INDUCED-ABORTION IN A SWISS CANTON FROM 1 990 TO 1993 - IMPLICATIONS FOR EPIDEMIOLOGIC MONITORING

Background : To describe abortion utilization in the Canton of Vaud (S witzerland) and to identify desirable changes in the data collection s ystem to improve the epidemiologic monitoring. Methods: Retrospective survey of the 5600 abortion requests to the Canton Health Authority fo r resident women between 1990 and 1993. Results : Nine women out of 10 00 residents requested an abortion, but the abortion rate was higher a mong women of foreign origin compared to Swiss women (17 parts per tho usand vs. 6 parts per thousand, p < 0.0001). The proportion of termina ted recognized conceptions was 127 parts per thousand and The ratio of IVG to livebirths was 0.18. The abortion rate was lower during adoles cence (6 parts per thousand) or after 40 years of age (1.8 parts per t housand), whereas the proportion of terminated conceptions was highest at these ages (527 parts per thousand and 312 parts per thousand). Ab ortion utilization in Canton of Vaud is among the lowest. Conclusions: Although these indicators do reflect a satisfactory accessibility and use of family planning services, improvements could be made. A better knowledge of the causes (motives, contraceptive method, reproductive history) and of the consequences of abortion (psyche-social implicatio ns, medical complications) would allow to design more focused preventi on strategies and to fit health services to current needs. Updating th e 1942 Swiss legislation is also desirable.