Therapeutic abortion on psychiatric grounds. Part III. Implementing the Abortion and Sterilization Act (1975-1981).

This article reviews the experience of the Pregnancy Advisory Service (PAS) of the Department of Psychiatry, Groote Schuur Hospital. Demographic and personal data from the women referred to the PAS during the period 1975-1981 (since the passing of the Abortion and Sterilization Act of 1975) are recorded. Follow-up information from many of the 1251 patients seen over this period confirms the findings of a previous report that in a significant percentage of cases in which a woman was refused legal abortion pregnancy did not proceed to term. For reasons which are not clear there has been a fall in the number of cases seen for assessment. The PAS performs a valuable function in enabling women to examine the circumstances of an unplanned pregnancy and in providing expert counselling.