Study: Abortion waiting periods reduce suicide : Lone Star Times

Study: Abortion waiting periods reduce suicide

by Matt Bramanti · 10/31/2005 4:17 pm

Well isn’t this interesting:

Proponents of laws requiring a waiting period before a woman can receive an abortion argue that these cooling off periods protect against rash decisions on the part of women in the event of unplanned pregnancies. Opponents claim, at best, waiting periods have no effect on decision-making and, at worst, they subject women to additional mental anguish and stress. In this article, I examine these competing claims using adult female suicide rates at the state level as a proxy for mental health. Panel data analyses suggest that the adoption of mandatory waiting periods reduce suicide rates by about 10 percent, and this effect is statistically significant. The result is robust to various attempts to control for unobservable heterogeneity and simultaneity.

[Hat-tip: The Volokh Conspiracy]

Filed Under Uncategorized ·

Comments

7 Responses to “Study: Abortion waiting periods reduce suicide”

skicougar on October 31st, 2005 at 4:39 pm

also of interest, less than 10% of abortions are due to the threatened health of the mother and cases of sexual assualt to the woman.
you can find this info. on the web for free. thats where i found it. not that i’m trying to start an abortion firestorm discussion here, but i would have thought it to be higher.
although, i’m sure there are many cases of pressured abortions by the father, family members and others.
with nearly a million abortions per year in the US, it looks like most of them were unwanted; that ironically could have been prevented with some “planned” prevention.
Willie on October 31st, 2005 at 5:22 pm

The irony of “choice” is that the choice should begin with the selection of an effective birth control, or, God forbid, abstinence. I have known two women in my life who have had abortions. Both, in hindsight, think it was the worst decision that they ever made and both used the procedure as a form of (belated) birth control. While my anecdote doesn’t by any stretch rise to the level of a scientific study, I would venture that a waiting period might be in the best interest of all parties involved (including society’s interest).
MAV on October 31st, 2005 at 5:52 pm

Planned Parent Hood,(one of woman’s worst enemies) and the likes of them, is against anything that would lower the number of abortions. They don’t want women to know all of the facts and their options, before they make that life changing decision.

The real problem with abortion for the most part and the reason why so many people are against it. Is because that over 90% of them are used as birth control…
headshaker on October 31st, 2005 at 5:55 pm

MAV and Willie hit the nail on the head. I can almost understand and accept the need for an abortion in a rape case, I can understand and accept it where the mother’s life is at stake, but I cannot understand or accept it as a form of birth control.
squawkbox on October 31st, 2005 at 7:05 pm

Holleee smokes say it isn’t so. Uncle Squawkee, headshaker and Willie agree. Gosh I need to take more nasty, grumpy pills.
Seriously
I find it interesting that it costs bunches more money to adopt than have an abortion. When there is a waiting period for an abortion it is considerably less than adopting. You don’t need a judge to have an abortion, but you need one to adopt. Bottom line what is wrong with this picture?
rj on November 1st, 2005 at 8:04 am

Yes! Squawker, we can agree. At last I’m proud to say That Willie and headshaker are right on and I’m in total agreement with their assessment of using abortion as a method of birth control. The waiting period is ok for gun purchases; Why not for abortions.
rj
squawkbox on November 1st, 2005 at 8:18 am

rj
RE:6
“The waiting period is ok for gun purchases; Why not for abortions.”

It just don’t make sense do it?