Note also it was a small smaple: only 40 women. Over half of the sample suffered from Acute Stress Disorder. I suspect that the PTSD and the ASD populations overlap. The English in the abstract needs brushing up. Still, it makes for interesting reading.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective study was performed in order to predict acute stress disorder (ASD) after the induced abortion and the possibility of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Seven days after the induced abortion, 40 women had to fill in: (1) a special questionnaire made for this investigation, with questions linked to some risk factors inducing stress, (2) Likert's emotional scale and 3. Bryant's acute stress reaction scale.
RESULTS: After an induced abortion 52.5% women had ASD and 32.5% women had PTSD. Women with ASD after the abortion developed more sense of guilt, irritability, shame, self-judgement, fear from God and self-hatred. They were less educated, had lower income, they were more religious, did not approve of abortion and had worse relationship with their partners after the abortion in comparison to women without ASD. Age, number of previous abortions and decision to abort did not differ between the two groups.
DISCUSSION: [..]Induced abortion represents a predisposing factor for ASD and PTSD in women. Some psycho-social factors contribute to the development of stress after abortion. Serbia has a task to reduce the number of abortions which is very high, in order, to preserve reproductive and phychological [sic] health of women.
