Ottawa, Canada, Mar 13, 2005 / 22:00 pm
Women undergoing a second or subsequent abortion are more likely to have experienced physical or sexual abuse, says a recent study published in the journal of the Canadian Medical Association.
Researchers say the findings show that these women should be screened for a history of abuse when they present themselves at health centers for an abortion. They say proper counseling for such abuse could help avert future abortions.
The Canadian study examined the responses of 1,127 women who went to a regional center in southwestern Ontario, between August 1998 and May 1999, for an abortion.
Of these, 769 (68.2 percent) were undergoing a first abortion, 260 (23.1 percent) a second abortion, and 98 (8.7 percent) a third or subsequent abortion. The women were young; the mean age was 23.7. Most were white (86 percent) and born in Canada (85 percent).