Long-term emotional distress persists for women decades after abortion, studies suggest (Obianuju Mbah, 1/31/26, Christianity Today)
Nearly half of women experienced moderate to high levels of abortion emotional distress after an abortion. Around a quarter (24.1%) reported high levels of distress. These included persistent feelings of grief, sadness, intrusive thoughts, or emotional disruption affecting work and relationships.
The study estimates that that would translate to approximately 7.5 million women nationwide, with nearly half of that group (3.4 million) experiencing multiple symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress.
Notably, the research found no clear evidence that distress diminishes with time, suggesting that for some women emotional effects may remain unresolved long-term.