Trends in hospitalization for abortion-related complications in Brazil, 1992-2009: why the decline in numbers and severity?
Singh, S.; Monteiro, M.F.G.; Levin, J.
International Journal of Gynaecology and Obstetrics the Official Organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics 118 Suppl. 2: S99-106
2012
ISSN/ISBN: 1879-3479 PMID: 22920629 DOI: 10.1016/s0020-7292(12)60007-1Document Number: 565532
Brazil offers a unique opportunity to analyze trends in abortion-related morbidity over time with high-quality data. National data on facility-based treatment of abortion complications from 1992-2009 were analyzed. Large declines occurred in the number and rate of women treated for abortion complications: the national number of treated cases declined by 41% (from 282 000 in 1992 to 165000 in 2009), and the abortion treatment rate declined by 57% (from 7.1 to 3.1 per 1000 women) over the same period. The decline in this rate was more striking for more serious complications than for less serious ones (69% compared with 52%). Possible reasons for these overall declines include increasing use and greater availability of safer abortion methods, and greater ability to pay for such methods as well as a possible decline in incidence of unintended pregnancy and abortion through more widespread use of modern contraception.