Effects of legalized abortion on neonatal mortality and obstetrical morbidity at Harlem Hospital Center.

Abstract

A significant cost differential obviously exists between inpatient and outpatient abortion services. The feasibility of providing outpatient vacuum aspiration procedures has been adequately demonstrated during the past few years, and as the fraction of women seeking early abortion increases the use of outpatient facilities should also increase. The effects of such a shift were also investigated.As the fraction of outpatient abortions was increased from a low of 10 per cent to a high of 90 per cent, the costs of providing services decreased by about one-third. Hospital patient-day requirements dropped dramatically. Such a shift requires, however, that women with preexisting conditions that may significantly increase their risk of mortality or morbidity be carefully screened and directed to the facility best able to treat them.The importance of the time point in pregnancy that the abortion is performed is evident. Early abortions have a multitude of health and economic benefits whereas late abortions present both an increased burden to the health care system and an increased threat to the woman's health.The national requirements for abortion services, at the level of services experienced in New York, or even somewhat higher, are not excessive. The space each facility, and the time each gynecologist, would have to allocate to these services is also not excessive, especially as an increasing fraction of abortions are performed during early pregnancy.Alternatives to abortion should also be widely available. The importance of contraceptive services, infertility treatment, and other aspects of comprehensive medical care for human reproduction should also be emphasized.

The Impact of Induced Abortion on Birth Outcomes in the U.S.

“…Initial research generally supported the link between increased use of abortion and improved birth outcomes (Lanan, Kohl, and Bedell 1974;Glass et al 1974;QuIck 1978). However, not untIl Grossman and Jacobowitz (1981) and Corsan and Grossman (1985) was the impact of abortion services quantified in a multivariate context.…”

Restrictions on Medicaid Funding of Abortion: Effects on Birth Weight and Pregnancy Resolutions

“…Previous studies of the legalization of abortion suggest that these reporting effects may be important. For example, Glass et al (1974) and Lanman et al (1974) found that increases in the number of legal abortions following legalization reflected decreases in the number of illegal abortions, rather than any increase in the pregnancy rate.…”

“…Hence, poor women in states that do not pay for abortions under Medicaid may be unable to afford them. 1 There is a large body of literature documenting the relationship between the distribution of birth outcomes and the availability of abortion services (Glass et al, 1974;Lanman, Kohl and Bedell, 1974;Quick, 1978;Grossman and Jacobowitz, 1981;Corman and Grossman, 1985;Joyce, 1987;Grossman and Joyce, 1990;. These studies all suggest that the women who are most likely to have unhealthy babies if abortion is not available, are also most likely to choose abortion.…”

Does liberal abortion improve perinatal outcome?

“…Sweden has had a declining low birth weight rate and low perinatal mortality figures for many years, but the part played by legal abortion in this trend is uncertain [16,17]. Studies from New York [6,12] have claimed a reduction in neonatal mortality rates following introduction of liberalized abortion. This decrease wasattributed to the smaller numbers of very low birth weight (500 to 1000 grams) babies being born.…”