Marie-Louise H. Hansen
Ditte Mølgaard-Nielsen
Lisbeth B. Knudsen
Niels Keiding

http://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol21/22/

doi:10.4054/DemRes.2009.21.22

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Abstract
Background: Whereas the effects of various socio-demographic determinants on a woman’s risk of having an abortion are relatively well-documented, less attention has been given to the effect of previous abortions and births. Objective: To study the effect of previous abortions and births on Danish women’s risk of an abortion, in addition to a number of demographic and personal characteristics. Data and methods: From the Fertility of Women and Couples Dataset we obtained data on the number of live births and induced abortions by year (1981-2001), age (16-39), county of residence and marital status. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the influence of the explanatory variables on the probability of having an abortion in a relevant year. Main findings and conclusion: A woman’s risk of having an abortion increases with the number of previous births and previous abortions. Some interactions were was found in the way a woman’s risk of abortion varies with calendar year, age and parity. The risk of an abortion for women with no children decreases while the risk of an abortion for women with children increases over time. Furthermore, the risk of an abortion decreases with age, but relatively more so for women with children compared to childless women. Trends for teenagers are discussed in a separate section.

Author's affiliation
Marie-Louise H. Hansen
University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Ditte Mølgaard-Nielsen
University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Lisbeth B. Knudsen
Aalborg University, Denmark
Niels Keiding
University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Keywords
abortion parity, abortion rates, family situation, fertility parity, urbanization

Word count (Main text)
6831

Other articles by the same author/authors (in Demographic Research)

	[20-14] Cohort Fertility Patterns in the Nordic Countries
	[19-31] Biological and sociological interpretations of age-adjustment in studies of higher order birth rates
	[17-8] Education and second birth rates in Denmark 1981-1994
	[13-23] Modelling regional variation of first-time births in Denmark 1980-1994 by an age-period-cohort model
	[6-14] The Fertility Pattern of Twins and the General Population Compared: Evidence from Danish Cohorts 1945-64

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