Suchergebnisse

SummaryOfficial statistics on abortion in South Australia for the period 1971–86 are analysed in terms of incidence, age of patients and nuptiality, reasons for abortion, method of termination, period of gestation, previous abortions and concurrent sterilisation. Demographic implications are discussed and recommendations are made for more education and counselling, especially for younger and unmarried women for whom the incidence of abortion seems to be rising.

SummaryOfficial abortion statistics for South Australia for the years 1977–81 were examined and compared with those for 1970–76 reported earlier. The period 1970–81 represents the first 12 years' experience of legalized abortion in South Australia. A consistent increase in the incidence of abortion was noted, both in absolute numbers and in proportion to the number of live births. South Australia continued to experience lower fertility than other Australian states, although this would have been higher than in other states had it not been for the legalization of abortion. More of the younger and the unmarried women were obtaining abortions, indicating that they were increasingly using abortion as a form of birth control.

SummaryThis paper examines the official abortion statistics for South Australia since the legalization of abortion in January 1970. The incidence of abortion is shown to be increasing steadily—in 1976 more than half of the extramarital pregnancies were terminated and the overall ratio of abortions to live births was nearly 1:6. Most abortion patients were single, young women. Comparison of fertility levels in South Australia with the rest of Australia shows that the fertility decline has been much more rapid in South Australia, suggesting that unless the South Australian women are more efficient users of contraception than other Australian women, a significant proportion of the fertility decline in South Australia has to be attributed to legalized abortion.

SummaryThis paper presents information on the incidence of hysterectomy and tubal ligation in South Australia in the period 1980–82, and on the age, marital status and ethnicity of women undergoing these procedures in public hospitals during the period. A typical woman undergoing one of these procedures was married or previously married and in her mid-40s for hysterectomy or mid-30s for tubal ligation. South Australian women had a lifetime chance of one in six of undergoing hysterectomy and of one in five of undergoing tubal ligation. The findings are consonant with the suggestion that increasing numbers of women are choosing forms of sterilization as means of contraception.