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Trends in legalized abortion in South Australia: 1970–81

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

Farhat Yusuf  and
Dora Briggs
Farhat Yusuf
Affiliation:
School of Economic and Financial Studies, Macquarie University, Sydney
Dora Briggs
Affiliation:
School of Education, Flinders University, Adelaide
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Summary

Official abortion statistics for South Australia for the years 1977–81 were examined and compared with those for 1970–76 reported earlier. The period 1970–81 represents the first 12 years' experience of legalized abortion in South Australia. A consistent increase in the incidence of abortion was noted, both in absolute numbers and in proportion to the number of live births. South Australia continued to experience lower fertility than other Australian states, although this would have been higher than in other states had it not been for the legalization of abortion. More of the younger and the unmarried women were obtaining abortions, indicating that they were increasingly using abortion as a form of birth control.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Biosocial Science , Volume 17 , Issue 2 , April 1985 , pp. 215 - 221
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1985

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References

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