Center for Data Analysis Report--During the 2004 election, there was a substantial amount of discussion about whether or not “pro-life” legislation1 effectively reduces the incidence of abortion. Some religious leaders and political commentators urged pro-life voters to consider issues besides abortion when voting. Most of them argued that there is little that elected officials can do to stop abortion through legislation, or that the pro-life movement has not reaped any real benefits from supporting candidates who oppose abortion,2 and that voters therefore should place greater emphasis on other issues.
"Psychiatric admissions of low-income women following abortion and childbirth", Canadian Medical Association Journal, May 13, 2003; 168 (10).
Results: Overall, women who had had an abortion had a 2.6 times higher rate of psychiatric hospitalization compared with women who had delivered for every time period examined.
