Abortion Resolutions

Whereas in many state legislature, bills have recently been introduced for the purpose of repealing or drastically modifying the existing criminal codes with respect to the termination of unwanted pregnancies; and whereas, termination of unwanted pregnancies is clearly a mental health and child welfare issue, and a legitimate concern of APA; be it resolved, that termination of pregnancy be considered a civil right of the pregnant woman, to be handled as other medical and surgical procedures in consultation with her physician, and to be considered legal if performed by a licensed physician in a licensed medical facility.

Whereas in 1969 APA Council adopted the following resolution:

Whereas, in many state legislatures, bills have recently been introduced for the purpose of repealing or drastically modifying the existing criminal codes with respect to the termination of unwanted pregnancies; and whereas, termination of unwanted pregnancies is clearly a mental health and child welfare issue, and a legitimate concern of APA: be it resolved that termination of pregnancy be considered a civil right of the pregnant woman, to be handled as other medical and surgical procedures in consultation with her physician, and to be considered legal if performed by a licensed physician in a licensed medical facility; And whereas, on 22 January 1973 the U.S. Supreme Court declared that We recognize the right of the individual, married or single, to be free from unwarranted governmental intervention into matters fundamentally affecting a person such as the decision whether to bear or beget a child. That right necessarily includes the right of a woman to decide whether or not to terminate her pregnancy; And whereas, the right to conduct scientific research is fundamental to a free society and to the science and profession of psychology, and political interference in the awarding and releasing of research funds constitutes a serious encroachment on this right; And whereas, the right to conduct scientific research on abortion and reproductive health has been impeded by governmental restrictions and is further threatened by other disturbing attacks; Therefore be it moved, that APA, within the context of its traditional concern for human welfare and freedom of scientific research, affirms the right of qualified researchers to conduct appropriate research in all areas of fertility regulation as long as standards for ethical, scientific and professional conduct are met.

Whereas in 1969, the APA identified freedom of reproductive choice as a mental health and child welfare issue;

Whereas the APA Council of Representatives decries the uninformed movement in many state legislatures to recriminalize abortion to limit access to the full range of reproductive options, especially to poor women who use publicly funded health services;

Whereas erroneous assertions about widespread severe negative psychological effects of abortion are being used to argue for laws that restrict reproductive freedom;

Whereas a review of the best scientific evidence by an APA panel of experts finds these assertions to be without fact;

Whereas uninformed public statements and a lack of understanding about psychological responses after unwanted pregnancy and abortion can themselves create emotional distress;

Whereas the weight of evidence is that legal abortion as a resolution to an unwanted pregnancy, particularly in the first trimester, does not create psychological hazards for most women undergoing the procedures; and

Whereas the preponderance of scientific data supports the conclusion that freedom of choice and a woman's control over her critical life decisions promotes psychological health;

Therefore be it moved that the Council of Representatives of the APA directs the Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer to undertake an immediate initiative to disseminate scientific information on reproductive freedom to policymakers, to the public, and to state psychological associations and APA divisions.

Council voted to adopt the following resolution on the Rust v. Sullivan Supreme Court Decision:

Rust v. Sullivan Supreme Court Decision

Whereas the American Psychological Association in 1983 determined that . . . requiring clinics to provide the same blanket information to every pregnant woman, rather than to provide each woman whatever information is individually appropriate to her particular needs, is inconsistent with basic principles of effective counseling and will hinder, rather than promote, informed consent."

(APA Amicus Curiae, City of Akron v. Akron Center for Reproductive Health)

Whereas the American Medical Association and other health care provider organizations have already officially decried the hazardous effects of the Rust v. Sullivan Supreme Court Decision upholding the Title X Family Planning Program Regulations, known as the "Gag Rule"; and

Whereas the American Psychological Association has already adopted previous policies regarding a woman's right to reproductive choice.

Be it resolved that the American Psychological Association deplores the effects of the Title X regulations which prohibit health providers, including psychologists , who receive federal Title X funds, from informing women patients/clients of the availability of the alternative of abortion to terminate an unwanted pregnancy.

Further, the APA urges the Congress to enact legislation and to override Presidential vetoes, as needed, to both remedy this health hazard and to serve as a precedent to buttress against further erosion of the rights associated with Roe v. Wade.

Further, APA will seek to inform Congress, the public and its own membership of its position and its recommendations through a public affairs and advocacy effort including but not limited to:

1. Press conferences in several major cities

2. Letter writing and mail campaigns

3. News releases

4. APA Monitor and other appropriate APA, Division, and State Association publications

Further, we direct the Chief Executive Officer of the American Psychological Association to activate the necessary mechanisms to ensure the accomplishments of the aims and goals of this resolution, including the capacity to respond to ongoing critical reproductive issues [by participating in public information/media outreach efforts as necessary to help preserve a woman's right to choose.

Download the resolution (PDF, 72KB)opens in new window

APA RESOLUTION Affirming and Building on APA’s History of Support for Reproductive Rights

WHEREAS, in 1969 APA Council identified termination of pregnancy as a mental health and child welfare issue and a legitimate concern of APA, resolving that such termination should be considered a civil right of the pregnant woman, to be handled as other medical and surgical procedures in consultation with her physician, and in particular to be considered legal if performed by a licensed medical professional in a licensed medical facility.

WHEREAS, in 1989 APA Council adopted a resolution that decried misinformation and falsehoods in efforts to recriminalize abortion and to limit access to the full range of reproductive options; underscored and affirmed the preponderance of scientific data supporting the conclusion that freedom of choice and a woman’s control over her critical life decisions promotes psychological health, and resolved that APA undertake an immediate initiative to disseminate scientific information on reproductive freedom to policymakers, to the public, and to state psychological associations and APA divisions.

WHEREAS, APA has a history of following up its declarations and resolutions with concrete social actions, including the development and dissemination of scientific and professional reports and papers, commentary on legislation such as the Hyde Amendment, and amicus briefs in a variety of cases (including Akron v. Akron Center for Reproductive Health; Harris v. McRae; Bowen v. Kendrick; Thornburgh v. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists).

WHEREAS, APA’s published research, reports, and public interest advocacy have identified a host of health inequities related to cumulative adversity of social determinants of physical and mental health in diverse populations and communities (APA, 2021; Forde et al., 2019; Major et al., 2009). APA has continued to discuss how negative social issues such as drugs, poverty, and exposure to violence do not cause someone to have an abortion or mental health problems, even if associations with such factors have been observed. The research points out design flaws in studies that cite mental health risks because they did not account for prior mental health diagnoses.

WHEREAS, contemporary and historical violations of reproductive rights disproportionately target Black, Indigenous, and Women of Color (Borrero et al., 2009; Ceballo et al., 2015; Vamos et al., 2011), including coerced and forced sterilization against Black, Latina, and Indigenous women (Novak et al., 2018; Patel, 2017; Torpy 2000).

WHEREAS, The body of evidence developed from a health equity perspective shows that the harms of abortion restrictions “fall hardest on communities already struggling to access basic health care—whether because of their lack of financial resources, young age, disability, immigration status or because they are Black, Indigenous or other people of color” and can include a risk of death (Arnold, 2014; Fried, 2013; Guttmacher Institute, 2021 para 4; Prather et al., 2018).

WHEREAS, reproductive justice, including abortion rights, is a human rights issue that links to social, structural, and cultural inequalities. A reproductive justice framework includes economic, health, environmental, and social justice issues that need to be considered within the scope of autonomy, agency, family planning, empowerment, and control (El Kotni & Singer, 2019; Fried, 2013; Gurr, 2011; Lopez, 2008; Luna, 2021 Price, 2021; Ross & Solinger, 2017). Longitudinal research shows that people restricted from abortions face increased psychological distress or anxiety in the short term (Biggs et al., 2016; Harris et al., 2014), life-threatening delivery complications, greater chronic pain, and economic insecurity (Chrisler, 2012; Foster, 2020; Russo, 2014; Russo & Steinberg, 2012).

WHEREAS, consistent with APA Ethical Principles of Justice and Respect for People’s Rights and Dignity (APA, 2017), everyone should have the right to self-determination, which includes autonomy and agency over our own bodies.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT APA:

• reaffirms its denunciation of abortion restrictions and commitment to obtaining reproductive justice (e.g., including equal access to affordable contraception, comprehensive sex education, freedom from sexual violence, and surveillance and accountability of systems to prevent reproductive human rights abuses) for childbearing individuals with particular emphasis on individuals from marginalized communities;

• urges local, state, and federal policymakers to safeguard the reproductive rights of all women and implement reforms to address oppressive policies;

• encourages action to use the considerable psychological science that continues to support the 50-year-old Roe v. Wade precedent and that court’s holding of a woman’s fundamental, constitutional right to privacy that protects her right to choose, up to the point of fetal viability, whether to have an abortion;
• seeks out opportunities to develop amicus briefs related to abortion in upcoming cases; and
• supports and leads research, education, advocacy, intervention, prevention, and program development efforts that seek to advance behavioral health equity and reproductive justice, increase understanding of the role social determinants play in shaping behavioral health outcomes, and prevent deleterious behavioral health impacts of reproductive inequity in various populations.

References

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