Abstract
Objectives
We evaluated late pregnancy abortions from 1981 to 2006 in Québec, Canada.
Methods
We extracted late abortions from the stillbirth mortality file, and calculated yearly rates per 100,000 pregnancies, including mean gestational age, birth weight, maternal age and education.
Results
There were 14.4 late abortions per 100,000 overall pregnancies [95% confidence interval 12.9, 16.1], and rates appeared to increase with time. Mean gestational age (24.7 weeks) and birth weight (886 g) suggested that abortions were performed in the late second and third trimesters.
Conclusions
Late abortions in Québec are not common but do occur. Research is needed to determine whether the increase in rates over time reflects better reporting or a true increase. Improved surveillance of late abortions may be warranted.
Résumé
Objectif
Évaluer les avortements tardifs au Québec, Canada, 1981–2006.
Méthode
Les avortements tardifs ont été extraits du fichier des mortinaissances, et les taux par 100,000 grossesses ont été calculés, ainsi que l’âge moyen gestationnel, le poids à la naissance, l’âge et l’éducation maternel.
Résultat
Il y avait 14,4 avortements tardifs pour 100,000 grossesses (intervalle de confiance de 95% = 12,9–16,1). Les taux semblent augmenter avec le temps. L’âge moyen gestationnel (24,7 semaines) et le poids (886 g) suggèrent que les avortements se sont produits pendant les deuxième et troisième trimestres.
Conclusion
Les avortements tardifs demeurent rares au Québec mais se produisent. Il reste à déterminer si l’augmentation dans le temps est réelle ou est la conséquence d’ une meilleure collecte de données. La surveillance des avortements tardifs semble justifiée.
References
Bartholomew S, Dzakpasu S, Huang L, Leon JA, Lindsay J, Liu S et al (2008) Canadian perinatal health report 2008 edition. Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, pp 9–36
Carriere KC, Roos LL (1994) Comparing standardized rates of events. Am J Epidemiol 140:472–482
De Wals P, Tairou F, Van Allen MI, Uh SH, Lowry RB, Sibbald B et al (2007) Reduction in neural-tube defects after folic acid fortification in Canada. N Engl J Med 357:135–142
Drey EA, Foster DG, Jackson RA, Lee SJ, Cardenas LH, Darney PD (2006) Risk factors associated with presenting for abortion in the second trimester. Obstet Gynecol 107:128–135
Gamble SB, Strauss LT, Parker WY, Cook DA, Zane SB, Hamdan S (2008) Abortion surveillance—United States, 2005. MMWR Surveill Summ 57:1–32
Graham RH, Robson SC, Rankin JM (2008) Understanding feticide: an analytic review. Soc Sci Med 66:289–300
Health Statistics Division (2008) Induced abortion statistics 2005. Statistics Canada, Canada, pp. 1–33
Institut national de santé publique du Québec et ministère de la Santé et Services sociaux du Québec (2006) Portrait de santé du Québec et de ses régions 2006: les statistiques—Deuxième rapport national sur l’état de santé de la population du Québec. Gouvernement du Québec, pp. 148–149
Ionescu-Ittu R, Marelli AJ, Mackie AS, Pilote L (2009) Prevalence of severe congenital heart disease after folic acid fortification of grain products: time trend analysis in Quebec, Canada. BMJ 338:b1673
Kaposy C (2009) The public funding of abortion in Canada: going beyond the concept of medical necessity. Med Health Care Philos 12:301–311
Somerville M (2010) Busting the abortion myths. The Montreal Gazette. Available: http://www.fpinfomart.ca/news/ar_form.php. June 2, 2010
Wyldes MP, Tonks AM (2007) Termination of pregnancy for fetal anomaly: a population-based study 1995 to 2004. BJOG 114:639–642
Acknowledgments
This study was not funded by an external source. The authors acknowledge with appreciation Robert Choinière (Institut national de santé publique du Québec), Chantal Girard (Institut de la statistique du Québec), and Madeleine Rochon (Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux).
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Auger, N., Denis, G. Late pregnancy abortions: an analysis of Québec stillbirth data, 1981–2006. Int J Public Health 57, 443–446 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-011-0313-1
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-011-0313-1