Unwanted Pregnancy and Abortion: Definitional and Research Issues

In studying psychological responses following abortion, one necessarily encompasses responses to the entire experience of becoming pregnant and of terminating the pregnancy. Many assumptions are made about the nature of pregnancies that are terminated, but little research has examined the relationship between characteristics of the pregnancy and responses following abortion. Indirect evidence is available about the association of aspects of pregnancy with responses after abortion. This article considers the definition of different types of pregnancy: unplanned pregnancy, unintended pregnancy, unwanted pregnancy, premarital pregnancy, and adolescent pregnancy. Although these concepts are all related, each implies a different set of dynamics regarding the pregnancy, and each may have different implications for a woman's response following abortion. A full understanding of responses following abortion must take into account all of these variables.