Half Of Women Who Underwent Abortion In 2002 Had Previous Abortions, Guttmacher Report Says

Approximately half of all U.S. women who had an abortion in 2002 had at least one previous abortion, according to a Guttmacher Institute report released on Tuesday, Reuters reports. The report, compiled from several surveys conducted by government and private organizations, found that most women seeking abortions in 2002 were low-income and that 60% had at least one child. In addition, the report found that most women who had more than one abortion were over age 30 and that most women who had an abortion in 2002 were using contraception at the time of conception. The report also found that one in three U.S. women have given birth to an infant that resulted from an unintended pregnancy and that one in 10 women have had more than one unintended birth. The Guttmacher Institute said women who receive abortions should be counseled about effective use of contraception. Some states -- including Colorado, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania -- will not appropriate funds for family planning services to clinics that have a relationship with abortion providers. In addition, federally funded Title X family planning programs must separate family planning services from abortion-related services, according to the Guttmacher Institute. "The 'wall of separation' that the federal government has erected between family planning and abortion services is, paradoxically, leading to more abortions," Sharon Camp, Guttmacher Institute president and CEO, said, adding, "These policies interfere with the ability of abortion providers to ensure continuity of care for their patients by guaranteeing that, following an abortion, every woman has an appropriate contraceptive method and is able to use it consistently." According to CDC, there were 854,122 legal abortions in the U.S. in 2002 (Reuters, 11/21).

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