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.