TABLES: Patterns in the Socioeconomic Characteristics of Women Obtaining Abortions in 2000-2001

	Pespectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health Volume 34, Number 5, September/October 2002
	Patterns in the Socioeconomic Characteristics of Women Obtaining Abortions in 2000-2001 TABLES

TABLE 1. Percentage distribution of women obtaining abortions in 2000 and 1994, and of all U.S. women aged 15-44 in 2000; estimated abortion rates for 2000 and 1994, and percentage change in the rate between the two years; and pregnancy rate and proportion of pregnancies ending in abortion in 2000--all by selected characteristics at outcome

Characteristic Women having abortions Women aged 15-44 Abortion rate* Pregnancies, 2000

2000 1994 2000 1994 % change Rate† % ending in abortion

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 21 24 -11 87 25

Age

<15 0.7 1.2 u u u u u u

15-19 18.6 20.6 16.0 25 34‡ -27 72 34

15-17 6.5 8.8 9.5 15 24‡ -39 42 35

18-19 12.0 11.5 6.5 39 48‡ -18 119 33

20-24 33.0 32.8 15.1 47 52 -9 159 29

25-29 23.1 21.4 15.6 32 32 0 153 21

30-34 13.5 14.4 16.5 17 18 -5 112 16

35-39 8.1 7.5 18.5 9 10 -3 50 19

>=40§ 3.1 2.3 18.4 4 3 10 11 31

Marital status

Married 17.0 18.4 47.7 8 9 -14 99 8

Previously married** 15.6 17.1 11.5 29 32 -11 67 43

Never-married 67.3 64.4 40.8 35 41 -14 79 45

Cohabiting††

Yes 30.7 20.5 18.7 55 57 -3 u u

No 69.3 79.5 81.3 29 36 -20 u u

No. of live births

0 39.1 45.4 42.8 19 26 -25 81 24

1 27.4 24.7 18.0 32 33 -2 151 22

>=2 33.5 29.9 39.2 18 18 2 64 28

Residence

Metropolitan 88.0 88.5 78.8 24 27 -11 u u

Nonmetropolitan 12.0 11.5 21.2 12 13 -10 u u

Poverty status‡‡

<100% 26.6 25.4 12.8 44 36§§ 25 133 33

100-199% 30.8 24.4 17.5 38 31§§ 23 115 33

200-299% 18.0 18.9 17.9 21 25§§ -13 87 24

>=300% 24.6 31.3 51.8 10 16§§ -39 66 15

Medicaid coverage

Yes 24.2 26.5 9.0 57 50 14 u u

No 75.8 73.5 91.0 18 20 -12 u u

Race/ethnicity

Non-Hispanic

White 40.9 48.0 68.2 13 16 -20 73 18

Black 31.7 30.0 13.7 49 54 -8 115 43

Asian/Pacific Islander 6.4 4.4 4.4 31 28 11 88 35

Native American 0.9 1.2 0.9 u u u u u

Hispanic 20.1 16.5*† 12.8 33 37*† -10 132 25

Education*‡

Not H.S. graduate 12.7 12.0 11.2 23 22 7 85 27

H.S. graduate/GED 30.3 30.4 30.9 20 20 1 73 27

Some college 40.6 40.3 32.5 26 29 -12 68 38

College graduate 16.4 17.3 25.5 13 19 -30 63 21

Religion*§

Protestant 42.8 37.4 51.0 18 17 10 u u

Catholic 27.4 31.3 27.5 22 25 -13 u u

Other 7.6 7.6 5.4 31 30 2 u u

None 22.2 23.7 16.2 30 46 -35 u u

*Number of abortions per 1,000 women in relevant subgroup. †Sum of births and abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-44. ‡Differs from previously published figures, which were based on state abortion reports. §Denominator is women aged 40-44. **Includes separated women. ††Based on single women only. ‡‡Percentage of federal poverty level. §§Previously published AGI estimates of abortion rates by poverty status (reference 1) were inaccurate because of a programming error. *†Previously published figures for Hispanics (references 1 and 7) have been adjusted according to state abortion reports. *‡Limited to women older than 19. *§Limited to women older than 17. Notes: u=unavailable. Sources: see appendix (page 234).

back to text

TABLE 2. Abortion rate per 1,000 women in 1987 and percentage change in abortion rate, 1987-1994 and 1987-2000, by selected characteristics
Characteristic	Rate, 1987	% change
Characteristic	Rate, 1987	1987-1994	1987-2000
Total	27	-11	-21
Age
15-19	42	-20	-41
15-17	31	-22	-53
18-19	60	-20	-34
20-24	52	-2	-11
25-29	32	0	0
30-34	17	7	1
35-39	9	2	-1
>=40	3	1	11
Marital status
Married	10	-9	-22
Previously married*	40	-19	-28
Never-married	48	-14	-26
Cohabiting†
Yes	86	-34	-35
No	41	-12	-30
Medicaid coverage
Yes	71	-29	-19
No	23	-11	-21
Includes separated women. †Based on single women only. Note:* Abortion rates by subgroup in 1987 are limited to characteristics that were measured comparably in all three AGI surveys and for which information on population characteristics was measured comparably in 1987, 1994 and 2000.

back to text

TABLE 3. Estimated abortion rate per 1,000 women aged 15-44, by poverty status, according to race and ethnicity, 2000
Poverty status*	White	Black	Hispanic
Total	13	49	33
<100%	23	62	68
100-199%	27	68	34
200-299%	15	48	19
>=300%	7	28	15
*Percentage of federal poverty level.

back to text

TABLE 4. Estimated abortion rates for 2000 and 1994, and percentage change between the two years, by selected characteristics, according to age-group
Characteristic	Rate		% change
Characteristic	2000	1994	% change
Total	21	24	-11
RACE/ETHNICITY
White
<20	15	26	-41
>=20	12	14	-15
Black
<20	55	74	-25
>=20	48	50	-3
Hispanic
<20	38	44	-13
>=20	32	36	-10
MEDICAID COVERAGE
Yes
<20	61	71	-14
>=20	53	44	19
No
<20	20	29	-32
>=20	17	19	-7
POVERTY STATUS*
<100%
<20	51	42	21
>=20	43	34	26
100-199%
<20	42	41	1
>=20	37	29	27
200-299%
<20	23	38	-38
>=20	21	22	-5
>=300%
<20	11	28	-60
>=20	10	15	-33
*Percentage of federal poverty level.

back to text

TABLE 1. Percentage distribution of women obtaining abortions in 2000 and 1994, and of all U.S. women aged 15-44 in 2000; estimated abortion rates for 2000 and 1994, and percentage change in the rate between the two years; and pregnancy rate and proportion of pregnancies ending in abortion in 2000--all by selected characteristics at outcome
Characteristic	Women having abortions		Women aged 15-44	Abortion rate*			Pregnancies, 2000
Characteristic	2000	1994	Women aged 15-44	2000	1994	% change	Rate†	% ending in abortion
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0	21	24	-11	87	25
Age
<15	0.7	1.2	u	u	u	u	u	u
15-19	18.6	20.6	16.0	25	34‡	-27	72	34
15-17	6.5	8.8	9.5	15	24‡	-39	42	35
18-19	12.0	11.5	6.5	39	48‡	-18	119	33
20-24	33.0	32.8	15.1	47	52	-9	159	29
25-29	23.1	21.4	15.6	32	32	0	153	21
30-34	13.5	14.4	16.5	17	18	-5	112	16
35-39	8.1	7.5	18.5	9	10	-3	50	19
>=40§	3.1	2.3	18.4	4	3	10	11	31
Marital status
Married	17.0	18.4	47.7	8	9	-14	99	8
Previously married**	15.6	17.1	11.5	29	32	-11	67	43
Never-married	67.3	64.4	40.8	35	41	-14	79	45
Cohabiting††
Yes	30.7	20.5	18.7	55	57	-3	u	u
No	69.3	79.5	81.3	29	36	-20	u	u
No. of live births
0	39.1	45.4	42.8	19	26	-25	81	24
1	27.4	24.7	18.0	32	33	-2	151	22
>=2	33.5	29.9	39.2	18	18	2	64	28
Residence
Metropolitan	88.0	88.5	78.8	24	27	-11	u	u
Nonmetropolitan	12.0	11.5	21.2	12	13	-10	u	u
Poverty status‡‡
<100%	26.6	25.4	12.8	44	36§§	25	133	33
100-199%	30.8	24.4	17.5	38	31§§	23	115	33
200-299%	18.0	18.9	17.9	21	25§§	-13	87	24
>=300%	24.6	31.3	51.8	10	16§§	-39	66	15
Medicaid coverage
Yes	24.2	26.5	9.0	57	50	14	u	u
No	75.8	73.5	91.0	18	20	-12	u	u
Race/ethnicity
Non-Hispanic
White	40.9	48.0	68.2	13	16	-20	73	18
Black	31.7	30.0	13.7	49	54	-8	115	43
Asian/Pacific Islander	6.4	4.4	4.4	31	28	11	88	35
Native American	0.9	1.2	0.9	u	u	u	u	u
Hispanic	20.1	16.5*†	12.8	33	37*†	-10	132	25
*Education‡**
Not H.S. graduate	12.7	12.0	11.2	23	22	7	85	27
H.S. graduate/GED	30.3	30.4	30.9	20	20	1	73	27
Some college	40.6	40.3	32.5	26	29	-12	68	38
College graduate	16.4	17.3	25.5	13	19	-30	63	21
*Religion§**
Protestant	42.8	37.4	51.0	18	17	10	u	u
Catholic	27.4	31.3	27.5	22	25	-13	u	u
Other	7.6	7.6	5.4	31	30	2	u	u
None	22.2	23.7	16.2	30	46	-35	u	u
Number of abortions per 1,000 women in relevant subgroup. †Sum of births and abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-44. ‡Differs from previously published figures, which were based on state abortion reports. §Denominator is women aged 40-44. Includes separated women. ††Based on single women only. ‡‡Percentage of federal poverty level. §§Previously published AGI estimates of abortion rates by poverty status (reference 1) were inaccurate because of a programming error. †Previously published figures for Hispanics (references 1 and 7) have been adjusted according to state abortion reports. ‡Limited to women older than 19. §Limited to women older than 17. Notes: u=unavailable. Sources: see appendix (page 234).