The influence of social class on parity and psychological reactions in women coming for induced abortion

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that the correlation between legal abortion and socio-economic conditions, known from the time when abortion was restricted, has current validity. To evaluate the effect of social class on network support and psychological reactions. DESIGN: Consecutive sampling and semistructured personal interviewing. SUBJECTS: 444 women living in the city of Gothenburg and applying for legal termination of pregnancy in the first trimester. SETTING: The department of gynaecology at a university hospital with primary care responsibility for legal abortions. RESULTS: The 667 health administration districts of Gothenburg were ranked into four groups according to the mean income. Women living in lower socio-economic districts were younger. Irrespective of age, previous experience of induced abortion was more common among them (p < 0.001). Unsatisfactory network response or support was common (37%), but equally shared between the social classes. Discontinuation of oral contraception during the previous six months was twice as common among teenagers (40.0%) as among other women (p < 0.001) but without social differences. Pitman's permutation test was used for statistical analyses. CONCLUSION: Socio-economic conditions have a strong and inverse correlation to previous experience of induced abortion. Psychological reactions and needs did not vary with class.