title: Estimates of induced abortion in South Korea: health facilities survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to estimate the national rates of induced abortion in South Korea, where no quantitative national studies of abortion exist because the procedure is illegal.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey of 25 hospitals and 176 private clinics that provide induced abortions was conducted in 2005. The data were analyzed to estimate the nationwide rate of induced abortion. Indirect estimation methodology was used to calculate the number of annual induced abortions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 2005, an estimated 342 433 induced abortions were performed in South Korea at a rate of 29.8 per 1000 women aged 15-44years. We observed that the abortion rate was higher in single women (31.6 per 1000 women) than in married women (28.6 per 1000 women).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A significant number of induced abortions occur in both cohorts of married and unmarried women. To prevent serious physical harm to patients, the government should reconsider the practicality of the current statutes that prohibit women from seeking abortions from a qualified provider.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Preventive Medicine Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyeong Sik
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Hyun-Joo
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Seol
authors.forename: Ji-Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Sung-Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Sun Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Moon-Il
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Soon Duck
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hai-Joong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000023:Abortion Applicants; D000024:Abortion, Illegal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology