There have been recent studies made by a New Zealand researcher, Dr. David Fergusson, that suggest that having an abortion is linked to an increased risk for depression and other mental health problems. His findings might sound a little suspicious if it wasn't for that fact that he claims he is "pro-choice", an athiest, and a rationalist.

Dr. Fergusson's study was published in the respected Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and found that women who had an abortion vs. women who were never pregnant were at a higher risk for suicide, major depression, anxiety disorder and drug dependence.

Because of the results of his study, Dr. Fergusson publicly criticized the American Psychological Association for its stance that there is absolutely no link between abortion and depression.

Although Dr. Fergusson is pro-choice and believes that women have the right to choose, he says that it is important for women to realize that there may be a significant mental health risk when choosing to have an abortion.

This is not a new debate. Experts have been debating this issue for years - but the problem has been figuring out whether the women were depressed because of their abortions or whether women with mental health issues were more likely to have abortions.

Although there may be some validity to his study - its important to realize that no matter what you decide is best for you - you may want to seek counseling before you make a major decision about keeping or ending a pregnancy when it is a matter of conflict in your life.

Talk to a religous leader, talk to your therapist, talk to your friends and family, and talk to the father.

If you need to talk to someone after an abortion, go here: http://www.4exhale.org/

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Lisa Angelettie, "GirlShrink" is an online advice authority. Her site GirlShrink.com is the #1 "Advice & Counseling" site on the web. Visit her site for a personal advice session. Please visit us for more discussion on this topic in the depression forum to talk about it further. Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter for topics in the news, new articles, website & book reviews, and other useful mental health resources. Subscribe below.