Abortion Surveillance: Preliminary Analysis --
United States, 1989
In 1989, 1,396,658 legal abortions were reported to CDC from
the 50
states, the District of Columbia, and New York City (Table 1), an
increase
of 1.9% over the number reported for 1988. In 1989, the national
abortion
ratio was 346 legal abortions per 1000 live births, a decrease from
352
legal abortions per 1000 live births in 1988. The national abortion
rate
(number of legal abortions per 1000 women aged 15-44 years) for
1989 was
24, the same as for 1988. As in previous years, approximately 91%
of women
who had a legal abortion were residents of the state in which the
procedure
was performed (Table 1).
Women who obtained legal abortions in 1989 were predominately
less
than 25 years of age, white, and unmarried and had not had any
live-born
children. Curettage (suction and sharp) remained the primary
abortion
procedure (approximately 99% 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, Div of
Reproductive
Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health
Promotion, CDC.
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