By Kim Hayes December 4, 2025 at Pregnancy Help News
“Women considering abortion should be informed of the possibility that they may experience persistent emotional distress,” Paul Sullins, Ruth Institute senior research associate concluded in a report published in the International Journal of Women’s Health Care.
Experience among pregnancy help organizations involved in post-abortive care has long pointed to a delay in the onset of post-abortion emotional distress.
Most women seeking help are at a minimum five years removed from the abortion experience with one, two or even as much as three decades passing before women (and even men) seek healing through these ministries.
Jennifer Roback Morse, president of the Ruth Institute, discussed the challenges of finding adequate post-abortive research with Dr. Priscilla Coleman, a psychologist who has written extensively about abortion and related issues.
The Ruth Institute is an interfaith international coalition to defend the family and build a civilization of love. Much of its recent focus has been on defending individuals and families against gender ideology as it stands on the truth that the sex of the body cannot be changed.
The Institute uses science in its approach to confirm that Christian moral teachings are the best foundation for happy families and flourishing societies. Abortion research has focused on refuting pro-abortion myths and narratives.
Sullins’ study extended to women decades after abortion experiences and confirmed that symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome continue long after abortion occurs.
Both Sullins and Morse spoke with Pregnancy Help News concerning this study which directly challenges the pro-abortion narrative that abortion benefits women’s mental health and life development.
From Sullins’ population sample study, the statistics for women experiencing abortion, which is 22.3% of women of childbearing age or 31 million, 44.8% of post-abortive women reported moderate to high post-abortion distress.
Of those who experienced abortion, an estimated 7.5 million or 24.1% reported severe abortion distress, a condition which continues or can worsen over two decades in nearly 1 in 4 post abortive women.
Some of the common symptoms reported by those suffering post-abortion distress include frequent feelings of loss, grief or sadness, frequent thoughts, dreams, or flashbacks. The effects of second-guessing their abortion decision and remaining highly distressed by it.
Nearly half, or 3.4 million women, according to the study show multiple symptoms of post-traumatic stress.
“A hospital or clinic that is doing an intake for a woman who is having or considering abortion, as part of that intake, they should inform her of the possibility of all the negative outcomes of that procedure,” Sullins said.
“This is standard procedure for anything,” he said, citing examples of common procedures such as colonoscopy which require full disclosure of dangers or risks so patients can decide if they’re willing to take the risk.
“Among the risks that women should be informed of/about, is the possibility that they could suffer from persistent emotional distress, and also mental health difficulties,” said Sullins.
