Canadian abortion rate rising CMAJ 1997;156:756 © 1997 Canadian Medical Association A recent study indicates that by 1993 about 16.7% of Canadian women had had an abortion, up from 4.1% in 1975. The authors of the study, which used unpublished Statistics Canada data, projected that if the 1993 rate prevails, over time about 1 in 3 Canadian women will have had an abortion at some point. The Globe and Mail says the report appeared in a US journal, Family Planning Perspectives. The statistical analysis found that 29% of abortions done in 1993 were performed on women who had had at least 1 previous abortion; the repeat-abortion rate was highest for women aged 15­19. Although the authors concluded that few Canadian women use abortion as a long-term, primary method of birth control, it appears a teenage subgroup relies on the procedure. A spokesperson for the antiabortion group Campaign Life Coalition told the Globe there is an abortion "epidemic". Dr. William Fisher, a professor of psychology, obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Western Ontario, said the data may point to a need for more education about birth control. Send a letter to the editor responding to this article Envoyez une lettre à la rédaction au sujet de cet article | CMAJ March 15, 1997 (vol 156, no 6) / JAMC le 15 mars 1997 (vol 156, no 6) |