The psychological sequelae of abortion performed for a genetic indication

Abstract

Psychometric testing and psychiatric interviews were conducted on 13 families in which the women had undergone amniocentesis for the prenatal detection of a genetic defect in the fetus and, upon receiving positive results, elected to have a therapeutic abortion. The indication for amniocentesis was maternal age in two families, a previous child with Down's syndrome in one family, a previous child with a recessively inherited inborn error of metabolism in four families, and the mother being a carrier for an X-linked disease in six families. The incidence of depression following selective abortion may be as high as 92 per cent among the women and as high as 82 per cent among the men studied, and was greater than that usually associated with elective abortion for psychosocial indications or with delivery of a stillborn. Four families experienced separations during the pregnancy-abortion period. Despite the emotional trauma of the procedure, most of the families studied would repeat their course of action and consider selective abortion preferable to the alternative birth of a defective child. Several modifications in the amniocentesis and selective abortion procedure which might diminish the concomitant emotional trauma are suggested.