title: Induced abortion and relevant factors among women seeking abortion in Nanjing, China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to determine the sociological characteristics of abortion seekers according to marital status and previous induced abortions in a major regional hospital in Nanjing, China.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire in women seeking abortion at Nanjing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital in China in 2003.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average age of the participants was 26.0 ± 4.5 years. Of the 462 abortion seekers, 95.9% had one previous induced abortion. The majority (49.6%) of the ever-married women were in the age group of 25-29 while the majority (76.9%) of the unmarried women were aged 20-24 years. Unprotected intercourse (53.6%) and contraception failure (43.9%) were the primary reasons given for the current induced abortion for ever-married women. Unmarried women terminated their current pregnancies mainly because they did not want children (62.1%). Of the 182 unmarried subjects, 86.8% had psychological problems in their premarital pregnancy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Education and communication about sexual morality, contraception and reproductive health, as well as post-abortion counseling and services, especially for young women, are needed to reduce the rate of induced abortions.
authors.affiliation: Nanjing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing, SAR, China. shenghuiwu@cuhk.edu.hk
authors.forename: Shenghui
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Linwei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000023:Abortion Applicants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017533:Marital Status; D011247:Pregnancy; D055815:Young Adult