<p>Previous studies have shown that induced abortion may be a risk factor for mental problems. However, these studies have only examined the association between induced abortion and mental problems, with limited evidence regarding its long-term impact on women’s overall health. In this study, a total of 12,275 women were included in the study from the Henan Rural Cohort. Logistic regression was employed to examine the connection between induced abortion and mental problems. To further explore the potential causal relationship, Mendelian randomization (MR) study was adopted. Additionally, the Sullivan method was used to estimate healthy life expectancy (HLE) among women with different numbers of induced abortion. The findings revealed that induced abortion was associated with higher risks of depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, suicidal ideation and mental disorder. The MR analysis confirmed a causal link between induced abortion and depressive symptoms. Moreover, women experiencing induced abortion exhibited shorter HLE compared to those without abortion. These results suggest that induced abortion may not only affect mental health but also contribute to a reduced the HLE. Therefore, greater attention should be devoted to the mental health of women with a history of abortion. It is recommended to incorporate routine mental health screening into post-abortion care, provide comprehensive pre-abortion and post-abortion counseling, especially for high-risk groups, and enhance the training of healthcare providers.</p>