NEWS RELEASE
July 6, 1999

Engler Announces Abortions Down for Fifth Consecutive Year
Since 1987, Abortions Down 43 percent

Governor John Engler today announced that for the fifth consecutive year, abortions have declined in Michigan. There were 28,107 induced abortions performed in Michigan during 1998 compared to 29,528 induced abortions performed in 1997, a decrease of 4.8 percent.

"I am proud to report that since 1987, abortions have declined 43 percent in Michigan," said Engler. "My administration has long focused on improving the lives of children, and this report dramatically shows the progress our state has made in protecting the lives of unborn children."

"Abortion rates decline due to a variety of reasons – awareness, legislation, abstinence and available family planning" said Michigan Department of Community Health Director James K. Haveman, Jr. "I am pleased to see abortion rates decline for the fifth consecutive year."

In 1998, 51.8 percent of women receiving an induced abortion were under 25 years of age compared to 67.3 percent in 1980. In 1998, 20 percent of women receiving an induced abortion were under 20 years of age compared to 31.4 percent in 1980.

Data from Michigan’s 28 largest cities show an overall decline in 1998 in the number of induced abortions performed, down 1.3 percent from 1997. Of the women receiving induced abortions, 82.6 percent of them were not married, down from 84.6 percent reported in 1994,which was the highest this percentage has been since reporting began in 1980.

Over half, 59.0 percent, of the women obtaining induced abortions in 1998 had a previous term pregnancy. Of the women who had a previous term pregnancy, more than one-half in 1998 had two or more previous term pregnancies.

Among induced abortions reported in 1998 in Michigan, most involved pregnancies of 12 weeks or less, 89.5 percent, and suction was the most frequent abortion procedure used at 82.9 percent.

Abortions performed in physicians’ private offices represented 67.6 percent of all reported induced abortions in 1998. Those performed in free-standing outpatient surgical facilities comprised 29.9 percent, with the remainder occurring in hospitals or at their satellite clinics. In 1998, complications were reported in 24 cases or one of each 1,000 induced abortion performed. Shock was the most frequent complication reported in 1998.

The report is a result of physician reporting to the Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics in the Michigan Department of Community Health.