Wed, Nov 25 2009
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Analysis: Blunt task force examining how abortions affect women In a letter to Reagan, Koop said his staff reviewed almost 250 studies in scientific literature about the psychological aspects of abortion and generally found methodological flaws.
The studies’ data “do not support the premise that abortion does or does not cause or contribute to psychological problems,” Koop wrote. Later, a U.S. House committee made public a draft of a report that Koop had opted not to submit to the president. That draft said valid scientific studies had documented that abortion is medically safe and does not increase a woman’s subsequent risk of infertility, miscarriage or premature births. It also said that the frequency of long-term psychological effects is uncertain. Since Koop’s review, researchers on both sides of the abortion debate have continued to pump out studies concluding abortion either does or does not cause physical and psychological problems. Peter Brownlie, president of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri, said he would be happy to point Blunt’s task force to piles of research showing abortion is safe while evaluating the impact on women, families and society. But neither Brownlie nor anyone else representing an abortion provider is included on Blunt’s task force. “My first reaction is that I doubt this governor is particularly interested in an objective overview of the impact of abortion,” Brownlie said. Included on Blunt’s task force is Connie Eller, president of Missouri Blacks for Life, who speaks to groups about the effects of the abortion she had 31 years ago as teenager in New York. Eller says she came down with a fever soon afterward, suffered from subsequent self-esteem problems and grappled with guilt. “I left there broken and full of something beyond remorse — hateful at what I did, disgust,” Eller said. Studies aside, Eller testifies from personal experience that abortion has negative effects. Koop wrote in his letter to Reagan that “anecdotal reports abound on both sides” of the abortion debate. “However, individual cases cannot be used to reach scientifically sound conclusions,” he said. Blunt is setting relatively low expectations for his own task force. “I don’t begin with assumption that they will have significant recommendations,” he said, “but they very well may.” 
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