Christchurch Health and Development Study

The Christchurch Health and Development Study recently released its study “Abortion among Young Women and Subsequent Life Outcomes” Data was drawn from492 women participating in a 25 year longitudinal study of a New Zealand birth cohort of 1265 children born in the Christchurch region in 1977.

Of the 492 women surveyed 125 had been pregnant before attaining the age of 21 years, 48 had had an abortion and 77 had chosen life for their baby. The study revealed that those women who had an abortion had higher levels of subsequent educational achievement than those who became pregnant but did not have abortions.

Professor David Fergusson, the executive director of the study concedes that the differences between the two groups were largely explained by the fact “that those who had an abortion were a more socially and educationally advantaged group prior to pregnancy”. He also stated that because of the small number who had been pregnant and did not have an abortion is small [77], further study with a larger group is desirable.

The study gives a high priority to educational achievement which is focussed on University, tertiary study and qualifications. It is noted that women who had not been pregnant before 21 achieved better than those women who had an abortion or a live birth. Professor Fergusson noted that those who had a baby before 21 “had significantly lower intelligence scores and levels of educational achievement in childhood”.

Right to Life believes that University or tertiary education is not necessary for a happy and fulfilled life. Abortion entails the killing of an innocent and defenceless unborn child. There are no reasons that justify the taking of the life of a child before birth. This study has the purpose of providing justification for the taking of life, it infers that having an abortion “leads to improved life course outcomes for young women who chose this option”, it is thus promoting a culture of death. We congratulate those women in the study who in spite of pressure from an aborting society courageously chose life for their baby. For those women who had an abortion we extend our compassion, for they are the second victims of abortion.

We should remember that the same researchers with the same cohort of women in a study released in January 2006 found that at age 25, 42% of women in the study group who had an abortion also experienced major depression. This was nearly double the rate of those who had never been pregnant and 35% higher than those who had chosen to continue a pregnancy. Those having an abortion had elevated rates of subsequent mental health problems including depression anxiety, suicidal behaviours and substance use disorders.

ENDS

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