CMA abortion survey

Abstract

Responses to the question as to whether abortions should be performed at the woman's request during the first trimester of pregnancy were evenly divided. There was support for abortion on socioeconomic grounds, during the first trimester, from 61.5% of the respondents. Termination of pregnancy beyond the first trimester was supported by a majority of the respondents only in cases in which the woman's life is in danger (73.9%) or in which there is evidence of a severe physical abnormality in the fetus (70.6%) or in cases in which the woman's physical health is in danger (55.5%). Those who said they would not support abortion under any circumstances constitute, at most, 5.1% of the respondents. Support for the maintenance or the elimination of therapeutic abortion committees was addressed in two questions and in both cases the respondents were evenly divided. The responses to these two questions were compared and found to be logically consistent. Only physicians should perform abortions, and they should be performed in hospitals with the woman either as an inpatient or, during the first trimester, as an outpatient. The performance of first-trimester abortions in provincially approved abortion clinics was supported by 47.3% of the respondents. Of the 885 respondents who wished to see some amendment to the Criminal Code, 409 stated that the term "health" as used in the Criminal Code relative to the legal grounds for therapeutic abortion should be defined.

PIP: A representative sample of the members of the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) were surveyed to determine physicians' opinions on the law that currently regulates the provision of abortion services and on how physicians think such services should be provided, regardless of the law. The questionnaires were mailed to a systematically stratified sample that included 1/5 of the members of the CMA, with the exception of undergraduate medical students and members living outside the country. A total of 1762 responses were received, a response rate of 79.7%. 1653 questionnaires are the basis of the analysis. Responses to the question as to whether abortions should be performed at the woman's request during the 1st trimester of pregnancy were evenly divided. There was support for abortion on socioeconomic grounds during the 1st trimester, from 61.5% of the physicians. Abortion beyond the 1st trimester was supported by a majority of the respondents only in cases in which the woman's life is in danger (73.9%) or in which there was evidence of a severe physical abnormality in the fetus (70.6%) or in cases in which the woman's physical health was in danger (55.5%). Physicians who indicated that they would not support abortion under any circumstances constituted, at most, 5.1% of the respondents. Support for the maintenance or the elimination of therapeutic abortion committees was addressed in 2 questions and in both instances the respondents were evenly divided. The responses to these 2 questions were compared and found to be logically consistent. Only physicians should perform abortions and they should be performed in hospitals with the woman either as an inpatient or during the 1st trimester as an outpatient. The performance of 1st trimester abortions in provincially approved abortion clinics was supported by 47.3% of the respondents. Of those 885 respondents who wanted to see some amendment of the Criminal Code, 409 stated that the term "health" as used in the Criminal Code relative to the legal grounds for therapeutic abortion should be defined. An appendix discusses age, sex, region, and type of practice of the physicians.