Fowkes F G, Catford J C, Logan R F
Br Med J. 1979 Jan 27;1(6158):217-9. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.6158.217.
Analysis of statistics published since the Abortion Act showed that from 1972 about half the abortions carried out on residents of England and Wales had been performed within the National Health Service. Regional variations in the proportions of abortions performed within the NHS had persisted. In some health regions fewer abortions were being carried out than before. In 1975 about 40% of abortions on single women and women with no existing children were performed within the NHS. Trends in the concurrent sterilisation rate, gestational age at operation, duration of stay in hospital, and mortality and complication rates suggested a steady improvement in the effectiveness and efficiency of abortion services. Nevertheless, the NHS still compares poorly with the private sector and some other countries.
对自《堕胎法案》颁布以来公布的统计数据进行分析后发现，自1972年起，在英格兰和威尔士居民中实施的堕胎手术，约有一半是在国民医疗服务体系（NHS）内进行的。国民医疗服务体系内堕胎手术比例的地区差异一直存在。在一些卫生区域，堕胎手术的实施数量比以前减少了。1975年，在国民医疗服务体系内进行的堕胎手术中，约40%是针对单身女性和无子女的女性。同期绝育率、手术时的孕周、住院时间以及死亡率和并发症发生率的趋势表明，堕胎服务的有效性和效率在稳步提高。然而，国民医疗服务体系与私营部门和其他一些国家相比，仍存在差距。
