Problems of abortion in Britain - Aberdeen, a case study

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Public Health
• Demography

Background:

• Comprehensive maternity and contraceptive services in Aberdeen enabled data collection on all pregnancies (births, abortions) and sterilization from 1961-1974.
• Innovations included oral contraception, intrauterine devices, laparoscopic sterilization, and vasectomy.
• The Abortion Act 1969 and changes in local family planning services influenced reproductive choices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report on pregnancy outcomes, sterilization, and contraception use in Aberdeen over a 14-year period.
• To analyze trends in legitimate and illegitimate pregnancies and their outcomes.
• To assess the achievement of the goal of 'every pregnancy a wanted pregnancy'.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective data collection on all pregnancies and sterilization procedures within the City of Aberdeen.
• Analysis of data stratified by marital status and occupational groups.
• Examination of the impact of policy changes and technological advancements on reproductive health outcomes.

Main Results:

• Over half of first pregnancies occurred before marriage, with outcomes varying by occupational group.
• Oral contraception was preferred for spacing pregnancies, while sterilization was increasingly requested for family limitation.
• A ten-fold increase in pregnancy terminations was observed, and the birth rate fell below replacement level.

Conclusions:

• The objective of 'every pregnancy a wanted pregnancy' was not fully realized for either married or unmarried women.
• Changes in contraceptive technology and legislation significantly impacted reproductive patterns.
• Continued efforts are needed to improve wanted pregnancy rates and access to family planning services.