1. Abortion © 2004 John B. Pryor, Ph.D. Human Sexuality Psychology 123

2. WORLD TRENDS IN ABORTION

3. Abortion Rate, United States and World Source: Henshaw et al., 1999 (1995 data)

4. Abortion in Developed and Developing Countries Source: AGI, 1999

5. STATES ABORTION TRENDS IN THE UNITED STATES

6. Abortion Practices before Roe v. Wade (1973) estimated 200,000 to 1,200,000 per year in U.S. estimated 200,000 to 1,200,000 per year in U.S. In 1965 20% of all pregnancy-related deaths attributable to illegal abortions In 1965 20% of all pregnancy-related deaths attributable to illegal abortions In 1970 98% of all legal abortions in California were for “mental health reasons” In 1970 98% of all legal abortions in California were for “mental health reasons”

7.  Each year, 2 out of every 100 women aged 15- 44 have an abortion; 47% of them have had at least one previous abortion and 55% have had a previous birth.  An estimated 43% of women will have at least 1 abortion by the time they are 45 years old. Abortion Practices after 1973

8. Annual Number of Abortions Per 1,000 Women Aged 15–44 Source: Finer and Henshaw, 2003

9. Pregnancies in the United States (Approximately 6.3 Million Annually) Unintended Intended Source: Henshaw, 1998 (1994 data)

10. Outcomes of Unintended Pregnancies (Approximately 3.0 Million Annually) Source: Henshaw, 1998 (1994 data)

11. Abortions by Gestational Age (Weeks Since Last Menstrual Period) Source: Elam-Evans et al., 2002 (1999 data)

12. Federal Laws & Policies about Abortion  Hyde Amendment - 1977  Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act - 1994  Federal Health Benefits Program

13. State Laws about Abortion  In 1992, the US Supreme Court upheld the right to abortion in Planned Parenthood v. Casey. However, the ruling significantly weakened the legal protections previously afforded women and physicians by giving states the right to enact restrictions that do not create an "undue burden" for women seeking abortion.

14. State Laws Regulating Abortions

17. Stenberg v. Carhart, 530 U.S. 914 (2000)  US Supreme Court overturned a Nebraska statute banning "partial-birth abortion."  Court found that the ban would outlaw the safest and most commonly used methods of second- trimester abortion, and therefore constituted an undue burden on women’s right to obtain abortions.   "the absence of a health exception will place women at an unnecessary risk of tragic health consequences."

18. Federal Laws in the Works  Despite that ruling, Congress passed an almost identical ban on so-called “partial birth abortion” that was signed into law by President George W. Bush on November 5, 2003.  Also on November 5, 2003, minutes after Bush signed it into law, a Nebraska federal judge issued a temporary restraining order preventing the first-ever federal abortion ban from being enforced against the plaintiffs in the Nebraska lawsuit challenging the ban.

19. Research from Psychology on the Possible Psychological Impact of Abortions upon Women who have them

20. Women who have abortions  Up to 98 percent of the women who have abortions have no regrets and would make the same choice again in similar circumstances (Dagg, 1991).  More than 70 percent of women who have abortions express a desire for children in the future (Torres & Forrest, 1988). There is no evidence that women who have had abortions make less loving or suitable parents (Bradley, 1984).

21. Normative Psychological Responses to Abortion Lazarus (1985) Lazarus (1985) 292 women studied 2 weeks after 76% reported happiness 17% reported guilt

22. Serious psychological disturbances?  Serious psychological disturbances after abortion are less frequent than after childbirth.  Researchers suggest that the predictors of severe psychological disturbances after abortion are:delays in seeking abortion, medical or genetic indications for abortion, and severe pre-existing or concurrent psychiatric illness (Lazarus, 1985).

23. Normative Psychological Responses to Abortion Russo & Zierk (1992) -measured self-esteem - Russo & Zierk (1992) -measured self-esteem - women who had abortions > women who had not had abortions women who had abortions > women who had not had abortions women who had abortions > women who unwanted births women who had abortions > women who unwanted births  The positive relationship of abortion to well-being may be due in part to abortion's role in controlling fertility and its relationship to coping resources (Russo & Zierk, 1992; Russo & Dabul, 1997).

24. Abortion and teen pregnancy  A study of a group of teenagers who obtained pregnancy tests at one of two Baltimore clinics found that the young women who chose to have abortions were far more likely to graduate from high school at the expected age than those of similar socioeconomic status who carried their pregnancies to term or who were not pregnant. They showed no greater levels of stress at the time of the pregnancy and abortion and no greater rate of psychological problems two years after the abortion than did the other women (Zabin et al., 1989).

25. Post-abortion depression?  Mild, transient, immediately postoperative depressive symptoms that quickly pass occur in less than 20 percent of all women who have had abortions (Adler et al., 1990; Zabin et al.,1989).  Similar symptoms occur in up to 70 percent of women immediately following childbirth (Ziporyn, 1984).

26. Abortion vs. adoption?  The psychological responses to abortion are far less serious than those experienced by women bringing their unwanted pregnancy to term and relinquishing the child for adoption (Sachdev, 1993).

27. Most Important Reason Given for Terminating an Unwanted Pregnancy Inadequate finances21% Not ready for responsibility21% Woman’s life would be changed too much16% Problems with relationship; unmarried12% Too young; not mature enough11% Children are grown; woman has all she wants 8% Fetus has possible health problem 3% Woman has health problem 3% Pregnancy caused by rape, incest 1% Other 4% Average number of reasons given 3.7 Source: Torres and Forrest, 1988 (1987 data)

28. Methods of Abortion I. Suction Methods A. Endometrial Aspiration 1. Performed 4-6 weeks after LMP 2. Use of flexible tube 3. May be done without pregnancy confirmation 4. Side effects may include cramps & intermittent menstrual bleeding

29. Methods of Abortion I. Suction Methods (continued) B. Early Abortion 1. Same as A. only pregnancy confirmed C. Vacuum Curretage 1. Performed after 8 weeks 2. Larger fetal tissue 3. Use of rigid tube with more suction 4. Dilation of cervix is required

30. Methods of Abortion I. Suction Methods (continued) D. Dilation and Evacuation 1. Performed 13-16 weeks 2. Fetus is broken up with surgical instrument prior to suction 3. More dilation is needed

31. Methods of Abortion II. Surgical Removal Through Cervix A. Dilation and Curretage 1. Performed 8-15 weeks 2. Lining of uterus is scraped with surgical instrument

32. Methods of Abortion III. Induced Labor A. Saline Abortion 1. Performed early to middle parts of 2nd trimester 2. Saline injected into Amniotic sac (kills fetus)

33. Methods of Abortion IV. Surgical Removal Through Caesarean Procedure A. Hysterotomy

34. Risks - Deaths per 100,000  Suction Methods 0.5  Induced Labor 4.0  Hysterotomy 58.9  Normal Childbirth 11.0

35. Abortion Risks in Perspective Chance of death Risk from terminating pregnancy: per year: Before 9 weeks 1 in 500,000 Between 9 and 10 weeks 1 in 300,000 Between 13 and 15 weeks 1 in 60,000 After 20 weeks 1 in 8,000 Risk to persons who participate in: Motorcycling 1 in 1,000 Automobile driving 1 in 5,900 Power- boating 1 in 5,900 Playing football 1 in 25,000 Risk to women aged 15–44 from: Having sexual intercourse (PID) 1 in 50,000 Using tampons 1 in 350,000 Source: Gold, 1990; Trussell, 1998