LEGALIZED ABORTION AND PROFILE OF WOMEN AT NEW DELHI

Sixty two nulliparous, 150 low parity (para 1 & 2) and 148 medium or high parity (3+) women reported for abortion services at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, during the study period between 1st January to 30th April 1975. 90.9% of all women were urban residents, 85.0% were currently married. 64.9% were educated upt to middle standard or more and 80. 0% had no induced abortion in the past. 58.1% of nulliparous women, 16.0% of low parity and 10.8% of medium or high parity reported late for abortion at 13 weeks or more of gestational period. 84.0% of low parity and 77.7% of medium or high parity women had live births previous to present conception. 66.3% of low parity, 10.1% of medium or high parity and 9.6% of nulliparous women conceived in spite of using a contraceptive method. All parous women and 33.2% of nulliparous adopted a contraceptive method soon after having abortions.