Abortion and maternal health: an American perspective.
It was decided to legalize abortion in the U.S.A. in 1973. Since then the national abortion ratio has increased from 180 per 1000 to 272 per 1000; the fertility rate has decreased from 73.4 to 66.7. In 65% of the induced abortions the women were under 26 years of age, and in 74% they were unmarried; the number of out-of-state abortions decreased from 43.8% to 10.8%. The mortality rate related to induced abortion has clearly been improved by the legalization of abortion; the best method seems to be the suction and D & C procedures, which are associated with a 1.6 per 100,000 death risk, while childbirth is associated with an 8.2 per 100,000 mortality rate. The long-term effect of legal abortion on the subsequent reproductive function is unknown, but at present there is no evidence of any detrimental effect.
D000024:Abortion, Illegal; D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000401:mortality*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D006801:Humans; D007883:Legislation, Medical; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D014481:United States; D014619:Vacuum Curettage