Abortion surveillance, United States, 1988

Since 1980, the number of legal abortions reported to CDC has remained fairly stable, varying each year by less than 3%. In 1988, 1,371,285 abortions were reported--a 1.3% increase from 1987. The abortion ratio for 1988 was 352 legally induced abortions/1,000 live births, and the abortion rate was 24/1,000 women ages 15-44 years. The abortion ratio was higher for black women and women of other minority races and for women less than 15 years of age. However, the abortion ratio for women less than 15 years was lower in 1988 than in any previous year since 1972. Women undergoing legally induced abortions tended 1) to be young, white, and unmarried, 2) to live in a metropolitan area, 3) to have had no previous live births, and 4) to be having the procedure for the first time. Approximately half of all abortions were performed before the eighth week of gestation, and greater than 85% were performed during the first trimester of pregnancy (less than 13 weeks of gestation). Black women and women of other minority races tended to obtain abortions later in pregnancy than did white women; however, age was a more dominant influence than race. Younger women tended to obtain abortions later than older women. Educational level strongly influenced when an abortion was performed; better educated women had an abortion earlier in gestation.