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The implications of unintended pregnancies for mental health in later life

Author

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  • Herd, P.
  • Higgins, J.
  • Sicinski, K.
  • Merkurieva, I.

Abstract

Despite decades of research on unintended pregnancies, we know little about the health implications for the women who experience them. Moreover, no study has examined the implications for women whose pregnancies occurred before Roe v.Wade was decided\-nor whether the mental health consequences of these unintended pregnancies continue into later life. Using the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, a 60-year ongoing survey, we examined associations between unwanted and mistimed pregnancies and mental health in later life, controlling for factors such as early life socioeconomic conditions, adolescent IQ, and personality.We found that in this cohort of mostly married and White women, who completed their pregnancies before the legalization of abortion, unwanted pregnancies were strongly associated with poorer mental health outcomes in later life.

Suggested Citation

  • Herd, P. & Higgins, J. & Sicinski, K. & Merkurieva, I., 2016. "The implications of unintended pregnancies for mental health in later life," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 106(3), pages 421-429.
    • Handle: RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2015.302973_9
    DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2015.302973
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    Cited by:

    1. Maria Sironi & George B. Ploubidis & Emily M. Grundy, 2020. "Fertility History and Biomarkers Using Prospective Data: Evidence From the 1958 National Child Development Study," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 57(2), pages 529-558, April.
    2. Saima Bashir & Karen Benjamin Guzzo, 2024. "Perceived Spousal Concordance on Desired Family Size and Birth Intendedness Among Second and Higher-Order Births in Pakistan," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 43(5), pages 1-24, October.
    3. Lucio Esposito & Sunil Mitra Kumar & Adrián Villaseñor, 2020. "The importance of being earliest: birth order and educational outcomes along the socioeconomic ladder in Mexico," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 33(3), pages 1069-1099, July.
    4. Sowmya Rajan & S. Philip Morgan & Kathleen Mullan Harris & David Guilkey & Sarah R. Hayford & Karen Benjamin Guzzo, 2017. "Trajectories of Unintended Fertility," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 36(6), pages 903-928, December.
    5. Sara Yeatman & Emily Smith-Greenaway, 2021. "Women’s health decline following (some) unintended births: A prospective study," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 45(17), pages 547-576.
    6. Fausta Ongaro & Valentina Tocchioni, 2021. "Adding up risks: Sexual debut and substance use among Italian university students," Econometrics Working Papers Archive 2021_14, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Statistica, Informatica, Applicazioni "G. Parenti".
    7. Maciej Stokłosa & Iga Stokłosa & Mateusz Porwolik & Maciej Bugajski & Gniewko Więckiewicz & Tomasz Męcik-Kronenberg & Magdalena Piegza & Robert Pudlo & Piotr Gorczyca, 2021. "Mercy Procedure or a Nightmare? Attitude towards Pregnancy Termination among Polish University Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-12, December.
    8. Jessica Houston Su & Fenaba R. Addo, 2018. "Born Without a Silver Spoon: Race, Wealth, and Unintended Childbearing," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 39(4), pages 600-615, December.
    9. Karen Benjamin Guzzo, 2017. "Is Stepfamily Status Associated With Cohabiting and Married Women’s Fertility Behaviors?," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 54(1), pages 45-70, February.
    10. Ben-David, Vered & Jonson-Reid, Melissa & Bright, Charlotte & Drake, Brett, 2016. "Family formation: A positive outcome for vulnerable young women?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 57-66.

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