Characteristics and Circumstances of U.S. Women Who Obtain Very Early and Second-Trimester Abortions.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To determine which characteristics and circumstances were associated with very early and second-trimester abortion.

Methods

Paper and pencil surveys were collected from a national sample of 8,380 non-hospital U.S. abortion patients in 2014 and 2015. We used self-reported LMP to calculate weeks gestation; when LMP was not provided we used self-reported weeks pregnant. We constructed two dependent variables: obtaining a very early abortion, defined as six weeks gestation or earlier, and obtaining second-trimester abortion, defined as occurring at 13 weeks gestation or later. We examined associations between the two measures of gestation and a range of characteristics and circumstances, including type of abortion waiting period in the patients' state of residence.

SUBMITTER: Jones RK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5266268 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature