Hostname: page-component-7bb8b95d7b-w7rtg Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-09-12T14:39:45.205Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Repeat Abortion-Seeking Behaviour in Queensland, Australia: Knowledge and Use of Contraception and Reasons for Terminating the Pregnancy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

Victor J. Callan
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Australia

Summary

This paper examines the knowledge and use of contraception, and abortion decision-making of 212 Australian women who were seeking a repeat abortion in 1980. The analysis of questionnaires from a pregnancy and family planning clinic revealed that most women were seeking their second abortion. Single women were more likely to claim a slight knowledge of contraception and irregular use of contraceptives, and to attribute pregnancy to the failure of the pill. Women in de facto or cohabitation relationships were most likely to rate the abortion decision as difficult. Of the women who returned post-abortion questionnaires, almost all felt they had made the correct decision.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1983

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

Callan, V.J. (1980) Family size attitudes and use of contraception in Sydney: Australian, Greek and Italian parents. Aust. N.Z. J. Sociol. 16, 90.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Daily, E.F., Nicholas, N., Nelson, F. & Pakter, J. (1973) Repeat abortions in New York City: 1970–1972. Fam. Plann. Perspect. 5, 89.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
David, H. (1971). Observations on Abortion and Family Planning in the Soviet Union. Notes on a 1970 Visit to Moscow (Memo.) American Institutes for Research, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
David, H. (1973) Psychological studies in abortion. In: Psychological Perspectives on Population, p. 241. Edited by Fawcett, J.Basic Books, New York.Google Scholar
Gibb, G.D. & Millard, R.J. (1981) Research on repeated abortion: state of the field, 1973–1979. Psychol. Rep. 48, 415.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hong, S-B. (1971) Changing Patterns of Induced Abortion in Korea. Korean Family Planning Association, Seoul, Korea.Google Scholar
Lee, N.H. (1969) The Search for an Abortionist. University of Chicago Press, Chicago.Google Scholar
Osofsky, H., Osofsky, J. & Rajan, R. (1973) Psychological effects of legal abortion: with emphasis upon immediate reactions and follow-up. In: The Abortion Experience, p. 188. Edited by Osofsky, M. & Osofsky, J.. Harper & Row, Hagerstown, Maryland.Google Scholar
Potter, R.G. & Ford, K. (1976) Repeat abortion. Demography, 13, 65.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Steinhoff, P.G., Smith, R.G., Palmore, J.A.Diamond, M. & Chung, C. S. (1979) Women who obtain repeat abortion: a study on record linkage. Fam. Plann. Perspect, 11, 30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Young, C.M. & Ware, H. (1979) Contraceptive use in Australia. Aust. N.Z. J. Obstet. Gynec. 19, 1.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed