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  • Title: [Psychosocial aspects of women applying for abortion after 12 weeks of pregnancy].
    Author: Nordentoft M, Petersson BH, Sidenius K.
    Journal: Ugeskr Laeger; 1991 Apr 01; 153(14):995-8. PubMed ID: 2024321.
    Abstract:
    In 1986, 595 women applied for termination of pregnancy after the twelfth week of pregnancy in Denmark. Permission for termination was given in 519 cases. The late terminations of pregnancy constituted 2.6% of the total number. Women who apply for termination of pregnancy after the twelfth week of pregnancy are younger and socially more stressed than the remainder of the women who obtain termination of pregnancy. Young age in the women and medical errors are important factors in connection with exceeding of the twelve week limit. If the number of late abortions is to be reduced, particular attention must be focussed on these factors. The social, psychiatric, and gynecological effects on 595 women aged 15-44 who sought abortion after the 12th week of pregnancy in 1986 in Denmark were investigated. 519 of these women got permission for abortion under a 1973 abortion law. These late abortions made up 2.6% of 20,067 abortions in 1986. 106 permissions were granted for genetic indications. There were 36 abortions/1000 fertile women in the community of Copenhagen, while in rural counties it was 11/1000. There were 105 late abortions in Copenhagen and 12 rejections, while in rural areas these figures were much lower. The abortion committee, consisting of a psychiatrist, a gynecologist, and a social worker, rejected 75 requests. The youngest women seeking abortion was 13 and the oldest was 49 years old. 37% of the women were married or lived with a partner, 57% were single, and in 6% of cases the consensual union was breaking up. 21% states that they expected support from the biological father, the rest had to decide on their own. Lower educational status was related to abortion at a later phase of pregnancy. 9% of the women had completed their school examinations. 27% were on public assistance, 42% had their own income, and 10% lived off of parents. 16% were under chronic social stress and 44% were threatened with social pressure. In 1978, the rates included 18% chronic social stress, 33% threatened with social stress, and 49% were not under social pressure. In 23% of the cases medical errors were implicated in the advanced state of pregnancy. In 103 cases women had symptoms of pregnancy, but neglected them.
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