• According to a study published in the journal Sleep, a woman who has an induced abortion is more likely to have subsequent sleep disorders compared with women who carry their pregnancy to term. Researchers examined the medical records of 56,824 women with no known history of sleep disorders or sleep disturbances. Women with a history of treatment for sleep disorders prior to their pregnancy were excluded from this study. Of the 56,824 medical records examined for this study, 15,345 showed that the women had previously had an induced abortion and 41,479 of the women had carried their baby to term. The results of the study revealed that women were more likely to be treated for sleep disorders or disturbances following an induced abortion compared with those who gave birth. The difference was most pronounced in the first 180 days after the induced abortion. Another recent study showed that many women attribute their sleeping difficulties (14% Russian, 23% American) and nightmares (8% Russian, 30% American) to a prior induced abortion. Furthermore, related studies have shown that women who have abortions, compared with women who carry their pregnancies to term, are at a higher risk of generalized anxiety disorders and depression.¹

¹Relative Treatment Rates for Sleep Disorder and Sleep Disturbances Following Abortion and Childbirth: a Prospective Record-Based Study, Sleep Journal, 2006, 29:1:105-106.