Most Women Report Positive Feelings Five-Years Out From An Abortion, And Overall Emotions Tend To Have Faded

Within the abortion debate, there's a lot of talk over whether a person will regret their decision later on. But new research looks at the long-term emotions following that choice and finds that at the five-year mark, 84 percent reported either primarily positive emotions or none at all, while 6 percent had primarily negative feelings.

The Washington Post: Five Years After An Abortion, Most Women Say They Made The Right Decision

There’s been quite a lot of research about women’s emotions immediately following an abortion. Some experience sadness, guilt and anger; others feel relief. For many, it’s a mix of all of these and more. But what about in the long term? Researchers from the University of California at San Francisco delved into this question in an analysis of 667 women recruited from 30 sites across the country as part of the Turnaway Study — a landmark body of research about how abortion affects women physically, socially, emotionally and economically. (Cha, 1/12)

CNN: The Majority Of Women Feel Relief, Not Regret, After An Abortion, Study Says

Researchers found that at five years after having an abortion, only 6% expressed primarily negative emotions. The overwhelming majority of women surveyed -- 84% -- had positive emotions or no emotions whatsoever about their abortion decision, even if they hadn't felt that way when they were making the decision to have an abortion. Just over half the women in this survey said the decision to terminate the pregnancy was very difficult and 27% characterized it as "somewhat difficult." About 46% said it wasn't a difficult decision at all. Nearly 70% said they felt they would be stigmatized if people knew they had an abortion. (Christensen, 1/12)

In other news on abortion —

The Associated Press: Kansas GOP To Stymie Ban In Reversing Abortion-Rights Ruling

Top Kansas Republicans want to head off any push for an abortion ban in the state even as they make overturning a Kansas Supreme Court ruling that protects abortion rights a top priority. The GOP-controlled Legislature expects to consider a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution during the annual 90-day lawmaking session set to convene Monday. It's a response to the state high court's ruling in April that the state's Bill of Rights makes access to abortion a fundamental right. (Hanna, 1/13)

Cincinnati Enquirer: Leaders Of Cincinnati’s Only Abortion Clinic Takes Step To Avoid Closure

In late December, Ohio Health Director Amy Acton announced she intended to revoke the clinic’s license for failing to have a written transfer agreement with a local hospital where it could send patients in case of emergency. The facility has remained open pending a hearing on the matter. (Candisky, 1/10)

Chicago Tribune: At Least 1,000 Anti-Abortion Marchers Rally In The Loop

At least 1,000 anti-abortion marchers shut down Loop thoroughfares Saturday afternoon, rallying from the Daley Center to the Congress Plaza Hotel in the annual March For Life Chicago, chanting and carrying signs such as “Abortion isn’t health care." The annual event, billed as “the Midwest’s largest pro-life event," attracted a few dozen counterprotesters as the nation becomes increasingly polarized over Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 Supreme Court case that established a woman’s right to terminate a pregnancy. (Buckley, 1/11)

This is part of the Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.

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