Book chapter
13 - Induced Abortion
Women and Health, pp.160-170
Academic Press
2000
DOI: 10.1016/B978-012288145-9/50016-4
Abstract
Focusing on the United States, this chapter provides an overview of abortion services, the reasons women seek induced abortions, and the characteristics of women who obtain abortions. Legal induced abortions in the United States are provided in various health care settings, including hospitals, freestanding surgical centers, abortion clinics, and private physicians' offices. The traditional concentration of abortion facilities in urban areas has become more pronounced in the 1990s. Although a small proportion of planned pregnancies end in induced abortion because of maternal and fetal health problems or changes in the woman's circumstances, it is estimated that most pregnancies ending in induced abortion were unplanned. Most women who responded to Alan Guttmacher Institute's 1987 survey reported that multiple factors contributed to their decision to obtain an abortion. The majority of respondents (76%) reported that having a baby would interfere with work, school, or other responsibilities. Between 1973 and 1995, women obtaining abortions were mostly young, white, unmarried, and of low parity, and most of them had their abortions performed by suction curettage at 12 weeks of gestation or earlier. The characteristics of women obtaining abortions have changed over time; most the of women seeking abortion are 25 years or older, unmarried, nonwhite, and have had one or more live births.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- 13 - Induced Abortion
- Creators
- Hani K. Atrash - National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health PromotionAudrey F. Saftlas - Yale University
- Resource Type
- Book chapter
- Publication Details
- Women and Health, pp.160-170
- Publisher
- Academic Press
- DOI
- 10.1016/B978-012288145-9/50016-4
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 2000
- Academic Unit
- Epidemiology
- Record Identifier
- 9984363566802771
Metrics
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