Res Medica; Abortive Legislation?

Abstract

For the back-street abortionist business is booming. It is commonly estimated that some 100,000 criminal abortions are performed annually in England and Wales alone. Maternal deaths from these are, according to Goodhart (1964) of the order of 35 per year in England and Wales, giving a surprisingly low maternal mortality of 0.35 per 1,000 which equals maternal mortality from all other causes. Serious maternal morbidity, however, defies estimate but must be alarmingly high. Even in hospital, the operation carries serious risk of complication, which is obviously greatly increased in a tenement kitchen. Cervical in competence, causing repeated miscarriage, serious infection, especially pelvic peritonitis, and severe anaemia from haemorrhage are but some of the scars which a woman may carry for many years, as a result of such treatment. The scar of the psychological trauma may well be carried for life.