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A survey of women seeking termination of pregnancy in New South Wales
Author(s) -
Adelson Pamela L,
Frommer Michael S,
Weisberg Edith
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1995.tb124658.x
Subject(s) - ethnic group , medicine , demography , pregnancy , family medicine , commission , psychology , political science , sociology , genetics , law , biology
Objectives To identify characteristics of women seeking termination of pregnancy, their reasons for having a termination, and whether they intended to submit a Medicare claim for the procedure. Design Survey by self‐administered questionnaire. Subjects and setting All women who attended 11 private clinics in ew South Wales (NSW) over a six‐week period in 1992. Results 2249 completed questionnaires were received (94% response rate). Terminations were frequent at all ages, but women in their 20s accounted for more than half the terminations (54%) and teenagers accounted for only 17%. Respondents were generally well educated and from various ethnic and religious backgrounds; 56% were single and 41% had had one or more previous terminations. Fifteen per cent of respondents could not or did not intend to make a Medicare claim. The most frequently cited factors contributing to the decision to seek a termination were concerns about finances, change in lifestyle, single parenthood and being too young. Conclusions Private clinics, where most terminations are performed, clearly meet a major demand, but it is likely that terminations in SW as recorded by Health Insurance Commission claims are under‐reported by at least 15%.