Acceptability in France of induced abortion for adolescents.
BACKGROUND
This study investigated the factors affecting the acceptability in France of abortions.


METHODS
80 study participants from Toulouse and 124 from Metz judged the acceptability of abortion in 64 vignettes composed of five factors: 1) the adolescent's age (15 or 17.5 years), 2) the adolescent's plans to continue schooling or not, 3) the fetus' age (1, 2, 3, or 4 months), 4) the adolescent's parents' agreement or not, and 5) the agreement or not of baby's father.


RESULTS
Three clusters were noted: 1) abortion is never acceptable (8% of participants), 2) abortion is always acceptable (23%), and 3) acceptability of abortion depends on the circumstances (63%). In the majority cluster (3), all five factors had significant effects, but the fetus's age accounted for most of the variance (78%).


CONCLUSIONS
Most subjects in this study judged, in accordance with French law, that the acceptability of induced abortion in minors depends on the circumstances and, in particular, on the fetus' age.
Sastre
María Teresa Muñoz
MT
Mirail University.
Peccarisi
Céline
C
Legrain
Elizabeth
E
Mullet
Etienne
E
Sorum
Paul
P
D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards; D000029:Abortion, Legal / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001290:Attitude; D003071:Cognition; D003657:Decision Making; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D033242:Minors / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D033282:Parental Consent; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence; D011275:Pregnancy, Unwanted; D011639:Public Opinion; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013850:Thinking