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  • Title: A case study of race differences among late abortion patients.
    Author: Lynxwiler J, Wilson M.
    Journal: Women Health; 1994; 21(4):43-56. PubMed ID: 7941610.
    Abstract:
    The majority of women who terminate an unwanted pregnancy do so in the first trimester of their pregnancy. A much smaller population postpones their decision into the second trimester. Abortion delays greatly increase the health risks and mental stress experienced by women. We examine 240 women who underwent abortions in the second trimester of their pregnancy. The analysis focuses on characteristics that distinguish between black and white women. A discriminant analysis of the data identifies a number of variables that differentiate blacks from whites. Variables that are associated with black and white women who delay their abortion decision include attitudes toward legal abortion, religiosity, household income, the presence of other children, residence patterns, an unwillingness to disclose the pregnancy, and social support for their decision. Discussion of the findings focuses on the role played by cultural experiences. Previous research has revealed that the 9-10% of women who delay induced abortion until the second trimester differ from their counterparts who abort in the first trimester on a number of socioeconomic and psychological factors; the present study indicated that, among late abortion patients, there are substantial racial differences. Questionnaires were administered to 240 women (98 Blacks and 142 Whites) who underwent late abortion (mean gestation of 13.75 weeks) at a private women's health clinic in Southern US in 1988-89. The finding that 26.74% of early abortion seekers at this clinic were Black and 73.26% were White, while these percentages were 40.83 and 59.17%, respectively, for late aborters indicates that Black women find it more difficult to make the abortion decision. 37% of the Black respondents stated they delayed their decision because they were afraid to inform anyone of their pregnancy, while White respondents were more likely to delay because of fear or ignorance of their pregnancy. Through discriminant analysis, a model was developed that was capable of differentiating between Black and White subjects in 87.57% of cases and accounted for 37.58% of the variance between the two groups of late deciders. The background variables for which they were significant racial differences were: residence (Blacks were more likely to live with their parents r extended family), religiosity (Blacks reported a higher level of religious self-perception), education (Black women had completed more years of schooling), and household income (Whites had higher annual levels). In addition, Black respondents were more likely to have children, score lower on the pro-choice scale, and receive less support for their abortion decision than Whites. The greater acceptance is the Black community of childbearing outside of marriage and use of extended family as caretakers, as well as cultural distrust of abortion, may serve to intensify the intrapsychic and interpersonal conflict among Black women faced with an unwanted pregnancy, thereby contributing to a delay in seeking abortion.
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