Postabortion Syndrome

An Emerging Public Health Concern

Dados Bibliográficos

ID10225005
AutoresAnne Speckhard (Inova Alexandria Hospital), Anne C Speckhard, Vincent M Rue (Portsmouth Regional Hospital, autor correspondente)
Ano1992
Volume48
Fascículo3
Páginas95-119
Data de publicação1992-10-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoJournal of Social Issues (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0022-4537 • E-ISSN: 1540-4560
EditoraWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/j.1540-4560.1992.tb00899.x
OpenAlexW1991173437
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas20
Referências citadas46

Elective abortion, the most common surgical procedure in the United States, continues to generate considerable moral, legal, medical, and psychological controversy. This article reviews the pertinent literature, defines and describes postabortion syndrome (PAS) as a type of Post‐Traumatic Stress Disorder. Four basic components of PAS are proposed: (a) exposure to or participation in an abortion experience, which is perceived as the traumatic and intentional destruction of one's unborn child; (b) uncontrolled negative reexperiencing of the abortion event; (c) unsuccessful attempts to avoid or deny painful abortion recollections, resulting in reduced responsiveness; and (d) experiencing associated symptoms not present before the abortion, including guilt about surviving. Clinical evidence and the cardinal features of PAS are presented, and objections to the validity of this diagnostic category are discussed

Abortion · Pregnancy · Psychiatry · Traumatic stress · Assisted Reproductive Technology and Twin Pregnancy · Ethics and Legal Issues in Pediatric Healthcare · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health · Medicine · Psychology