Decision rightness and relief predominate over the years following an abortion

• Published in: Social science & medicine (1982) 2020-03, Vol.248, p.112782-4, Article 112782
• Main Author: Steinberg, Julia R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abortion; Abortion, Induced; Decision rightness; Emotions; Female; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Negative emotions; Policies; Positive emotions; Pregnancy; Probability; Regret; Time; Women
• ISSN: 0277-9536; 1873-5347
• DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.112782

A recent analysis from the Turnaway study focused on women who were just under the gestational limit of a clinic and received an abortion and those who had first trimester abortions to examine trends in decisional rightness and negative and positive emotions over 5 years after the abortion. Specifically, Rocca et al. (in press) analyzed these data and found that women were overwhemingly sure of their decision: 95% felt their decision was the right one at each assessment after their abortion, and the predicted probability of abortion being the right decision was 99% at 5 years afterwards. Relief was the most common emotion felt by women, and negative emotions or decision regret did not emerge over time. These results and others from studies conducted globally counter assertions by abortion opponents that women are not certain of their decisions, or that women regret or have mainly negative emotions about their abortions if not in the short run then after a long period of time. This commentary addresses not only these findings but also relevant U.S. abortion policies based on these unsubstantiated claims. Policies should not be based on the notions that women are unsure of their decision, come to regret, it or have negative emotions because there is no evidence to support these claims.