Abuse risk linked to abortion

Women who have abortions are significantly more likely to physically abuse their children than women who do not have abortions, said a study by a research group and professors at Bowling Green State University.

Compared with mothers with no history of induced abortion, those who had undergone the procedure were found to have a 144 percent greater risk of physically abusing their children, said the study, published by the medical journal Acta Paediatrica.

[…]"It negates the claim ... that abortion would result in reduced child abuse and child neglect," Mr. Reardon said. "There's at least indicative evidence that [abortion] may be associated with abuse and neglect."
From The Washington Times, courtesy of Eric Scheske.

One does wonder where the cause and effect is in this story. The authors posit that abortion-induced guilt may lead to anger, which in turn leads to child abuse. Perhaps, on the other hand, women who are willing to kill their children are also more likely to be willing to slap them around a bit.

In all fairness, a smaller but still increased likelihood of abuse is found among women who have had miscarriages or stillbirths, so my more cynical reasoning may be incorrect. But the ability to “kill it before you abuse it” does not seem to have cut down on abuse. But, then, did we ever really believe that claim, or was it just an excuse to make us feel better about the whole idea?