Maternal deaths related to abortions in Sweden, 1931-1980

Deaths related to abortion accounted for 20% of all maternal mortality in Sweden during the period 1931-80. The risk of dying as a consequence of abortion, per 100,000 pregnancies, declined with a factor of 160 during the study period. Three main reasons for the improvement are discussed. The introduction of antibiotics reduced mortality due to illegal abortions, but during the 1950s and 1960s sepsis and air embolism resulting from illegal abortion still accounted for the bulk of the abortional mortality. Liberal legislation and abortional practice subsequently eliminated illegal abortions, and resulted in a more accurate and favorable statistical distribution of abortions by pregnancy week. This together with new technology reduced the legal abortions mortality rate to one-fiftieth over the last 30 years even though the number of legal abortions increased 7-fold.