Epidemiology of induced abortion in Italy

In 1988 in Italy a total of 179193 induced abortions were reported representing a 6.4% decrease compared to 1987. The rate of abortions also decreased from 346.7/1000 live births and 13.3/1000 women aged 15-49 in 1987 to 310.1/1000 and 12.4/1000 in 1988. Since 1982 the year with the highest rate of abortion there has been a consistent decline. In 1988 the abortion rate ranged from 154.6/1000 to 4.6/1000 in the North 154.9 to 9/8 in the Center and 20.3 to 6.6 in the South. Reports ranged from 564.0 to 102.5/1000 women aged 15-49 in the north; from 467.0 to 277.6 in the center; and from 401.0 to 118.1 in the south. In the 30-34 age group abortions were very high (18.9/1000) followed by the 25-29 age group (17.8/1000). About 50% of abortions were performed in women over 30. Among minors the abortion rate was 3.1/1000 much lower for years than the international level. 64% of these abortions were requested by married women 48% of women had two or more children and more than 70% of women had at least attained a lower secondary school degree. In the north and the center the women seeking abortion were younger more frequently of marriage age and without children. In 1988 30% of women claimed to have had one or more prior abortions and 12.4% had had one or more miscarriages. 89% of abortions were obtained by women residing in the province of the intervention. 50% of the procedures were carried out within the 8th week of gestation; the youngest women as in preceding years had aborted the most advanced pregnancies. More than 50% of permits were issued by the entrusted physicians and only 21.7% by the advisory boards with notable regional differences. On the basis of data from the 10 regions 73.8% of abortions were verified within 14 days of the release of the permit. The majority of these interventions were carried out in public hospitals. The use of general anesthesia amounted to 75% and curettage constituted 16.8% on the decline compared to preceding years. The proportion of overnight stay was 71.5% compared to 67.4% in 1987. Immediate complications were rare with a pattern comparable to other countries.