Stressfulness of Medically Indicated Abortion as Reflected by Hair Concentrations of Stress Hormones Cortisol and Testosterone: A Pilot Study

This pilot study examined the stressfulness of medically indicated mid-trimester abortions by measuring cortisol and testosterone levels in hair, involving 22 women. Hair samples were collected before the abortion and two months after, showing increased hormone levels post-abortion. Salivary stress markers and psychological assessments indicated heightened anxiety but improved task-oriented coping strategies at follow-up. The study found that hair hormone concentrations are reliable markers of stress, and hair testosterone may be linked to emotional vulnerability, such as neuroticism, during the post-abortion period. These findings suggest that hair analysis can provide objective insights into stress responses following pregnancy termination.