If you are from the US and decide to make an abortion post, PLEASE research the laws before you make your post. Laws are different for every state. Feel free to debate abortion all you want. Just know what you're talking about before you do!!!
In medical terms, the word abortion refers to any pregnancy that does not end in a live birth, and therefore can refer to a miscarriage or a premature birth that does not result in a live infant. Such events are often called spontaneous abortions if they occur before 20 weeks of gestation. In common parlance, however, abortion is used to mean "induced abortion" of an embryo or fetus at any point in pregnancy, and this is also how the term is used in a legal sense.
Update 9-23-2011
Surgical abortion is one of the safest types of medical procedures. Complications from having a first-trimester aspiration abortion are considerably less frequent and less serious than those associated with giving birth. Early medical abortion (using medications to end a pregnancy) has a similar safety profile.
Abortion has not always been so safe. Between the 1880s and 1973, abortion was illegal in all or most U.S. states, and many women died or had serious medical problems as a result. Women often made desperate and dangerous attempts to induce their own abortions or resorted to untrained practitioners who performed abortions with primitive instruments or in unsanitary conditions. Women streamed into emergency rooms with serious complications - perforations of the uterus, retained placentas, severe bleeding, cervical wounds, rampant infections, poisoning, shock, and gangrene.
Around the world, in countries where abortion is illegal, it remains a leading cause of maternal death. An estimated 68,000 women worldwide die each year from unsafe abortionsMany of the doctors who provide abortions in the United States today are committed to providing this service under medically safe conditions because they witnessed and still remember the tragic cases of women who appeared in hospitals after botched, illegal abortions.
Evaluating the Risk of Complications
Since the Supreme Court reestablished legal abortion in the U.S. in the 1973
Roe v. Wadedecision, women have benefited from significant advances in medical technology and greater access to high-quality services.
Generally, the earlier the abortion, the less complicated and safer it is.Of these women, 97% report no complications; 2.5% have minor complications that can be handled at the medical office or abortion facility; and less than 0.5% have more serious complications that require some additional surgical procedure and/or hospitalization.
Early medical abortions are limited to the first 9 weeks of pregnancy. Medical abortions have an excellent safety profile, with serious complications occurring in less than 0.5% of cases. Over the last five years, six women in North America have died as a result of toxic shock secondary to a rare bacterial infection of the uterus following medical abortion with mifepristone and misoprostol. This type of fatal infection has also been observed to occur following miscarriage, childbirth and surgical abortion, as well as other contexts unrelated to pregnancy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) continuing investigations have found no causal link between the medications and these incidents of infection. Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an updated advisory for warning signs of infection following medical abortion, it has recommended that there be no changes in the current standards for provision of medical abortion.
Complication rates are somewhat higher for surgical abortions provided between 13 and 24 weeks than for the first-trimester procedures. General anesthesia, which is sometimes used in surgical abortion procedures of any gestation, carries its own risks.
In addition to the length of the pregnancy, significant factors that can affect the possibility of complications include:
- the kind of anesthesia used;
- the woman's overall health;
- the abortion method used; and
- the skill and training of the provider.
Types of Complications from Surgical Abortion
Although rare, possible complications from a surgical abortion procedure include:
- blood clots accumulating in the uterus, requiring another suctioning procedure, (less than 0.2% of cases);
- infections, most of which are easily identified and treated if the woman carefully observes follow-up instructions, (0.1%-2.0% of North American cases);
- a tear in the cervix, which may be repaired with stitches (0.6%-1.2% of cases);
- perforation (a puncture or tear) of the wall of the uterus and/or other organs (less than 0.4% of cases). This may heal itself or may require surgical repair or, rarely, hysterectomy;
- missed abortion, which does not end the pregnancy and requires the abortion to be repeated (less than 0.3% of cases);
- incomplete abortion, in which tissue from the pregnancy remains in the uterus, and requires a repeat suction procedure, (0.3%-2.0% of cases);
- excessive bleeding requiring a blood transfusion (0.02%-0.3% of cases).
Death occurs in 0.0006% of all legal surgical abortions (one in 160,000 cases). These rare deaths are usually the result of such things as adverse reactions to anesthesia, embolism, infection, or uncontrollable bleeding. In comparison, a woman's risk of death during pregnancy and childbirth is ten times greater.
Serious complications arising from aspiration abortions provided before 13 weeks are quite unusual. About 88% of the women who obtain abortions are less than 13 weeks pregnant.
Possible complications of a medical abortion include:
- failure of the medications to terminate the pregnancy (less than 2% of cases), requiring a suction procedure to complete the abortion;
- incomplete expulsion of the products of conception, requiring a suction procedure to complete the abortion (occurs in less than 6% of cases);
- excessive bleeding, requiring a suction procedure, and rarely, transfusion (less than 1% of cases);
- uterine infection, requiring the use of antibiotics (0.09%-0.6% of cases) ;
- death secondary to toxic shock following infection with Clostridium sordellii (has occurred in less than 0.001% of cases in the US and Canada).
Anti-Abortion Propaganda
Anti-abortion activists claim that having an abortion increases the risk of developing breast cancer and endangers future childbearing. They claim that women who have abortions without complications are more likely to have difficulty conceiving or carrying a pregnancy, develop ectopic pregnancies, which are pregnancies outside of the uterus (commonly in one of the fallopian tubes), deliver stillborn
babies, or become sterile. However, these claims have been refuted by a significant body of medical research. In February 2003, a panel of experts convened by the National Cancer Institute to evaluate the scientific data concluded that studies have clearly established that "induced abortion is not associated with an increase in breast cancer risk." Furthermore, comprehensive reviews of the data have concluded that a vacuum aspiration procedure in the first trimester poses virtually no risk to future reproductive health.
http://www.prochoice.org/about_abortion/myths/abortion_cancer.html
Women's Feelings after Abortion
Women have abortions for a variety of reasons, but in general they choose abortion because a pregnancy at that time is in some way wrong for them. Such situations can cause a great deal of distress, and although abortion may be the best available option, the circumstances that led to the problem pregnancy may continue to be upsetting.
Some women may find it helpful to talk about their feelings with a family member, friend, or counselor. Feelings of loss or of disappointment, resulting, for example, from a lack of support from the spouse or partner, should not be confused with regret about the abortion. Women who experience guilt or sadness after an abortion usually report that their feelings are manageable.
The American Psychological Association has concluded that there is no scientifically valid support or evidence for the so-called "post-abortion syndrome" of psychological trauma or deep depression. The most frequent response women report after having ended a problem pregnancy is relief, and the majority of women are satisfied that they made the right decision for themselves
For More Information
For unbiased information about abortion and other resources, including financial assistance, call toll-free
1-800-772-9100
Weekdays: 7:00 A.M.-11:00 P.M. Eastern time
Saturdays and Sundays: 9:00 A.M.-9:00 P.M.
For referrals to quality abortion providers call
1-877-257-0012 (no funding assistance provided on this line).
Weekdays: 9:00 A.M. - 8:00 P.M.
Saturdays: Noon - 5:00 P.M.
National Abortion Federation
1660 L Street, NW, Suite 450
Washington, DC 20036
202-667-5881
http://www.prochoice.org/about_abortion/facts/safety_of_abortion.htmlUSA
Maternal death
By US statistics risk of
maternal death by abortion is lower than childbirth through at least 21 weeks' gestation.
Public Opinion USA
Date of Poll Pro- Life Pro- Choice Mixed / Neither Don't Know What Terms Mean No Opinion
2010, March 26–28 46% 45% 4% 2% 3%
2009, November 20–22 45% 48% 2% 2% 3%
2008, September 5–7 43% 51% 2% 1% 3%For more information on above data see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_in_the_United_States
National abortion statistics in the U.S. are available from two sources, privately from
The Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI) and federally from the
Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Since California, Louisiana, and New Hampshire do not provide abortion data to the federal government, and since California accounts for more abortions than any other state in the U.S, the CDC numbers are incomplete. AGI, on the other hand, is the research arm of
Planned Parenthood, the world's largest abortion provider. While their data is helpful, they certainly have a position and agenda in regard to abortion. The following information has been gleaned from both sources to provide an overview of the frequency and demography of abortion.
Annual Abortion Statistics
*In 2005 (the most recent year for which there is reliable data), approximately 1.21 million abortions took place in the U.S., down from an estimated 1.29 million in 2002, 1.31 million in 2000 and 1.36 million in 1996. From 1973 through 2005, more than 45 million legal abortions have occurred in the U.S. (AGI).
*In 2004, the highest number of reported legal induced abortions occurred in Florida (91,710), NYC (91,673), and Texas (74,801); the fewest occurred in Wyoming (12), South Dakota (814), and Idaho (963) (CDC).
Summary
*The abortion ratios by state ranged from a low of 43 abortions per 1,000 live births in Idaho to a high of 770 abortions per 1,000 live births in NYC (CDC).
*Overall, the annual number of legal induced abortions in the United States increased gradually from 1973 until it peaked in 1990, and it generally declined thereafter (CDC).
*In 1998, the last year for which estimates were made, more than 23% of legal induced abortions were performed in California (CDC).
*The abortion rate in the United States was higher than recent rates reported for Canada and Western European countries and lower than rates reported for China, Cuba, the majority of Eastern European countries, and certain Newly Independent States of the former Soviet Union (CDC).
*The national legal induced abortion ratio increased from 196 abortions per 1,000 live births in 1973 to 358 abortions per 1,000 in 1979 and remained nearly stable through 1981. The ratio peaked at 364 abortions per 1,000 live births in 1984 and since then has demonstrated a generally steady decline. In 2001, the abortion ratio was 246 abortions per 1,000 live births (for the states that reported, a 0.4% increase from 2000 (CDC).
*Nearly half of pregnancies among American women are unintended; about 4 in 10 of these are terminated by abortion. Twenty-two percent of all U.S. pregnancies end in abortion. (AGI).
WHO HAS ABORTIONS?
- At least 80% of all abortions are performed on unmarried women (CDC).
- The abortion ratio for unmarried women is 510 abortions for every 1,000 live births. For married women it is 61 abortions for every 1,000 live births (CDC).
- Women between the ages of 20-24 obtained 33% of all abortions (CDC).
- 50% of U.S. women obtaining abortions are younger than 25; women aged 20-24 obtain 33% of all U.S. abortions and teenagers obtain 17% (AGI).
- Adolescents under 15 years obtained less than 1% of all abortions, but have the highest abortion ratio, 773 abortions for every 1,000 live births (CDC).
- 47% of women who have abortions had at least one previous abortion (AGI).
- Black women are more than 4.8 times more likely than non-Hispanic white women to have an abortion, and Hispanic women are 2.7 times as likely (AGI).
- 43% of women obtaining abortions identify themselves as Protestant, and 27% identify themselves as Catholic (AGI).
ABORTION AND CONTRACEPTION
- Induced abortions usually result from unintended pregnancies, which often occur despite the use of contraception (CDC).
- 54% of women having abortions used a contraceptive method during the month they became pregnant. Among those women, 76% of pill users and 49% of condom users reported using the methods inconsistently, while 13% of pill users and 14% of condom users reported correct use (AGI).
- 8% of women having abortions have never used a method of birth control (AGI).
- 9 in 10 women at risk of unintended pregnancy are using a contraceptive method (AGI).
GENERAL ABORTION BANS
Sixteen states and the District of Columbia have never repealed restrictive laws ruled unconstitutional by
Roe v. Wade (AL, AZ, AR, CA, CO, DE, DC, MA, MI, MS, NH, NM, OK, TX, VT, WV, WI). Two states (LA, UT) and the Territory of Guam enacted "test" laws prohibiting most abortions after the Supreme Court's 1989 decision in
Webster v. Reproductive Health Services. In 1992, the Court's ruling in
Planned Parenthood v. Casey, held that a general abortion ban would fail Constitutional muster under the new "undue burden" test. In 1992 and 1993, respectively, the Court declined to review the cases striking down the laws of Guam and Louisiana. Utah did not appeal a lower court's decision finding its 1991 abortion ban unconstitutional.
POST-VIABILITY ABORTION BANS
Forty states and the District of Columbia have laws banning most post-viability abortions (AL, AZ, AR, CA, CT, DE, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH,
NY, NC, ND,
OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WY).
PARTIAL-BIRTH ABORTION BANS
At least 18 states (AB, AL, AZ, AK, GA, IN, LA, MS, MT,
MI, NE, NJ,
OH, RI, TN, SC, SD) have passed laws prohibiting partial-birth or "dilation and extraction" ("D&X") abortion procedures, but in Ohio, Michigan, Nebraska and Arizona, injunctions have enjoined its enforcement. The Ohio injunction has been affirmed by the 6th Circuit.
Women’s Medical Professional Corp. v. Voinovich, Nos. 96-3157, 96-3159, 1997 WL 713520 (6 C.A. Nov. 18, 1997.) Utah has banned the procedure (along with saline abortions) after viability.
LEGISLATIVE DECLARATIONS
Three states have laws declaring that if
Roe v. Wade is overturned, abortion is to be prohibited (IL, KY, LA). Moreover, five states have laws declaring their intent to ban abortion to the fullest extent permitted by the Constitution (AR, MO, NE, ND, PA), and three other states have declarations stating their policy to protect the unborn as persons under state law (LA, UT). Three states have resolutions in opposition to the
Freedom of Choice Act, a proposed federal law that would codify
Roe v. Wade (LA, ND, WV).
Four states have laws affirming a right to abortion before viability, and at any time thereafter if necessary to preserve her life or health of the mother (CT, ME, MD, WA). Another state (NV) has a law that provides a right to abortion during the first 24 weeks of pregnancy.
NON-SURGICAL ABORTIONS
At least two states have laws restricting non-surgical or chemical abortion (RI, TN). A Rhode Island regulation prohibits chemical abortions to licensed hospitals with an approved research protocol, while a Tennessee law provides that no nurse practitioner or physician's assistant may prescribe or distribute drugs or medication intended to cause abortion.
VIABILITY TESTING
Four states have laws requiring physicians to perform tests to determine viability in certain circumstances (AL, LA, MO,
OH). The Louisiana law has been ruled unconstitutional. A court has issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting the enforcement of the Ohio law.
SPOUSAL CONSENT OR NOTICE
Ten states have unenforceable laws requiring spousal consent or notice (CO, FL, IL, KY, LA, ND, PA, RI, SC, UT). The Supreme Court struck down Pennsylvania's mandatory husband notice law in
Planned Parenthood v. Casey.
PARENTAL CONSENT OR NOTICE
Thirty-eight states have laws that prevent a minor from obtaining an abortion without parental consent or notice (AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, DE, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NM, NC, ND,
OH, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, UT, WV, WI, WY). Nine more states have parental consent or notice laws on the books that are not enforced (AK, AZ, CA, CO, IL, MT, NV, NM, SD). California's Supreme Court has found that state's law in violation of the California Constitution. Twenty-eight laws are actually enforced (AL, AR, DE, GA, ID, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, NE, NC, ND,
OH, PA, RI, SC, UT, WV, WI, WY). Two states provide for a physician waiver of the notice requirement (MD, WV). One state (CT) requires counselors to discuss of the possibility of parental involvement. Maine allows a minor to receive counseling in lieu of parental or judicial consent.
INFORMED CONSENT AND WAITING PERIODS
Eighteen states have mandatory waiting periods (DE, ID, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MI, MS, MT, NE, ND,
OH, PA, SC, SD, TN, UT, WI). Eleven of these states currently enforce their waiting period laws (ID, KS, LA, MS, NE, ND, OH, PA, SC, SD, UT). Thirty states have an informed consent law for abortion (AL, AK, CA, CT, DE, FL, ID, IN, KS, KY, LA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, ND,
OH, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, UT, VA, WI). Such laws were held unconstitutional under
Thornburg v. American Col. of Ob. & Gyn., but are generally upheld since the court reversed itself in
Planned Parenthood v. Casey.
LICENSED PHYSICIAN REQUIREMENT
In 43 states the law provides that only a physician may perform an abortion (AL, AK, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WY). Oklahoma has a law that provides that no woman may induce an abortion upon herself except under the supervision of a licensed physician. The Minnesota law provides that only a physician or a physician-in-training may perform an abortion. Kentucky law requires that first trimester abortions be performed by a physician or by the woman herself with the advice of a physician, and that later abortions be performed only by a physician. A District of Columbia law requires that all abortions be performed under the supervision of a licensed physician.
CLINIC ACCESS
Some twelve states and the District of Columbia have laws specifically prohibiting clinic blockades and harassment (CA, CO, DC, KS, ME, MD, MA, MN, NV, NC, OR, WA, WI). Four states have passed resolutions condemning clinic violence (CA, MI, NM, PA).
CONSCIENCE EXCEPTIONS
Forty-six states have laws that permit certain medical personnel, health facilities, to refuse to participate in abortion on the basis of conscience or religious conviction (AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND,
OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY). In at least three of these states, the laws have been held unconstitutional as applied to public facilities (AK, MN, NJ).
COUNSELING REGULATIONS
Five states have so called "gag rules" that prevent state funded personnel from counseling abortion or giving abortion referrals (LA, MI, MO, ND, PA). A court has ruled the North Dakota law unconstitutional.
PUBLIC EMPLOYEES
A single state (MO) has a law prohibiting public employees from participating in abortions.
PUBLIC FACILITIES
Five states have laws prohibiting the use of public facilities for abortion (KY, LA, MO, ND, PA).
PUBLIC FUNDING
Three states prohibit the use of state funds for abortion except when the woman's life is endangered (AL, MS, SD). These states refuse to comply with a federal law requiring states to provide Medicaid funding for abortion in cases of life endangerment, rape or incest. Twenty-seven states fund abortion in cases of threat to life, rape or incest (AZ, AR, CO, DE, FL, GA, IN, KS, KY, LA, ME, MI, MO, NE, NV, NH, NC, ND, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, UT, WY). Four states fund abortion in cases of a threat to the woman's life, rape, incest as well as certain other health reasons (IA, NM, VA, WI). Sixteen states and the District of Columbia fund in most or all circumstances (AK, CA, CT, DC, HI, ID, IL, MD, MA, MN, MT, NJ, NY, OR, VT, WA, WV).
INSURANCE REGULATIONS
Five states have laws that prohibit insurance coverage for abortion unless a special premium is paid (ID, KY, MO, ND, RI). The Rhode Island law was ruled unconstitutional. Another state (PA) has a law that requires insurers to provide policy alternatives excluding abortion. Seven states have laws that prohibit insurance coverage for abortion in certain circumstances when public funds are used or public employees are insured (CO, IL, MA, NE, PA, RI, VA). The Rhode Island law has also been held to be partially unconstitutional. At least two states exclude abortion coverage from state health care programs (IL, MN).
4-13-2010: Nebraska law: Bill passes banning abortions after 20 weeks due to "fetal pain"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/13/nebraska-abortion-law-bil_n_535991.html
Update 3-2-2010
Medicaid
- Federal law requires that states cover abortions under Medicaid in the event of rape, incest, and life endangerment, but bans the use of federal Medicaid funds for any other abortions. Based on these restrictions, 32 states and DC fund abortions through Medicaid only in the cases of rape, incest, or life endangerment. SD covers abortions only in the cases of life endangerment, which does not comply with federal requirements under the Hyde Amendment. IN, UT and WI have expanded coverage to women whose physical health is jeopardized, and IA, MS, UT and VA also include fetal abnormality cases. Seventeen states (AK, AZ, CA, CT, HI, IL, MD, MA, MN, MT, NJ, NM, NY, OR, VT, WA, WV) use their own funds to cover all or most “medically necessary” abortions sought by low-income women under Medicaid.
Canada
Abortion statistics for Canada are available from
Statistics Canada. Their
latest report, giving data for 2005, revealed the following:
ANNUAL ABORTION STATISTICS
- Canadian women obtained fewer induced abortions in 2005 compared with the previous year, and the decline occurred mostly among teenage women under 20.
- A total of 96,815 induced abortions were performed on Canadian women in 2005, down 3.2 % from 100,039 in 2004. As a result, the induced abortion rate edged down from 14.6 abortions in 2004 for every 1,000 women aged 15 to 44, to 14.1 in 2005.
- Induced abortion rates fell in every age group, except among women aged 35 to 39, where it remained the same.
- Women under 20 experienced the largest decline in rates from 13.8 for every 1000 women in 2004 to 13.0 in 2005. The induced abortion rate for these women has declined gradually since 1996 when it peaked at 18.9.
- The number of induced abortions for every 100 live births fell to 28.3 in 2005 from 29.7 in 2004.
- Induced abortion rates remained about the same, or increased, among women in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, British Columbia, and in the combined Nunavut, Yukon, and Northwest Territories. They declined in Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.
- Induced abortions continued to be most common among women in their early 20s. They accounted for 31% of all women who obtained an induced abortion in 2005. On average, 28 women out of every 1,000 aged 20 to 24 obtained an induced abortion.
Canada
http://www.hackcanada.com/canadian/freedom/canadabort.html
Please click to see graphs and tables relating to international law.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_law
UK
Abortion statistics for England and Wales are available from the U.K.
National Statistics and the Department of Health. The
latest Department of Health report on abortion statistics in England and Wales for 2007 revealed the following:
ANNUAL ABORTION STATISTICS
- In 2007, the total number of abortions on residents of England and Wales was 198,500, compared with 193,700 in 2006, a rise of 2.5%.
- The age-standardised abortion rate was 18.6 per 1,000 resident women aged 15-44, compared with 18.3 in 2006.
-
The age standardised abortion rate peaked at 15.5 in 1990 but remained below 15 until 1995; it then rose to 17.2 in 1998. From 1999 to 2002 the rate remained level at just over 17. The rate then rose again and in 2007 it was 18.6.
WHO HAS ABORTIONS?
- The abortion rate was highest at 36 per 1,000, for women age 19.
- The under-16 abortion rate was 4.4 and the under-18 rate was 19.8 per 1,000 women, both higher than in 2006.
- 81% of abortions performed on single woman.
- Of woman whose ethnicity was recorded, 75% reported White, 11% Black or Black British, and 8% Asian or Asian British.
- 32% of woman indicated they had a previous abortion. An increase from 28% in 1997.
- In 2007, there were 7,100 abortions for nonresidents carried out in hospitals and clinics in England and Wales (7,400 in 2006).
update 9-23-2011
UK abortion changes rejected in victory for common sense
UK
ttp://www.mariestopes.org.uk/Womens_services/Abortion/UK_abortion_law.aspx Australia
http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/rp/1998-99/99rp01.htm,
http://www.saltshakers.org.au/html/P/5/B/99/
Australia
It is currently impossible to acquire accurate quantifications for the number of abortions in Australia, as there are no national data sets or uniform collection methods (click
here for a Research Brief submitted to the Australian Parliament explaining abortion data collection deficiencies). The following is 2003 data from the
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW):
ANNUAL ABORTION STATISTICS
- The estimated number of induced abortions for 2003 is 84,218.
- The highest number of induced abortions in 2003 was in the 20–24 year age group (21,826, 25.9%) and the lowest was in the <15 year age group (306, 0.4%).
- According to the National Hospital Morbidity Database (NHMD), 94.3% abortions occurred between the 5th and 13th week of pregnancy and 0.7% occurred after the 20th week.
- Also, according to NHMD, 85.7% of abortion procedures were suction curettage, 12.8% were dilation and curettage (D&C), and 1.5% were medical abortions.
New Zealand
National abortion statistics for New Zealand are available from Statistics New Zealand and the Annual Report of the Abortion Supervisory Committee, which is submitted to Parliament in order to fulfill its statutory requirement under section 39 of the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act 1977. All the statistics are based on legally induced abortions registered in New Zealand. No information is available for illegal or spontaneous abortions. The
2007 New Zealand Stats Report and
2007 Report of the Abortion Supervisory Committee revealed the following:
ANNUAL ABORTION STATISTICS
- There were 18,380 abortions performed in New Zealand in 2007, compared with 17,930 in 2006 and the peak of 18,510 in 2003.
- The general abortion rate was 20.1 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15–44 years in 2007, up from 19.6 per 1,000 in 2006 and 19.3 abortions per 1,000 in 2005, but lower than the 2003 rate of 20.8 abortions per 1,000.
WHO HAS ABORTIONS?
- Women aged 20–24 years have more abortions than any other age group, accounting for approximately 3 out of 10 abortions in any year. Women in this age group also had the highest abortion rate (37 abortions per 1,000 women aged 20–24 years in 2007), significantly higher than any other age group. Beyond age 24, both the number of abortions and the abortion rate decreased with increasing age. Women aged 25–29 years had an abortion rate of 26 per 1,000 in 2007. Teenagers (15–19 years) had a slightly higher abortion rate (27 abortions per 1,000). The median age (half are younger, and half older, than this age) of women having an abortion has remained stable at around 25 years over the last twenty years.
- In 2007, 65 percent of abortions were a woman's first abortion, compared with 70 percent in 1997. Twelve percent of women having an abortion in 2007 had had two or more previous abortions, compared with 8 percent in 1997.
- In 2007, there were 10,550 abortions to women who identified with the European ethnic group (either as their only ethnic group or as one of their ethnic groups). There were 4,300 abortions to women who identified with the Māori ethnic group, 2,950 women identified with the Asian ethnic group, 2,290 women identified with the Pacific ethnic group and 200 women identified with the MELAA (Middle Eastern, Latin American and African) grouping. Of the 50 women in the 'Other' ethnic group, almost all identified with the New Zealander ethnic group.
Worldwide
The Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI) along with the World Health Organization (WHO) provides data on induced abortion worldwide.
Worldwide Incidence and Trends
- The number of induced abortions declined worldwide between 1995 and 2003, from nearly 46 million to approximately 42 million. About one in five pregnancies worldwide end in abortion.
- For every 1,000 women of childbearing age (15–44) worldwide, 29 were estimated to have had an induced abortion in 2003, compared with 35 in 1995.
- The decline in abortion incidence was greater in developed countries, where nearly all abortions are safe and legal (from 39 to 26 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-44), than in developing countries, where more than half are unsafe and illegal (from 34 to 29).
- Most abortions occur in developing countries—35 million annually, compared with seven million in developed countries— a disparity that largely reflects the relative population distribution.
- On the other hand, a woman’s likelihood of having an abortion is similar whether she lives in a developed or developing region; in 2003, there were 26 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15–44 in developed countries compared with 29 per 1,000 in developing countries.
- More than one-third of the approximately 205 million pregnancies that occur worldwide annually are unintended, and about 20% of all pregnancies end in induced abortion.
- Of the 23 million pregnancies that occur in developed countries, more than 40% are unintended, and 28% end in induced abortion.
- Of the 182 million pregnancies that occur in developing countries, more than one-third are unintended, and 19% end in induced abortion (8% are safe procedures and 11% are unsafe).
- Worldwide, medication abortion has gained broad acceptance. At least 39 countries have registered mifepristone, 35 in the last 10 years.
Veto Of Kan. Antiabortion Bill Stands; Tenn. Bill On Insurance Exchanges Becomes Law
07 May 2010Kansas lawmakers failed to override a veto of a bill that would have increased reporting requirements for physicians performing late abortions, while Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen (D) allowed a bill on abortion coverage in...
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University Of Wisconsin Continues Plan To Offer Late Abortions, Disputes AG's Letter
07 May 2010The University of Wisconsin's health system on Wednesday clarified that it is moving forward with plans to offer abortions from 19 to 22 weeks' gestation at a Madison surgery center, after a letter from a state Justice...
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Florida Gov. Crist Weighs Options On Abortion Bill
07 May 2010The Miami Herald: A controversial bill in Florida is putting Gov. Charlie Crist, who is currently campaigning for a Senate seat as an independent, in a tough spot. "The legislation -- forced through by House...
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Late abortion
As of 1998, among the 152 most populous countries, 54 either banned abortion entirely or permitted it only to save the life of the pregnant woman. In contrast, another 44 of the 152 most populous countries generally banned late-term abortions after a particular
gestational age: 12 weeks (Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Georgia, Greece, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Ukraine, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and the former Yugoslavia), 13 weeks (Italy), 14 weeks (Austria, Belgium, Cambodia, Germany, Hungary, and Romania), 18 weeks (Sweden), viability (Netherlands and to some extent the United States), and 24 weeks (Singapore and the United Kingdom [Northern Ireland excluded])
****NOTE there is no valid explanation of how the abortion rates in developing countries where abortion is illegal were obtained. Those countries do not have mandated reporting, and abortion is illegal.
27 Misconceptions about Abortion Contributed by
Jasify
MAJOR UPDATE 8-26-2010
Update 9-23-2011
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