Abortions performed on 85 children

Press, 13 October 1983, Page 8

Abortions performed on 85 children

PA Wellington Eighty-five children under the age of 15, two of them 12 year olds, had abortions last year, said the Abortion Supervisory Committee in its annual report.

The committee also noted that the increase in the number of abortions each year had slowed. The report, tabled in Parliament, said that there were 144 or 2.1 per cent more abortions in 1982 than the 6759 in 1981. “This contrasts with the 13.7 per cent increase recorded between 1980 and 1981, and confirms the pattern noted in the 1981 report that the growth in the number of abortions each year has slowed,” said the chairman, Mrs Heather White. Most women having abortions had never been married, had never had children before, and were under 25. The report shows that most were aged between 20 and 24, those in the 15 to 19 age-group making up the next largest category. Two children aged 12, 17 aged 13, and 66 aged 14 also underwent abortions last year, as did 19 women over the age of 45.

The greatest number of abortions, 6305, were performed on the grounds that the pregnancy posed a serious danger to the woman’s mental health, while in 54 cases, the pregnancy endangered her physical health. The diagnoses involving mental health included depression, contraceptive failure, pregnancy rejection,

and failed sterilisation. Diagnoses involving physical health included heart condition, diabetes, illness during pregnancy, obstetrical history, hypertension, and drug and alcohol addiction. The report also noted that in 1118 cases the age of the women was a factor, while in 61 cases, allegations of rape were also taken into account. A total of 81 per cent of abortions were carried out at four institutions, all of which were in the three main centres — two in

Auckland, and one each in Wellington and Christchurch. “Three of these institutions showed some increase in numbers, but since 1980 there has been a 30 per cent decline in the numbers of abortions carried out at the fourth institution, the Auckland Medical Aid Centre,” said Mrs White. Most abortions were performed in the first three months of pregnancy and the principal method was suction curettage, she said.