Young Woman Taking Pregnancy Test

Understanding the Mental Health Impacts of Unintended Pregnancy

Understanding the Mental Health Impacts of Unintended Pregnancy

 

Behavioral Health Insights

By Micah Hoffman, MD, DABPN, FAPA,

AllMed Behavioral Health Medical Director

 

With the recent Supreme Court ruling to overturn the status of Roe v. Wade, it’s a timely moment to consider mental health concerns surrounding abortion care.  Clearly, these concerns impact many in the United States. Current estimates indicate that fully half (51 percent) of all U.S. pregnancies are unintended.1 Based on recent data, 30 percent of U.S. women will have had an abortion by the time they reach age 45.2 It makes sense—and the scientific literature validates—that experiencing unwanted pregnancy or fetal loss, regardless of cause, can contribute to the development of mental health symptoms.3 Given this reality…

 

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