Abstract

PIP: Results of a survey conducted by Doctors for the Repeal of Abortion Law in 1975, to determine how well the Canadian abortion law was meeting the needs of the unwillingly pregnant woman, are presented. There are 258 hospitals with abortion committees, and of these, 157 responded to the questionnaire. While an estimated 68 out of 258 hospitals performed more than 100 abortions each in 1974, an estimated 21 hospitals had zero abortion procedures and an estimated 34 had 5 or fewer. Many hospitals placed unofficial quotas on the numbers of abortions performed. Physicians on the staffs had little input into the hospital abortion policy. Large numbers of Canadian women were unable to obtain abortions in their own communities. The law clearly discriminates against women who are poor. The present Canadian abortion law must be removed from the Criminal Code.