An investigation of consultation effect on anxiety after legal abortion

Abstract

Abortion is one of the negative events of pregnancy which affects the personal and social aspects of life leads to reduced quality of life, depression and anxiety. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of counseling on anxiety after legal abortion.In this quasi-experimental study 120 pregnant women referred to Kosar hospital licensed legal abortion were selected in 2013. Intervention group received individual counseling for 30-45 minutes, and by phone were followed for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks, both groups were assessed for anxiety. Data were collected by Beck Anxiety Inventory and analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS-16. P-value less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant.Before individual counseling, the mean score of anxiety in the two groups was not significant difference (24.72±11.05 vs. 22.76±12.67, p=0.412). Two month after the intervention, the mean scores of anxiety between the two groups showed significant difference (1.10±1.70 vs. 11.66±7.76, p<0.0001). Consulting services of midwives reduced mental complications after the abortion