19 JANUARY 1991, Page 22

Abortion trauma

Sir: I, too, admired Amanda Craig's article on abortion. One wishes the ghastly ex- perience finished there. I work as a post- abortion counsellor and every week listen to stories of mild to severe depression and, not infrequently, suicide attempts. Trauma may not surface for months, often years. The mental health of the prospective mother is one of the justifications for termination and those of us who are honest know that it is the most commonly adopted excuse. Ironically, abortion is being in- creasingly acknowledged as a cause of mental distress and illness. I hope one day that this aspect of abortion will receive the attention it deserves.

Josephine Quintavalle

8 Chelsea Park Gardens, London SW3