The study looked at California women who recieved state funded medical care in 1989, either for abortion or childbirth. The women's medical records for up to six years afterward were reviewed. The records showed that women who had abortions were twice as likely to have had between two and nine mental health treatments compared to women who carried to term.

Another study presented at the conference found that teens who had children were as well or better adjusted than teens who did not have children. This is attributed to the fact that parenthood demands a maturity that assists in developing healthy attitudes.

The findings of this study are in keeping with other studies that found higher risk of violent death -- through homicide, suicide, and accidents -- among aborting women than among women who had given birth or who had not had a pregnancy. Other studies have also found increased rates of psychiatric hospitalization and substance abuse among women who have had abortions. More research is needed to study if the relationship is causal, or if abortion simply has common antecedents with violent death and mental health problems.