Characteristics of Induced Abortion in China in the 1990s

ObjectiveTo understand the characteristics of induced abortion in China in the 1990s, and to find out the influential factors.MethodsThe overall number of induced abortions, calculate cohort induced abortion frequency, explore the impact of a child's sex and the number of previous children on induced abortions were estimated by using the data from the “National Population and Reproductive Health Survey” conducted by the National Family Planning Commission in November 1997.ResultsInduced abortions in China had their own characteristics, which were far different from other countries. The main difference was led by the fact that the country was driven by an implemented family planning program and nationwide population policies. The key cause of induced abortions was due to an inconsistency with the requirements of the family planning policy. However, as a result of effective and preva-lent contraception, the rates of induced abortions were not quite high in the 1990s, when compared with other countries. Even though, in the early 1990s, the govern-ment had reinforced the family planning program through administration and legislation, unlike during the early 1980s when the one-child policy was implemented, the induced abortion rate and the number of induce abortions did not increase as the fertility rate substantially decreased.ConclusionThis finding implies that the fertility declines in the 1990s were not caused by the number of induced abortions. The transition of the fertility ideology of the people has played an important role in the fertility decline, as institutional reform and socioeconomic development are implemented.