title: Cohort Records Study of 19,655 Women Who Received Postabortion Care in a Tertiary Hospital 2010-2013 in China: What Trends Can Be Observed?
abstract: The retrospective cohort epidemiological study was to investigate the characteristics of women who underwent induced abortion. Data were retrospectively collected from women who underwent induced abortions (n = 19,655) at the Xiamen Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital (2010-2013). The characteristics of women who underwent induced abortions included mean age, unmarried status, no previous deliveries, first pregnancy, ≥2 abortions including the current one, and a history of caesarian section. From 2010 to 2013, mean age increased and declines were observed in the ratio of induced abortions to live births, the proportion of induced abortions among women of 15-24 years, those who were unmarried, had their first pregnancy, or had no history of delivery. However, the rates of induced abortions increased among women who were lactating, had a history of caesarian section, or had an interpregnancy interval of <6 months. This snapshot of induced abortions in China might suggest that the numbers are increasing but the ratio to live births has fallen. Methods should be improved to prevent unwanted pregnancies and reduce the number of induced abortions in China. It must be emphasized that differences in mentality and culture between countries might limit the representativeness of these results.
authors.affiliation: Center for Reproductive Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; Family Planning Clinic, Xiamen Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Xiamen 361003, China.
authors.forename: Zhen-Yu
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Center for Reproductive Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Song
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Quan
authors.affiliation: Family Planning Clinic, Xiamen Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Xiamen 361003, China.
authors.forename: Dong-Ning
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), 1070 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Wei-Hong
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D055815:Young Adult