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. 2015;69(3):373-88.
doi: 10.1080/00324728.2015.1083608. Epub 2015 Oct 8.

The association between education and induced abortion for three cohorts of adults in Finland

Heini Väisänen  1
Affiliations

The association between education and induced abortion for three cohorts of adults in Finland

Heini Väisänen. Popul Stud (Camb). 2015.

Abstract

This paper explores whether the likelihood of abortion by education changed over time in Finland, where comprehensive family planning services and sexuality education have been available since the early 1970s. This subject has not previously been studied longitudinally with comprehensive and reliable data. A unique longitudinal set of register data of more than 250,000 women aged 20-49 born in 1955-59, 1965-69, and 1975-79 was analysed, using descriptive statistics, concentration curves, and discrete-time event-history models. Women with basic education had a higher likelihood of abortion than others and the association grew stronger for later cohorts. Selection into education may explain this phenomenon: although it was fairly common to have only basic education in the 1955-59 cohort, it became increasingly unusual over time. Thus, even though family planning services were easily available, socio-economic differences in the likelihood of abortion remained.

Keywords: Finland; event-history analysis; induced abortion; register data; reproductive health.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
First abortion rates per 1,000 women by age, cohort, and indication of abortion (social or medical) in Finland
Figure 2
Figure 2
The number of first abortions for social reasons per 1,000 women of the same age and education group in Finland
Figure 3
Figure 3
Concentration curves of the incidence of first abortion for social reasons against cumulative level of education by cohort in Finland
Figure 4
Figure 4
The number of abortions per 1,000 women by level of education and age in Finland with 95 per cent confidence intervals estimated using marginal effects at representative values. Adjusted for occupational group, indicator for being childless, months since last birth and its quadratic term, parity, relationship status, place of residence, and immigration status
Figure A1
Figure A1
The number of first abortions for social reasons per 1,000 women of the same age and occupational group in Finland
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