Abortion Surveillance: Preliminary Analysis -- United
States, 1988
In 1988, 1,371,285 legal abortions were reported to CDC from
the 50 states and the District of Columbia (Table 1), an increase
of 1.3% over the number reported for 1987. In 1988, the national
abortion ratio was 352 legal abortions per 1000 live births, and
the national abortion rate (number of legal abortions per 1000
women 15-44 years of age) was 24. As in previous years,
approximately 92% of women who had legal abortions were residents
of the state in which the procedure was performed.
Women who obtained legal abortions in 1988 were predominately
less than 25 years of age, white, and unmarried and had not had
any liveborn children. Curettage (suction and sharp) remained the
primary abortion procedure (97% of all such procedures). As in
previous years, approximately half of legal abortions were
performed in the first 8 weeks of gestation and 88% in the first
12 weeks.
Reported by: Statistics and Computer Resources Br and Pregnancy
and Infant Health Br, Div of Reproductive Health, Center for
Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, CDC.
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