Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-g7gxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T15:32:30.724Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Trends in legalized abortion in South Australia: 1970–81

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

Farhat Yusuf  and
Dora Briggs
Farhat Yusuf
Affiliation:
School of Economic and Financial Studies, Macquarie University, Sydney
Dora Briggs
Affiliation:
School of Education, Flinders University, Adelaide
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Official abortion statistics for South Australia for the years 1977–81 were examined and compared with those for 1970–76 reported earlier. The period 1970–81 represents the first 12 years' experience of legalized abortion in South Australia. A consistent increase in the incidence of abortion was noted, both in absolute numbers and in proportion to the number of live births. South Australia continued to experience lower fertility than other Australian states, although this would have been higher than in other states had it not been for the legalization of abortion. More of the younger and the unmarried women were obtaining abortions, indicating that they were increasingly using abortion as a form of birth control.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Biosocial Science , Volume 17 , Issue 2 , April 1985 , pp. 215 - 221
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1985

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Australian Bureau of Statistics, Adelaide (1978–1982) Births, South Australia, 1977–1981. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Adelaide.Google Scholar
Australian Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs (1983) Review of Australia's Demographic Trends. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.Google Scholar
Cox Committee (1981, 1982) Twelfth and Thirteenth Annual Reports of the Committee Appointed to Examine and Report on Abortions Notified in South Australia for the years 1980 and 1981. South Australian Government Printer, Adelaide.Google Scholar
Godfrey, B. (1980) Termination of Pregnancy in South Australia, 1970–1977. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Adelaide.Google Scholar
Mallen Committee (1978–80) Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh Annual Reports of the Committee Appointed to Examine and Report on Abortions Notified in South Australia for the Years 1977, 1978 and 1979. South Australian Government Printer, Adelaide.Google Scholar
South Australian Government (1969) Act No. 109: To Amend the Criminal Law Consolidation Act, 1935–1966. South Australian Government Printer, Adelaide.Google Scholar
Tietze, C. (1981) Induced Abortion: A World Review, 1981. Population Council, New York.Google Scholar
Yusuf, F. & Briggs, D.K. (1979) Legalized abortion in South Australia: the first 7 years' experience. J. biosoc. Sci. 11, 179.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed