Abstract

PIP: Abortion is one of the major female health problems in Latin America, and the cost of hospital treatment after illegal abortion often drains resources needed to treat other health problems. The number of abortions per year is not known, and it is not definitely known whether the contraceptive programs dating from the mid-1970's have decreased the incidence of abortion. Estimates for Colombia range up to 1/2 million annualy. Underreporting ofabortion is common even in countries where abortion is legal, and in those where it is illegal its incidence comes to light mainly in the case of complications. Information on abortion is difficult to obtain in interviews or surveys. The numerous specialized hospital studies of abortion do not give a true picture of the place of abortion in the community. Indirect indicators such as the number of abortion cases treated in clinics and hospitals, the percent of abortions with complications of hemorrhage or infection, the proportion of maternal deaths attributable to abortion, extrapolations from surveys, and others are compared to estimate its extent. In most Latin American countries such indicators have varied little over the years despite progress in health and family planning programs. The methodological problems in studying the incidence of abortion are aggravated by the high cost of most of the proposed studies.