Abortion decision making: some findings from Colombia.

The reasons why some women seek to terminate an unwanted pregnancy, while others do not, were investigated in interviews with 108 women in Cali, Colombia (where abortion is illegal but reportedly widespread). All the women in the study had experienced an unwanted pregnancy, and in more than half the cases one major or several minor attempts were made to end it. The prospects for economic support from the father of the child emerged as the most important factor in decision making. Single women, separated women, and women in unions that seemed in danger of dissolving were most likely to take strong steps to terminate the unwanted pregnancy.