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Abortion surveillance--United States, 2004
Lilo T Strauss1, Sonya B Gamble, Wilda Y Parker
1Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Surveillance Summaries (Washington, D.C. : 2002)
|November 22, 2007
Summary
Legal induced abortions in the U.S. saw a slight decline in 2004, continuing a trend observed since 1990. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show the abortion ratio decreased, with most procedures occurring early in gestation.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Demography
- Reproductive Health
Background:
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has monitored legal induced abortions since 1969.
- Surveillance aims to document the number and characteristics of women undergoing legal abortions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize and describe data on legal induced abortions in the United States for 2004.
- To analyze trends in abortion numbers, ratios, rates, and patient demographics.
Main Methods:
- Data were voluntarily reported to the CDC from 49 U.S. reporting areas in 2004.
- Analysis included abortion counts, ratios (per 1,000 live births), rates (per 1,000 women aged 15-44), gestational age, and procedure type.
Main Results:
- A total of 839,226 legal abortions were reported in 2004, a 1.1% decrease from 2003.
- The abortion ratio was 238 in 2004, and the abortion rate was 16 per 1,000 women aged 15-44.
- Most abortions (61%) occurred at <=8 weeks' gestation; 9.7% were medical procedures.
Conclusions:
- Legal induced abortion numbers have generally declined since 1990, with decreases in 2003 and 2004.
- Abortion surveillance data are crucial for understanding trends and informing public health policy.
- Deaths related to legal induced abortions remain rare.
