Abortion surveillance -- United States 1992.

This 1992 report provides summary statistics and a review of legal induced abortions obtained during 1992 and abortion-related deaths during 1988-90 and 1985-87. The statistics are based on state reports to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Annual reports are available for the period 1969-92. Findings indicate that 1359145 abortions were reported during 1992. This reflects a 2.1% decline from 1991. The abortion ratio was 335 abortions/1000 live births. The abortion rate was 23/1000 women aged 15-44 years. The typical abortion seeker was young White and unmarried. Most had no previous live births. 51% of abortions were performed at or before the first 8 weeks of gestation. 87% were performed before the 13th week. About 14% were performed at under 6 weeks and about 22% were performed at 8 weeks. Adolescents were more likely to obtain abortions later in pregnancy. There were 16 deaths in 1988 12 deaths in 1989 and 5 deaths in 1990 associated with legal induced abortion. The case fatality rates were 1.2 0.9 and 0.3/100000 abortions respectively. The number and rate of abortions has remained stable since 1980. Fluctuations were at or under 5%. Since 1987 the abortion-to-live-birth ratio declined. The abortion ratio in 1992 was the lowest ratio since 1977. Statistics are provided for each of 52 reporting areas (i.e. all 50 states the District of Columbia and New York City) by single years of age. Data are aggregated by type of medical procedure by state by race and state by marital status and state by previous live births and state by previous abortions by weeks of gestation and age and race for the US and by weeks of gestation and procedure for the US.