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The incidence of psychiatric problems following the voluntary termination of a pregnancy is low; while women commonly feel guilt, a sense of loss, and decreased self-esteem, such feelings tend to be transient and mild. Research indicates that few women in Britain and the US consider abortion a negative experience, and few regret having undergone the procedure. However, those who fear more liberalized abortion laws often cite the possibility of serious emotional and psychological effects. It is likely that the recent development of a medical approach to pregnancy termination, which relies on the administration of mifepristone and prostaglandin, will influence women's perceptions of abortion. To evaluate the risk factors that might predispose women to psychiatric illness after pregnancy termination, a study was carried out of 91 women who underwent either medical (54 subjects) or surgical (37) abortion. Feelings of anxiety and depression were assessed by means of a standard questionnaire administered before, one week after, and four weeks after pregnancy termination. The incidence of psychiatric problems for women undergoing either procedure fell from 60 percent before the abortion to less than 10 percent afterwards. No difference was seen between the groups in the incidence of psychiatric problems. Although both medical and surgical methods of abortion were considered acceptable, only 75 percent of the medically-treated patients and 94 percent of the surgically-treated patients said they would have the same procedure if necessary in the future. Ten of 13 women who had undergone both methods of abortion preferred the medical approach. The findings show that termination of pregnancy with mifepristone and prostaglandins is acceptable to most women and is associated with a low rate of psychiatric complications, as is surgical abortion. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)