About Women and Abortion

Women and Abortion is an evaluation of recent published research on abortion and the impact it has on women’s health and well-being, both in Australia and overseas in developed countries in which abortion is legal or extensively practised.

The research has been compiled for the purpose of generating informed debate about the way in which abortion is practised and some of the issues faced by pregnant women in Australia.

Some of the research that Women and Abortion uncovers includes the motivations underlying abortion decisions. It is found that:

• Many abortion decisions are motivated by a lack of emotional, social and material support
• Abortion is not always for ‘unintended’ or ‘unwanted’ pregnancies.
• A substantial number of women undergo abortion while also being morally opposed to the practice.
• Many women believe that continuing with a pregnancy will jeopardise their plans for work and study. This suggests that schools, universities and workplaces are generally unsupportive of pregnant women and mothers.

For those concerned about women’s well-being and freedom, the negative impacts of abortion on significant numbers of women underscores the need for public policy, structural and cultural changes to enable women to make informed decisions without undue external pressure.

Go Back »