[Reasons for choosing legal abortion]

During a period of one year (1988-1989), a questionnaire was distributed to women applying for legal abortion at Frederikssund Hospital in Denmark. Two hundred and ninety-one answered the questions on the reasons for their wanting an abortion (91%). 75% were younger than 20 years old, older than 34 years old, had already two children or did not cohabit with a man. Among the reasons given by the women, consideration for their employment or education was the most frequent. Housing conditions and financial circumstances were given as the second most frequent reason. There was some variation in the answers the women gave. The older women did not want more children, and the younger women did not feel that they were mature enough for motherhood. Women with children stated frequently that they wanted an abortion for the sake of the family. Only 19% stated lack of or unstable cohabitation with a man as the reason. In comparison with the findings of previous studies, more women stated that they could not afford a child at present.