Abortion trends 1990-1999 in a Swiss region and determinants of abortion recurrence.

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Serval ID
serval:BIB_55D19563EF14
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Abortion trends 1990-1999 in a Swiss region and determinants of abortion recurrence.
Journal
Swiss Medical Weekly
Author(s)
Addor V., Narring F., Michaud P.A.
ISSN
1424-7860
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2003
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
133
Number
15-16
Pages
219-226
Language
english
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess age- and nationality-specific trends in abortion rates over the last decade, and to describe women's characteristics, identifying risk factors for repeated abortion. METHODS: From 1990-1999, the Health Department of Canton Vaud (Switzerland) received 13'857 abortion requests from residents aged 14-49. Population data were obtained to compute rates. RESULTS: Both the number of abortions (1400 annually) as well as their rate (8.9 per thousand women [95% confidence interval (CI) 7.3-10.5]) were stable over the decade in question. The rate of abortion for foreign women, especially from ex-Yugoslavia and Africa, was twice that for Swiss women. Half of the requests came from single women, 43% had a low education level, and half were childless. The main reason for requesting termination of pregnancy was psychosocial (93%). The mean gestational age was 7.7 weeks (SD +/- 2.3), but 96% of requests were submitted before 12 weeks. Sixty-three percent of women reported that they had used no contraception, 36% the condom and 17% the pill. Among requests, the adjusted risk of repeated abortion (22% of abortion candidates) was greater among divorced/separated/widowed women (odds ratio [OR] 1.9 [95% CI 1.5-2.4]), unemployed women (OR 1.8 [95% CI 1.5-2.1]), and those who had not attended university (OR 1.6 [95% CI 1.1-2.2]). CONCLUSIONS: Although Swiss law only permitted abortion under strict conditions, this procedure was widely available in Vaud, which nevertheless has one of the lowest rates worldwide. Efforts must be intensified to ensure universal access to family planning services, especially for foreign women and adolescents. Professionals should also target "repeaters" to provide personalised counselling.
Keywords
Abortion, Induced, Adolescent, Adult, Age Distribution, Contraception, Educational Status, Emigration and Immigration, Female, Humans, Incidence, Marital Status, Middle Aged, Pregnancy, Switzerland
Pubmed
Web of science
Create date
25/01/2008 13:21
Last modification date
20/08/2019 14:10
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