[Induced abortion in immigrant women in a urban setting]

Given the new reality of foreign immigration in Barcelona, the aim is to describe the rate of legal abortion in the city in the years 2005 and 2006 according to women's place of origin.

The rates of legal abortion of women residing in Barcelona were computed by country of origin and age group, grouping 2005 and 2006 and using data from the abortions register and the municipal continuous register.

Immigrant women from developing countries had a combined abortion rate of 25.4 per 1,000 women of 15-49 years, surpassing that of native women (8.9 per 1,000). The relationship is maintained in all age groups. Rates vary substantially between countries (range 5.8-82.0).

In Barcelona, immigrant women from disadvantaged countries have the highest rates of abortion. Socioeconomic level and knowledge and practices in the use of contraception could generate these differences.