Background
Methods
Ethics statement
Study design
Recruitment
Participants
Measures
Demographic characteristics
Pregnancy-related characteristics
Health care and health
Reasons for abortion
Data analysis
Qualitative analysis
Quantitative analysis
Results
Description of the sample
Participant characteristics | N | % |
---|---|---|
Race/ethnicity
| ||
White | 353 | 37 |
Black | 281 | 29 |
Hispanic/Latina | 199 | 21 |
Other | 121 | 13 |
Age group
| ||
15–19a
| 173 | 18 |
20–24 | 345 | 36 |
25–34 | 365 | 38 |
35–46 | 71 | 7 |
Marital status
| ||
single, never married | 753 | 79 |
Married | 86 | 9 |
separated, divorced, widowed | 115 | 12 |
More than High School education | 450 | 47 |
Enough money in past month to meet basic needs | 569 | 60 |
Received public assistance in past month | 428 | 45 |
Employed | 507 | 53 |
Gestational age at interview
| ||
<=13 weeks | 393 | 41 |
14-19 weeks | 136 | 14 |
20+ weeks | 425 | 45 |
Pregnancy intentions (mean)
| 954 | 2.7 |
Parity (mean)
| 943 | 1.27 |
Nulliparous | 359 | 38 |
baby under one | 101 | 11 |
1+ previous births, no new baby | 233 | 24 |
2+ previous births, no new baby | 261 | 27 |
Has a health care provider | 422 | 45 |
History of depression or anxiety diagnosis | 260 | 27 |
Self-rated health good/very good | 775 | 81 |
Reasons for abortion
Freq. | Percent | ||
---|---|---|---|
Not financially prepared
|
386
|
40%
| |
General financial | 365 | 38% | |
Unemployed/underemployed | 41 | 4% | |
Uninsured or can't get welfare | 6 | 0.6% | |
Don't want government assistance | 4 | 0.4% | |
Not the right time for a baby
|
347
|
36%
| |
Bad timing/not ready/unplanned | 321 | 34% | |
Too busy/not enough time | 17 | 2% | |
Too old | 16 | 2% | |
Partner related reasons
|
298
|
31%
| |
Relationship is bad, poor and/or new | 89 | 9% | |
Respondent wants to be married first/not a single mom | 80 | 8% | |
Partner is not supportive | 77 | 8% | |
Partner is wrong guy | 61 | 6% | |
Partner does not want baby | 29 | 3% | |
Partner is abusive | 24 | 3% | |
Need to focus on other children
|
275
|
29%
| |
Too soon after having had a child/busy enough with current children/have enough children right now | 239 | 25% | |
Concern for other children she is rearing | 51 | 5% | |
Interferes with future opportunities
|
194
|
20%
| |
Interferes with educational plans | 132 | 14% | |
Interferes with vocational plans | 63 | 7% | |
Want better life for self/don't want to limit future opportunities | 49 | 5% | |
Not emotionally or mentally prepared
|
180
|
19%
| |
Health related reasons
|
114
|
12%
| |
Concern for her own health | 59 | 6% | |
Concern for the health of the fetus | 51 | 5% | |
Drug, tobacco, or alcohol use | 46 | 5% | |
Prescription drug (not illicit) or contraceptive use | 14 | 1.5% | |
Want a better life for the baby than she could provide
|
119
|
12%
| |
Want better life for baby | 67 | 7% | |
Living or housing context not suitable for baby | 46 | 5% | |
Lack of childcare or help from family to care for baby | 13 | 1.4% | |
Don't want her children to have a childhood like hers | 5 | 0.5% | |
Not independent or mature enough for a baby
|
64
|
7%
| |
Too young or immature | 47 | 5% | |
Can't take care of self | 12 | 1.3% | |
Too dependent on parents or others right now | 9 | 0.9% | |
Influences from family or friends
|
48
|
5%
| |
Would have a negative impact on family or friends | 22 | 2% | |
Don't want others to know/worried others would judge | 19 | 2% | |
Pressure from family or friends | 11 | 1.2% | |
Don't want a baby or place baby for adoption
|
38
|
4%
| |
Don't want a baby or don't want any children | 33 | 3% | |
Don't want adoption | 7 | 0.7% | |
Other
|
11
|
1.2%
| |
Total
|
954
|
100%
|
Financial reasons
“I’m unemployed, no health insurance, and could not qualify for any government-assisted aid, and even if my fiancé decided to hurry up and get married, I still wouldn't have been covered under his health insurance for that.”--32-year-old, in school full-time.
Not the right time for a baby
Partner-related reasons
Need to focus on other children
A new baby would interfere with future opportunities
“It is hard to get in school. If I had the baby it would be tough to do school work, thinking about my future. I know that I wouldn't be able to do what I want to do. I still want to be free and have my youth. I don't want to have it all gone because of one experience. I still want to study abroad. I don't want to ruin that.” --20-year-old in college with no children
Not emotionally or mentally prepared
Health-related reasons
Want a better life for the baby than she could provide
Lack of maturity or independence
Influences from friends and/or family
Don’t want a baby or place baby for adoption
Other reasons
Factors related to reasons for abortion
Participant characteristics | Not financially prepared | Need to focus on other children now | Not the right time for baby | Partner related reason | Interferes with future opportunities | Not emotionally or mentally prepared | Health related reasons | Want a better life for the baby than she could provide | Not independent or mature enough to raise baby | Influences from family or friends | Don’t want a baby or place baby for adoption | ||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
OR | 95% CI | OR | 95% CI | OR | 95% CI | OR | 95% CI | OR | 95% CI | OR | 95% CI | OR | 95% CI | OR | 95% CI | OR | 95% CI | OR | 95% CI | OR | 95% CI | ||||||||||||
Race/ethnicity
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
White (reference)
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Black
| 0.74 | 0.51 | 1.06 | 1.17 | 0.76 | 1.80 | 0.81 | 0.56 | 1.18 |
0.66*
| 0.45 | 0.99 | 1.28 | 0.82 | 2.00 |
0.47***
| 0.29 | 0.75 | 0.62 | 0.33 | 1.14 | 0.60 | 0.35 | 1.03 | 0.45 | 0.20 | 1.01 | 0.76 | 0.31 | 1.88 | 1.16 | 0.47 | 2.85 |
Hispanic/Latina
| 0.77 | 0.52 | 1.13 | 0.93 | 0.58 | 1.49 | 0.94 | 0.64 | 1.40 | 0.99 | 0.65 | 1.49 | 0.92 | 0.56 | 1.51 | 0.80 | 0.50 | 1.27 | 0.90 | 0.49 | 1.64 | 0.48 | 0.26 | 0.89 | 0.63 | 0.29 | 1.37 | 1.36 | 0.57 | 3.25 | 1.27 | 0.52 | 3.11 |
Other
| 0.93 | 0.60 | 1.46 | 1.15 | 0.67 | 1.95 | 0.84 | 0.52 | 1.35 | 0.92 | 0.57 | 1.49 | 1.26 | 0.71 | 2.22 | 0.58 | 0.33 | 1.04 | 0.83 | 0.42 | 1.63 | 0.63 | 0.32 | 1.24 | 0.47 | 0.16 | 1.37 | 1.45 | 0.54 | 3.89 | 0.49 | 0.11 | 2.28 |
Age
| 1.01 | 0.98 | 1.04 | 0.97 | 0.94 | 1.01 | 1.02 | 0.99 | 1.05 |
1.03*
| 1.00 | 1.07 |
0.94***
| 0.90 | 0.98 | 0.98 | 0.94 | 1.02 |
1.10***
| 1.05 | 1.14 | 1.00 | 0.95 | 1.04 |
0.83***
| 0.75 | 0.92 |
0.87**
| 0.78 | 0.96 | 1.06 | 0.99 | 1.13 |
Marital status
| Not included due to collinearity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Single, never married (ref)
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Married
| 0.65 | 0.39 | 1.07 | 1.09 | 0.63 | 1.88 | 0.75 | 0.44 | 1.27 | 1.15 | 0.68 | 1.95 | 0.74 | 0.36 | 1.50 | 1.05 | 0.57 | 1.93 | 1.29 | 0.65 | 2.56 | 1.03 | 0.47 | 2.25 | 1.03 | 0.22 | 4.81 | 1.61 | 0.55 | 4.72 | |||
Separated/divorced/widowed
|
0.54*
| 0.34 | 0.86 | 1.10 | 0.66 | 1.83 | 0.90 | 0.56 | 1.46 |
2.22***
| 1.40 | 3.53 | 1.00 | 0.53 | 1.88 | 0.60 | 0.32 | 1.11 | 1.13 | 0.61 | 2.11 | 1.01 | 0.50 | 2.06 | 0.98 | 0.20 | 4.85 | 0.68 | 0.18 | 2.55 | |||
More than high school education
|
1.41*
| 1.05 | 1.90 | 0.96 | 0.67 | 1.36 | 0.92 | 0.68 | 1.25 | 1.36 | 0.99 | 1.87 |
2.43***
| 1.66 | 3.56 | 1.14 | 0.79 | 1.66 | 1.11 | 0.69 | 1.77 |
1.61*
| 1.03 | 2.51 | 0.99 | 0.51 | 1.94 | 1.46 | 0.71 | 2.97 | 0.70 | 0.33 | 1.49 |
Enough money in past month to meet basic needs
|
0.54***
| 0.41 | 0.72 | 0.83 | 0.59 | 1.16 | 1.26 | 0.94 | 1.70 | 0.82 | 0.60 | 1.11 | 1.31 | 0.90 | 1.90 |
0.55***
| 0.38 | 0.78 | 1.23 | 0.78 | 1.94 | 0.79 | 0.52 | 1.21 | 0.68 | 0.37 | 1.26 | 1.08 | 0.54 | 2.16 | 1.19 | 0.57 | 2.49 |
Employed
| 1.06 | 0.80 | 1.42 | 0.99 | 0.70 | 1.39 | 1.29 | 0.96 | 1.73 | 1.24 | 0.91 | 1.68 | 0.98 | 0.68 | 1.40 | 0.70 | 0.49 | 1.01 |
0.50***
| 0.32 | 0.80 | 0.67 | 0.44 | 1.02 | 1.00 | 0.54 | 1.85 | 0.69 | 0.35 | 1.36 | 1.28 | 0.62 | 2.64 |
Gestational age at interview
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
<=13 weeks (reference)
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
14-19 weeks
| 0.97 | 0.63 | 1.48 | 0.83 | 0.51 | 1.35 | 1.06 | 0.69 | 1.63 | 0.71 | 0.45 | 1.13 | 1.04 | 0.62 | 1.75 | 1.37 | 0.83 | 2.26 | 1.23 | 0.65 | 2.35 | 1.21 | 0.65 | 2.25 | 1.69 | 0.66 | 4.37 | 1.18 | 0.44 | 3.18 | 1.97 | 0.73 | 5.30 |
20+ weeks
| 1.32 | 0.97 | 1.78 | 0.72 | 0.50 | 1.04 | 0.93 | 0.68 | 1.27 | 0.72 | 0.51 | 1.00 | 0.91 | 0.62 | 1.33 | 0.86 | 0.58 | 1.27 | 1.13 | 0.70 | 1.85 | 1.07 | 0.68 | 1.68 | 1.94 | 0.94 | 3.99 | 1.12 | 0.51 | 2.42 | 1.63 | 0.74 | 3.59 |
Pregnancy intentions
| 0.95 | 0.87 | 1.03 |
0.79***
| 0.71 | 0.88 |
0.85***
| 0.78 | 0.94 |
1.11*
| 1.01 | 1.21 |
0.89*
| 0.80 | 0.99 | 1.01 | 0.91 | 1.12 | 1.10 | 0.98 | 1.24 | 1.01 | 0.89 | 1.14 | 0.87 | 0.71 | 1.05 |
1.20*
| 1.01 | 1.42 |
0.77*
| 0.60 | 0.99 |
Parity
| 1.11 | 0.98 | 1.25 |
2.31***
| 1.97 | 2.72 |
0.71***
| 0.61 | 0.82 |
0.78***
| 0.67 | 0.90 | 0.83 | 0.69 | 1.00 | 0.94 | 0.80 | 1.11 | 0.84 | 0.70 | 1.02 |
0.65***
| 0.52 | 0.83 |
0.38***
| 0.22 | 0.67 | 0.71 | 0.45 | 1.11 |
0.67*
| 0.46 | 0.96 |
Has a health care provider
| 0.92 | 0.70 | 1.22 | 1.18 | 0.85 | 1.64 | 1.17 | 0.88 | 1.55 | 1.06 | 0.79 | 1.43 | 1.41 | 1.00 | 1.99 | 1.16 | 0.82 | 1.64 | 0.99 | 0.64 | 1.53 |
0.63*
| 0.42 | 0.96 | 0.85 | 0.47 | 1.53 | 1.59 | 0.84 | 3.00 | 0.91 | 0.46 | 1.81 |
History of a depression or anxiety diagnosis
| 1.12 | 0.81 | 1.55 | 0.83 | 0.57 | 1.23 | 0.79 | 0.56 | 1.11 | 0.91 | 0.65 | 1.29 | 0.66 | 0.43 | 1.03 | 1.06 | 0.72 | 1.57 |
3.29***
| 2.07 | 5.23 | 1.37 | 0.87 | 2.18 | 1.61 | 0.82 | 3.17 | 0.77 | 0.33 | 1.78 | 2.10 | 0.99 | 4.46 |
Self-rated health good/very good
| 1.02 | 0.72 | 1.45 | 1.18 | 0.77 | 1.78 | 0.95 | 0.66 | 1.37 | 1.02 | 0.70 | 1.49 |
1.81*
| 1.08 | 3.04 | 0.74 | 0.48 | 1.13 |
0.61*
| 0.37 | 0.99 | 1.03 | 0.61 | 1.75 | 2.21 | 0.75 | 6.50 | 2.38 | 0.70 | 8.07 | 1.28 | 0.50 | 3.23 |