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Facts on Induced Abortion in Mexico [2008]

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Facts on Induced Abortion in Mexico [2008] In Brief Facts on Induced Abortion in Mexico BACKGROUND THE INCIDENCE OF ABORTION education and has a higher proportion • Abortion is highly restricted by law • An estimated 874,747 induced abor- of indigenous residents. and is provided clandestinely in all tions were performed in Mexico in 2006, indicating that an even higher number of THE CONSEQUENCES OF Mexican states but one: As of April 2007, UNSAFE ABORTION Mexican women experience an unin- first-trimester abortions are broadly legal • In 2006, an estimated 149,700 women tended pregnancy each year. in Mexico City. were hospitalized for complications • Between 1970 and 2000, the popula- • Mexico’s annual abortion rate is 33 related to induced abortion, a 40% tion of Mexico doubled, from 48.2 million induced abortions per 1,000 women aged increase from 1990. 15–44, slightly higher than the average to 97.5 million inhabitants, and became • This increase is explained by popula- for Latin America (31 per 1,000). more urbanized. tion growth. The rate of hospitalization • About 44 abortions occur for every 100 for abortion complications actually • Over the same period, the proportion live births, nationally. remained steady at just over five of women who had completed some high hospitalizations per 1,000 women of school or higher education increased • In 2006, Mexico City, the North region reproductive age, each year. from 6 % to 34%. and the Central region had similar abortion rates (34–36 per 1,000 women • The 2006 rate of abortion-related • These changes have been accompanied of childbearing age), while the rate was hospitalization in Mexico (5.7 per 1,000 by a large decline in family size: The substantially lower (25 per 1,000) in the women of reproductive age) is approxi- number of children per family decreased South/East region, the least developed mately equal to the average in the from 5.6 in 1976 to 3.4 in 1990 to 2.2 part of the country. developing world and is somewhat lower in 2006. than the estimated average in Latin • The lower abortion rate in the America (about eight per 1,000 women). • Contraceptive use among currently South/East is consistent with other married women has increased steadily, social and demographic indicators for • The average hospital stay for postabor- from 25% in the late 1970s to 71% in this region: Compared with the other tion care decreased from 1990 to 2006 2006 (Table). However, the level of regions, the South/East is more rural (it fell from 1.2 days to 0.8 days for less contraceptive use varies by region.* and less developed, has lower levels of complicated cases). TRENDS IN ABORTION AND RELATED FACTORS REGIONAL INDICATORS • In Mexico, the number of women Abortion rate and other indicators varied by region in 2006. estimated to have obtained an abortion Mexico Mexico North Central South/ has increased by 64% between 1990 and City East 2006; the induced abortion rate Estimated total number of induced abortions 874,747 165,455 278,336 304,133 126,823 increased 33% from 25.1 to 33 per 1,000 Estimated abortion rate (abortions per 1,000 women aged 15–44) 33 34 35 36 25 *Regions are defined as Mexico City, North (Aguascalientes, Total fertility rate 2.2 1.7 2.2 2.2 2.3 Baja California, Baja California Sur, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Colima, Jalisco, Mexico, Nuevo Leon, Sonora and % of married women aged 15–49 Tamaulipas), Central (Campeche, Durango, Guanajuato, using a contraceptive method 71 81 76 67 63 Michoacan, Morelos, Nayarit, Puebla, Queretaro, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi, Sinaloa, Tabasco, Tlaxcala, Yucatan % of married women with unmet need 12.4 5.4 9.5 14.2 18.0 and Zacatecas) and South/East (Chiapas, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Oaxaca and Veracruz). Abortion Trends pregnancies and reduce SOURCE OF DATA Both the abortion rate and the abortion ratio increased in 1990–2006. women’s need for abortion. This document is based on a study on the incidence of abortion in Mexico conducted by El Colegio de % • Family planning counseling 100 must be responsive to women’s Mexico, the Guttmacher Institute increasing desire to plan their and the Population Council Mexico 1990 2006 Office. The findings were published 80 births more precisely. Unmet in Juarez F et al., Estimates of need among married women induced abortion in Mexico: what’s 60 has not declined in the past changed between 1990 and 2006? decade, indicating a need for International Family Planning 40 Perspectives, 2008, 34(4): improved services. 158–168. 20 • Several studies have demonstrated that women are 0 strongly motivated to regulate Abortion rate (abortions per Abortion ratio 1,000 women aged 15–44) (abortions per 100 births) their childbearing and use contraceptives after an abortion. Interventions should women of reproductive age ABORTION LAW improve the coverage and quality of contraceptive (Chart). • In all 32 Mexican states, services after an abortion, abortion is permitted when • The abortion ratio more than birth or miscarriage. pregnancy results from rape; in doubled during the same period (21 vs. 44 abortions per 100 29 states when pregnancy • Special attention should be live births). threatens a woman’s life; in 10 given to providing young when the pregnancy poses a people with adequate sex • Seventy-one percent of severe risk to a woman’s education, sexual and repro- married women used contracep- health; in 13 in cases of ductive health services and tives in 2006, compared with congenital malformations; in information about contracep- 62% in 1992 and 68% in 1997. 29 when abortion results from tive methods, including how to “a careless act” by the preg- • Among sexually active women use condoms and other nant woman; in 11 when the aged 15-24, the proportion who methods correctly and consis- were single increased over recent pregnancy is the result of tently. artificial insemination without years (from 23% to 28%); • Broadening criteria under a woman’s consent; and in one however, contraceptive use has which abortion is legal is a (Yucatan) for economic remained very low among young prerequisite to ensuring safe reasons. women. The growing unmet services. The recent liberaliza- need for contraceptives* among • Even where the law permits tion of the abortion law in sexually active adolescents has the procedure under certain Mexico City provides a valuable been highlighted as one of the criteria, access to safe, legal model and opportunity for the main challenges currently facing abortion remains greatly rest of the country. Advancing sexual and the government. limited, except in Mexico City reproductive health worldwide through research, policy • Unmet need for contraception where efforts are underway to analysis and public education among married women implement access to legal remained steady, at 12%, over elective abortion within the New York first trimester. 125 Maiden Lane the past decade. However, the New York, NY 10038 total fertility rate has been Tel: 212.248.1111 POLICY IMPLICATIONS AND continuously declining, [email protected] RECOMMENDATIONS suggesting that women who • Mexican women want to Washington DC experience unplanned pregnan- have fewer children than they 1301 Connecticut Ave NW, Suite 700 cies are increasingly resorting Washington, DC 20036 did in the past. Making highly to abortion. Tel: 202.296.4012, effective modern contracep- [email protected] *A woman has an unmet need for tives available and affordable contraception if she is not using a modern or www.guttmacher.org traditional method and does not want to have will prevent unintended a child soon or ever. Additional copies $0.25 each; Volume discounts are available. October 2008.
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