A new study showed that 95 percent of the women who had abortion do not regret their decision when asked about it three years later.
Researchers at the University of California surveyed nearly 1,000 women between January 2008 and December 2010. These women had an abortion in one of 30 different clinics in different states. The participants were grouped into three: those who had abortion during their first trimester, a day or two weeks before the restricted limit, and those who still had the procedure after the limit. Depending on state laws, women are allowed to have an abortion at 24 to 26 weeks of the pregnancy.
The participants agreed to complete extensive interviews on the day of the procedure and every six months for the next five years. They were assessed on their negative (anger, guilt, sadness) and positive (happiness and relief) emotions about the abortion, and whether they regretted doing it, the Washington Post reported.
The analysis showed that 95 percent of the women do not regret their decision.
"Women in this study overwhelmingly felt that the decision was the right one for them: at all-time points over three years, 95 percent of participants reported abortion was the right decision, with the typical participant having a greater than 99 percent chance of reporting the abortion decision was right for her," the authors concluded, according to the Medical Daily.
"Women also experienced reduced emotional intensity over time: the feelings of relief and happiness experienced shortly after the abortion tended to subside, as did negative emotions. Notably, we found no differences in emotional trajectories or decision rightness between women having earlier versus later procedures."
The researchers admitted that further study is needed because of the small sample size and that not everyone responded during the follow-up interviews. They recommend that people should give emotional support to women who are thinking of abortion.
According to Guttmacher Institute, about four in 10 unintended pregnancies end up in abortion. Though abortion rate has decreased over the years, the rate continues to rise among poor women.
The study was published in the July 8 issue of PLOS ONE.
