Abortion Among Adolescents: Research Findings and the Current Debate

Abstract

Utilizing research that focuses on adolescents as well as findings in samples which might have special relevance to young, unmarried women, this report summarizes research on the consequences of abortion among adolescents. It discusses prior literature in the area of parental notification and parental consent, subjects on which public opinion is not divided along familiar pro-choice/anti-choice lines. Following a discussion of methodological problems identified in prior research, it reports on a study designed to address these problems in an adolescent population; it discusses implications for the current debate of this and other studies' findings that there are no identifiable adverse sequelae of the abortion process.

Decisionmaking Regarding Unwanted Pregnancy among Adolescents in Mexico City: A Qualitative Study

“…Results from this study and past findings in the United States suggest that adolescents are capable of making appropriate decisions, though they may need help carrying them out (Weithorn and Campbell 1982;Weithorn 1983;Ambuel and Rappaport 1992). This study and other research also suggest that mandated parental involvement is not necessary given that minors often involve their parents in abortion-related decisions, and the younger an adolescent is, the more likely she is to inform her parents (Rosen 1980;Torres, Forrest, and Eisman 1980;Henshaw and Kost 1992;Zabin and Sedivy 1992;Griffin-Carlson and Mackin 1993;Resnick et al 1994;Quinton, Major, and Richards 2001). Adolescents who choose not to inform their parents often have valid reasons.…”

Health Behavior and Related Factors in Adolescents With a History of Abortion and Never-Pregnant Adolescents

“…The finding that the m atched pairs had similar problem-solving appraisal supports Zabin and Sedivy' s (1992) assertion that adolescents who have had an abortion are doing well both in absolute terms and relative to other groups. W hen scores on P SC, PC, and AA of problem s were compared with those of fem ale college students from nonm etropolitan areas, the college students (N = 81) dem onstrated m ore effective PSC and PC, but they were less effective on the AA m easure than the m atched pairs (Reeder & Heppner, 1985).…”

“…Only 25% are adolescents (AG I, 1994;CDC, 1994;Zabin & Sedivy, 1992). Som e studies have found that adolescents who resolved unintended pregnancy through abortion had a gre ater ability to think about and envision the future, greater m otivation, and higher educational aspiration than those w ho chose to parent (Brazzell & Acock, 1988;Resnick, 1992;Voyandoff & Donnelly, 1990).…”

“…Zabin, Hirsch, and Em erson (1989), using a longitudinal design, found no differences in self-esteem am ong adolescents who had an abortion, gave birth, or were not pregnant. In a study of unintended pregnancies, Zabin and Sedivy (1992) found individuals who Much of the research shows a positive relationship between chronological age and coitus initiation and contraceptive use, and no relationship between race, religion, income, and geographical location and age of coitus initiation (AG I, 1994). Am ong adolescents, 72% of ever-pregnant and 82% of never-pregnant adolescents report contraceptive use (AG I, 1994;K alm uss, 1986).…”

Factors that adolescent males take into account in decisions about an unplanned pregnancy

“…We could assume therefore that, with appropriate assistance, and if unpressured by others, their final decision and its consequences would be one with which they could live in the future, but this would depend to a certain extent whether their partner concurred. Zabin and Sedivy (1992) found when reviewing the literature on the psychological consequences of abortion, especially in teenagers, that in general, the termination of an unwanted pregnancy, or the continuation of a wanted one, produced few or no emotional ill effects, especially if the partner or parent supported the decision. How a young man who did not want to become a father would fare when the young pregnant woman decided against abortion, or alternatively, how he would feel if she decided to abort against his wishes, warrants further, most probably qualitative research into pregnancy outcome decision-making.…”