Before Roe v. Wade, many states allowed abortions to save a woman’s life. Abortionists used to consider a woman’s threat of suicide as a legitimate reason for abortion. They would send a woman to a psychiatrist, who would certify in writing that the woman would kill herself if an abortion were not performed, and then the abortion would be authorized and done.
One psychiatrist who took part in this said:
“I write letters recommending abortion that are frankly fraudulent, because I am satisfied to be used so that someone may obtain what our society otherwise would deny her.”
L Eisenberg “Abortion and Psychiatry” Abortion in a Changing World The proceedings of an International Conference on Abortion Convened by the Association for the Study of Abortion, at Hot Springs, Virginia. November 17 – 20th, 1968 (Columbia University Press)
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