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs that the mother may use, are main culprits of spontaneous
abortions conducted in Tehran households. This prevalence may be reflective of or is amplified by
the human rights crises brought about by the continuous geopolitical conflict in Iran.

Depression linked to intended abortion may apparently show as more of a sustained frustration of
not being able to be accomodated by it as soon as possible, instead of frustration to the act itself.
Post-abortion mental and psychological consequences only seem to manifest because of the
perceived ‘illegitamacy’ that they feel like they are undergoing. The decriminalization of abortion,
especially in culturally and religiously restraining societies like that of Iran, may disproportionately
decrease pre-abortion stress and cognitive dissonance, allowing unexpectant mothers to redeem
themselves after the duration of the procedure without formal mental rehabiliation.
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PSYC10A

Importance of Conception in
Psychology
Thank you !