David C. Reardon, Ph.D.
Associate ScholarDavid C. Reardon is director of the Elliot Institute and an associate scholar with the Charlotte Lozier Institute. He is widely recognized as one of the leading experts on the aftereffects of pregnancy loss on women. He is the author of numerous books and peer-reviewed articles on this topic, including the most comprehensive summary of the medical literature on abortion and mental health. He has been a noted advocate of healing programs for women, men, and families who have lost children to abortion, miscarriage, or neonatal death. Â
His studies have been published in such prestigious medical journals as the British Medical Journal and the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and have proven that, compared to childbirth, abortion and miscarriage are associated with higher rates of maternal death, psychiatric hospitalization, subsequent substance abuse, clinical depression, and numerous other complications.Â
Articles about Dr. Reardon and his work have appeared in numerous magazines and newspapers, including Newsweek and the New York Times. He is a frequent guest on Christian radio and Christian television talk shows and has been a keynote speaker at many state and national conventions for crisis pregnancy centers and pro-life organizations.Â
Dr. Reardon was propelled to center stage of the pro-life movement after the publication of his first book, Aborted Women, Silent No More.  This was the first major book examining abortion’s impact on women and was described by one reviewer as “the most powerful book ever written on abortion.” He is also the author of Making Abortion Rare: A Healing Strategy for a Divided Nation, and The Jericho Plan: Breaking Down the Walls That Prevent Post-Abortion Healing. He is co-author of Victims and Victors: Speaking Out About Their Pregnancies, Abortions, and Children Resulting from Sexual Assault, and Forbidden Grief: The Unspoken Pain of Abortion.Â
Read David Reardon’s full bio and list of publications at Elliot Institute here.Â
Research Authored
Comparative Acuity of Emergency Department Visits Following Pregnancy Outcomes Among Medicaid Eligible Women, 2004-2015
Consistent with national trends for ED visits, both the number and acuity of ED visits following pregnancy outcomes are increasing. ED visit acuity following chemical abortion is persistently and significantly higher than for surgical abortion or live birth.
First Pregnancy Abortion or Natural Pregnancy Loss: A Cohort Study of Mental Health Services Utilization
While both induced abortion and natural pregnancy loss have been associated with subsequent mental health problems, population-based studies directly comparing these two pregnancy outcomes are rare. This study compared mental health morbidity after an induced abortion to natural loss. Only the abortion cohort experienced significant increases in mental health services use following the first pregnancy outcome.
Effects of prior reproductive losses on risk of cardiovascular diseases within six months of a first live birth
There is emerging evidence suggesting that pregnancy loss (induced or natural) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). This prospective longitudinal study investigates the effect of prior pregnancy losses on CVD risk during the first six months following a first live birth.
A Cohort Study of Mental Health Services Utilization Following a First Pregnancy Abortion or Birth
A first pregnancy abortion, compared to a birth, is associated with significantly higher subsequent mental health services utilization following the first pregnancy outcome. The risk attributable to abortion is notably higher for inpatient than outpatient mental health services.
Study: Many Women Who Had Abortions Felt Pressured by Others
Abortion pressure and coercion constitute one of the most widespread hidden epidemics in America, and one of the least covered by the media. Our latest research shows that these insidious influences are tragically far more common than most people realize.
Hidden Epidemic: Nearly 70% of Abortions Are Coerced, Unwanted or Inconsistent With Women’s Preferences
Nearly 70% of women with a history of abortion describe their abortions as inconsistent with their own values and preferences, with one in four describing their abortions as unwanted or coerced, according to the study published in the medical journal Cureus.
The Effects of Abortion Decision Rightness and Decision Type on Women’s Satisfaction and Mental Health
Perceived pressure to abort is strongly associated with women attributing more negative mental health outcomes to their abortions. The one-third of women for whom abortion is wanted and consistent with their values and preferences are most likely over-represented in studies initiated at abortion clinics.
EXCLUSIVE: Over 60% of Women Who Got Abortions Reported High Level of Pressure, Study Finds
Over 60% of women who aborted their unborn baby reported high levels of pressure from other sources, a new peer-reviewed study from the Charlotte Lozier Institute found. And that same group of women also reported higher levels of mental health struggles and quality of life issues following the abortion.
Whose Choice? Pressure to Abort Linked to Worsening of Subsequent Mental Health
Over 60 percent of women who had abortions report high levels of pressure to abort from one or more sources, and those same women report higher levels of subsequent mental health and quality of life issues, according to a new Lozier Institute peer-reviewed study published in the Cureus medical journal.
Effects of Pressure to Abort on Women’s Emotional Responses and Mental Health
Women who feel pressured to agree to abortion are more likely to experience negative emotional and mental health reactions. Our study aims to investigate five types of pressure women may face and a sample of effects that may be associated with unwanted abortions.