Voluntary Interruption of Pregnancy among Women in an Health District within the 1998-2002 Period. Almeria-Spain

Abstract

Background: The immigrant population has undergone an increase in Andalusia as a whole and in Almeria in particular. The primary healthcare districts manage the requests for voluntary interruption of pregnancy. This study is aimed as describing the trend in requests for voluntary interruption of pregnancy among immigrant and non-immigrant women in the "Levante-Alto Almanzora" Health District of Almeria. Methods: Descriptive study conducts during the 1998-2002 period. Study material: requests for voluntary interruption of pregnancy, Andalusian Institute of Statistics demographic data, temporary medical care cards. Variables studied: Age, date of request, pregnancy ³, or < 12 weeks, type of population (immigrant or non-immigrant). Voluntary interruption of pregnancy rates were calculated per 1000 women within the 15-49 age range and the relative risk with confidence intervals and statistical significance for studying the relationship between the number of interruptions and populations type. Results: A total of 224 requests were studied. The largest number were made in 2002, for a 3.1 rate. The age group making the largest number of requests was the 20-24 age range (29.5%). Ninetyfive percent (95%) of the women were less than 12-weeks pregnant. A total of 52.7% were immigrant women, a greater risk of requesting voluntary interruption of pregnancy having been found among immigrants as compared to native Spanish women, RR of 66.45 (CI 95%: 36.11-122.28) in 2001; 292.8 (CI 95%: 91.12-940.9) in 1999. Conclusions: Voluntary interruption of pregnancy was found to have increased in the public services, particularly among immigrant women, within the period studied.