To the Editor: Over a third of women seeking a termination of pregnancy (TOP) in Melbourne are aged 30 years or over.1 Between 1996 and 2006, there was a 29% increase in the number of women aged 30–50 years having a TOP.2 Possible reasons for this trend are not immediately apparent.
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- 1. Rowe HJ, Kirkman M, Hardiman EA, et al. Considering abortion: a 12-month audit of records of women contacting a Pregnancy Advisory Service. Med J Aust 2009; 190: 69-72. <MJA full text>
- 2. Abigail W, Power C, Belan I. Changing patterns in women seeking terminations of pregnancy: a trend analysis of data from one service provider 1996–2006. Aust N Z J Public Health 2008; 32: 230-237.
- 3. Adelson PL, Frommer MS, Weisberg E. A survey of women seeking termination of pregnancy in New South Wales. Med J Aust 1995; 163: 419-422.
- 4. Finer L, Frohwirth L, Dauphinee L, et al. Reasons US women have abortions: quantitative and qualitative perspectives. Perspect Sex Reprod Health 2005; 37: 110-118.
- 5. Marie Stopes International. Real choices: women, contraception and unplanned pregnancy. Web survey, Jan 2008. http://www.mariestopes.com.au/contents/Real%20Choices%20-%20Key%20Findings .pdf (accessed Aug 2008).
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We thank Mark Jones and the staff at the Women’s Clinic on Richmond Hill, Melbourne, for their assistance with data collection. We gratefully acknowledge the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Research Foundation for its support of our project. The project was funded by the Primary Health Care Research, Evaluation and Development program and the PWH Grieve Memorial Award.
Wendy Lee is a GP employed at the Women’s Clinic on Richmond Hill, where she works once a week. Our research is based on data from this clinic recorded by nine pregnancy counsellors, including her own.