The seasonality of abortion in Kentucky.
OBJECTIVE
Abortion incidence is correlated with seasonal trends in conceptions and births. This retrospective review looks at monthly abortion incidence to detect a seasonal trend.


METHODS
Data on abortion incidence in 2012 were obtained from the Kentucky Department of Vital Statistics. A regression analysis was performed to detect differences in abortion annualized rates by month.


RESULTS
A total of 3810 abortions analyzed showed a trend in abortion incidence peaking in February and March with 444 and 378 abortions per month, respectively, compared to a mean of 299 in other months (p<.001). This trend persisted for second-trimester abortions with 64 and 56 abortions per month in February and March, respectively, compared to a mean of 30 in other months (p<.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The peak in first-trimester abortions correlate with the expected peaks of December conceptions. However, the same trend in second-trimester abortions suggests that women are delaying care.
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Women's Health, University of Louisville School of Medicine, 550 South Jackson Street, 2nd Floor Bridge, Louisville, KY 40202, USA. Electronic address: Tanya.franklin@louisville.edu.
Tanya E
TE
Franklin
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Women's Health, University of Louisville School of Medicine, 550 South Jackson Street, 2nd Floor Bridge, Louisville, KY 40202, USA. Electronic address: jgthei01@exchange.louisville.edu.
Graham
G
Theisen
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Women's Health, University of Louisville School of Medicine, 550 South Jackson Street, 2nd Floor Bridge, Louisville, KY 40202, USA. Electronic address: cvsalyer@gmail.com.
Chelsea V
CV
Salyer
University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences, 485 E Gray St., Louisville, KY 40202, USA. Electronic address: christina.pinkston@louisville.edu.
Christina
C
Pinkston
University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences, 485 E Gray St., Louisville, KY 40202, USA. Electronic address: Bakeerathan.gunaratnam@louisville.edu.
Bakeerathan
B
Gunaratnam
D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007629:Kentucky; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012621:Seasons; D055815:Young Adult
Abortion; Abortion access; Abortion funding; Abortion induced