Therapeutic abortion: a prospective study. II.

ABSTRACT

PIP The psychosomatic and psychological reactions of 75 women applying for a therapeutic abortion were compared with those of 33 women in the same state of pregnancy but not requesting an abortion. The abortion applicants differed significantly from the control group on 8 of the 10 scales tested. The abortion applicants had more prepregnancy health problems and more psychosomatic symptoms than the control group. They also showed more fears for themselves and the baby, less desire for pregnancy, more irritability and tension, less maternal feeling, and more depression and withdrawal than the control group. Parity was not as important in determining responses to the questionnaire as was the patients' abortion status. Literature on the use of pregnancy research questionnaires is reviewed. The possible transience of psychological compared to psychosomatic symptoms is suggested.^ieng