Who Seeks Abortions at or After 20 Weeks?

Abstract

Bans on abortion after 20 weeks will disproportionately affect young women and women with limited financial resources.

Abortion Surveillance — United States, 2013

“…Moreover, among the areas that reported abortions at ≤13 weeks' gestation by individual week, the distribution continued to shift toward earlier weeks of gestation with the percentage of early abortions performed at ≤6 weeks' gestation increasing 16%. Nonetheless, the overall percentage of abortions performed at ≤13 weeks' gestation changed little during 2004-2013, and findings from this and other reports suggest that delays in obtaining an abortion are more common among certain groups of women (55)(56)(57). Because of the small but persistent percentage of women who obtain abortions at >13 weeks' gestation, a better understanding is needed of the factors that cause delays in obtaining abortions (55,(57)(58)(59)(60).…”

Partner Violence and Abortion Characteristics

“…In particular, pregnancy is associated with first incidences of partner violence, as well as increased severity (Janeski, 2004;Sagrestano et al, 2004); and pregnancy termination is more likely for women experiencing partner conflicts and violence (Coker, 2007;Ely & Otis, 2011;Foster & Kimport, 2013). However, little is known about whether partner violence is related to abortion characteristics such as method, timing, number, and follow-up.…”

“…Women experiencing partner violence and fear of negotiating pregnancy decisions with their partner are more likely to have had an abortion and at a later gestational age (Finer et al, 2006;Foster & Kimport, 2013;Jones & Finer, 2012;Jones, Moore, & Frowirth, 2010;Williams & Brackley, 2009), as well as repeat abortions (Ely & Otis, 2011;Fisher & Singh, 2005;ODonnell et al, 2009). Men perpetrating partner violence are more likely to be involved in partner conflicts about whether or not to terminate a pregnancy and to report repeat abortions among their Downloaded by [Lancaster University Library] at 03:16 21 October 2014 partners (Silverman et al, 2010).…”

Abortion Surveillance — United States, 2014

“…Moreover, among the areas that reported abortions at ≤13 weeks' gestation by individual week, the distribution continued to shift toward earlier weeks of gestation, with the percentage of early abortions performed at ≤6 weeks' gestation increasing 21% from 2005 to 2014. Nonetheless, the overall percentage of abortions performed at ≤13 weeks' gestation was stable during 2005-2014, and many reports indicate that delays in obtaining an abortion are more common among certain groups of women (63)(64)(65). The findings in this report indicate that among women obtaining abortions, a smaller percentage of adolescents aged ≤19 years and non-Hispanic black women, compared with women in other age and race/ethnicity groups, obtain abortions at ≤8 weeks' gestation.…”

“…The findings in this report indicate that among women obtaining abortions, a smaller percentage of adolescents aged ≤19 years and non-Hispanic black women, compared with women in other age and race/ethnicity groups, obtain abortions at ≤8 weeks' gestation. Because of the small but persistent percentage of women who obtain abortions at >13 weeks' gestation, a better understanding is needed of how to address factors that cause delays in obtaining abortions (63,(65)(66)(67)(68).…”