A nationwide survey conducted by The Alan Guttmacher Institute shows that more than 1 million legal abortions were reported in the U.S. during 1975 and more than 1.1 million are estimated to have been performed in 1976. States varied greatly in the numbers performed. Legal abortion seems to be the most frequently performed surgical procedure in the nation. The number performed annually is rising. Figures are given for all states and comparisons made with rates in other countries. There has been a concentration of services among relatively few providers mainly clinics in larger cities indicating the failure of hospitals to provide abortions. Public hospitals are less likely than private hospitals to provide abortion services thus discriminating against young poor and rural women. The entire need for abortion is still not being met adequately by the nations health facilities.
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Sullivan et al. (1977) studied this question.