Abortion

Induced abortions

The term "abortion" is usually used by lay people to refer to induced abortion. Induced abortions are sought for a number of reasons, according to the Alan Guttmacher Institute, there were 1.31 million abortions in the US in 2000, and cases of rape or incest accounted for 1.0% of abortions in 2000. Women from 27 nations reported the following reasons for seeking an induced abortion:{{ref|abortion1}}

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• 25.5% – Want to postpone childbearing
• 21.3% – Cannot afford a baby
• 14.1% – Has relationship problem or partner does not want pregnancy
• 12.2% – Too young; parent(s) or other(s) object to pregnancy
• 10.8% – Having a child will disrupt education or job
•   7.9% – Want no (more) children
•   3.3% – Risk to fetal health
•   2.8% – Risk to maternal health
•   2.1% – Rape, incest, other

In many areas of the world, especially the developing nations or where induced abortions are illegal, many women choose or are forced to perform abortions on themselves. These self-induced abortions are commonly unsafe abortions as described by the World Health Organization. Furthermore, some abortions are induced because of societal pressures, such as stigma of disabled persons and similar eugenic ideals, or laws, such as under China's one-child policy. These policies and societal pressures can lead to sex-selective abortion and infanticide, which is illegal in most countries, but difficult to stop.

Related Topics:
Self-induced abortions - Unsafe abortions - World Health Organization - One-child policy - Sex-selective abortion and infanticide

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