Incidence of Pregnancy and Abortion

PRCH & AGI 2001

Pregnancies in the United States(Approximately 6.3 Million Annually)

52%48%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

% o

f pr

egna

ncie

s

UnintendedIntended

Source: Henshaw, 1998a (1994 data)

PRCH & AGI 2001

Unintended Pregnancies(Approximately 3.0 Million)

47%40%

13%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

% o

f u

nin

t. p

regs

.

Births Abortions Miscarriages

Source: Henshaw, 1998a (1994 data)

PRCH & AGI 2001

Incidence of Abortion

Each year about 1.3 million pregnancies are terminated by Each year about 1.3 million pregnancies are terminated by abortion in the United States.abortion in the United States.

2.2% of all women aged 15-44 had an abortion in 1997.2.2% of all women aged 15-44 had an abortion in 1997.

Abortion is one of the most common surgical procedures.Abortion is one of the most common surgical procedures.

By age 20, 1 in 7 women have had at least one abortion, By age 20, 1 in 7 women have had at least one abortion, and by age 45, 4 in 10 have done so. and by age 45, 4 in 10 have done so.

Source: AGI; Henshaw, 1998a

International Perspective on Abortion

PRCH & AGI 2001

Abortion Rates in Western

Industrialized Countries

22.9 22.2

18.716.5 16.4 15.6

7.6 6.5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Rat

e p

er 1

,000

U.S

.

Au

stra

lia

Sw

eden

Den

mar

k

Can

ada

En

g. &

Wal

es

Ger

man

y

Hol

lan

d

Source: Henshaw, 1999a (1996 data)

PRCH & AGI 2001

Abortion Rates in Developing Countries

111

77.7

49.4 43.9

26.1 25.9 25.0 22.7

8.6

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Rat

e p

er 1

,000

Vie

tnam

Cub

a

Tad

jikis

tan

Kaz

akhs

tan

Chi

na

Mon

golia

Tur

key

Pue

rto

Ric

o

Tun

isia

PRCH & AGI 2001

U.S. Share of Abortions Worldwide

3%

97%

U.S.

Rest of world

Source: Henshaw et al., 1999b (1995 data)

PRCH & AGI 2001

Abortion Rate, U.S. and World

23

35

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Rat

e p

er 1

,000

wom

en

U.S. World

Source: Henshaw et al., 1999b (1995 data)

PRCH & AGI 2001

Abortions in Developed and Developing Countries

22%

78%

Developed

Developing

Source: Henshaw et al., 1999b (1995 data)

PRCH & AGI 2001

Many Abortions Occur in Countries Where Abortion is Illegal Under

Most Circumstances

44%

56%

Illegal

Legal

Source: Henshaw et al., 1999b (1995 data)

Reasons for Abortions

PRCH & AGI 2001

Most Important Reason Given for Terminating an Unwanted Pregnancy

Inadequate finances 21%

Not ready for responsibility 21%

Woman’s life would be changed too much 16%

Problems with relationship; unmarried 12%

Too young; not mature enough 11%

Children are grown; has all she wants 8%

Fetus has possible health problem 3%

Woman has health problem 3%

Pregnancy caused by rape, incest 1%

Other 4%

Average number of reasons given 3.7

Source: Torres and Forrest, 1988

Gestational Age

PRCH & AGI 2001

Abortions by Gestational Age(Weeks Since Last Menstrual Period)

55.4%

22.0%

10.7%6.2% 4.3%

1.4%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

% o

f ab

orti

ons

<9 9-10 11-12 13-15 16-20 21+Weeks

Source: Koonin et al., 2000 (1997 data)

PRCH & AGI 2001

Reasons for Abortions After 16 Weeks from Last Menstrual Period

Woman did not realize she was pregnant 71%

Difficulty making arrangements for procedure 48%

Afraid to tell parents or partner 33%

Needed time to make decision 24%

Hoped relationship would change 8%

Pressure not to have abortion 8%

Something changed during pregnancy 6%

Didn’t know timing was important 6%

Didn’t know she could get an abortion 5%

Fetal abnormality diagnosed late 2%

Other 11%

Average number of reasons given 2.2

Source: Torres and Forrest, 1988

Who Has Abortions

PRCH & AGI 2001

Who Has Abortions: Age

15-19 19%

20-24 32%

25-29 24%

30-34 14%

35-39 8%

40-44 3%

<151%

Source: Ventura et al., 2001 (1997 data)

PRCH & AGI 2001

Who Has Abortions: Marital Status

Never married 64%Married

18%

Separated 7%

Divorced, widowed 10%

Source: Henshaw and Kost, 1996 (1995 data)

PRCH & AGI 2001

Who Has Abortions: Family Income

<$15,000 29%

$15,000-$29,999 20% 18%

$30,000-$59,999 38%

$60,000 or more 14%

Source: Henshaw and Kost, 1996 (1995 data)

PRCH & AGI 2001

Who Has Abortions:Religious Identification

Protestant 37%

Catholic 31% 18%

Jewish 1%

None 24%

Other 6%

Source: Henshaw and Kost, 1996 (1995 data)

PRCH & AGI 2001

Who Has Abortions: Number of Prior Abortions

None 51%

One 28% 18

Two 13%

Three or more8%

Source: AGI, unpublished data (1997 data)

Who Provides Abortion Services

PRCH & AGI 2001

Percent of Abortions Performed by Each Type of Provider

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

1980

1982

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

% o

f ab

orti

ons Abortion

clinic

Otherclinic

Hospital

Physicianoffice

Source: Henshaw, 1998b

Safety of Abortion

PRCH & AGI 2001

Deaths per 100,000 Abortions or Births

0.2 0.3 0.61.8

3.7

12.7

0.6

6.6

02468

101214

Dea

ths

per

100

,000

<9

9-10

11-1

2

13-1

5

16-2

0

21+

All

ab

s.

Bir

ths

Weeks since last menstrual period

Source: Gold, 1990(Data for 1981-1985)

PRCH & AGI 2001

Percentage Distribution of Abortion Deaths

29%

18% 16%14%

23%

0%

10%

20%

30%

Per

cen

t of

dea

ths

Source: Lawson et al., 1994 (Data for 1983-1987)

PRCH & AGI 2001

Abortion Risks in PerspectiveChance of death

Risk from terminating pregnancy: per year:

Before 9 weeks 1 in 500,000 Between 9 and 10 weeks 1 in 300,000 Between 13 and 15 weeks 1 in 60,000 After 20 weeks 1 in 8,000

Persons who participate in:

Motorcycling 1 in 1,000 Automobile driving 1 in 5,900 Power boating 1 in 5,900 Playing football 1 in 25,000

Risks to women aged 15-44 from:

Having sexual intercourse (PID) 1 in 50,000 Using tampons 1 in 350,000

Source: Hatcher, 1998; Gold, 1990

PRCH & AGI 2001

Percentage of Maternal Mortality Worldwide Due to Unsafe Abortion

Maternal mortality (600,000 deaths/year)

87%

13%

Unsafe abortion

Other causes

Source: WHO, 1998(Estimates for 1995-2000)