Time of Decision to Undergo a Legal Abortion

In order to see if very early abortion methods should be used more often or if they should be avoided, an interview study was made in Stockholm in 1982. One hundred and twenty applicants for abortion were asked about the time of their decision to undergo a legal abortion. Seventy-two percent of the women had decided to have an abortion as soon as they knew they were pregnant. Sixty-six percent had made their decision before the end of the 8th week of pregnancy, which is considered to be time limit for Karman exeresis. Most women (84%) had discussed the abortion decision with the prospective father; however, 54% stated that they had made their decision to terminate the pregnancy more or less on their own. This study indicates that very early abortion methods would be advantageous for many women, and could be used more often. All applicants for abortion should however have an opportunity to discuss their decision carefully before the abortion.