The 2016 Annual Abortion Report presents information derived from both the “Confidential Abortion Reports” and “Post-Abortion Care Reports for Complications” in Ohio (reporting forms are included as Appendices I and II). Readers should note that abortion statistics in this report are limited to terminations occurring in Ohio; they do not include Ohio residents who obtained abortions outside the state.
Characteristics of Induced Abortions Reported in Ohio, 2016
Characteristics of Induced Abortions Reported in Ohio, 2016 Induced abortion statistics have been prepared in Ohio since 1976. Several trend comparisons in the 2016 Annual Abortion Report date back to 2003. A total of 20,672 induced pregnancy terminations were reported in Ohio for 2016, including 19,543 obtained by Ohio resident women (94.5%). This represents a 1% reduction in induced pregnancy terminations from 2015 to 2016. Overall, since 2001 there has been a steady decline in terminations. When examined from 2001 to 2016, the annual decline averaged approximately 900 per year (Figure 1).
Approximately one in ten women who obtained an abortion in 2016 were under 20 years of age, with another one-third between the ages of 20-24 years of age (Table 2). While the age distribution of resident women obtaining abortions has remained relatively unchanged since 2001, the age-specific abortion rates for women under age 25 have steadily decreased (Figure 5). Approximately 85% of women with known marital status who obtained abortions were never married, divorced, or widowed (Table 2). Fifteen percent of women who obtained an abortion and whose marital status was known were married or separated (Table 2). Forty-nine percent of resident women who obtained an abortion and for whom race was reported were White; 44% were African American; 3% were Asian/Pacific Islander; and 3% reported more than one race (Figure 2). Four percent of women with known ethnicity who obtained an abortion were of Hispanic origin (Table 1).
The 2016 Ohio abortion rate was 8.9 per 1,000 resident women ages 15-44 years old; unchanged from the rate in 2015 (Figure 4). The 2016 Ohio resident abortion ratio was 142 abortions per 1,000 live births; unchanged from the ratio in 2015 (Figure 4).
More than half of all induced abortions involved pregnancies of less than nine weeks (54%), approximately 30% occurred pregnancies of nine to 12 weeks (Table 2). The proportion involving abortions of less than nine weeks increased from 49% in 1997, while the proportion between nine and 12 weeks declined from 35% to 30% (Figure 7). There were 508 abortions in 2016 involving pregnancies of 19 or more completed weeks of gestation (Table 2). That represents an increase from the 478 reported in 2015. The abortion reporting form requests method used to determine gestational age: ultrasound was used in 96% of cases (Table 8b). The vast majority of reported abortions were obtained in six major metropolitan areas of Ohio.
Curettage was the most used method of termination in 2016 (53%) (Table 7). This method has decreased since 2001, when 87% of terminations were by curettage. Mifepristone was reported as the medication for nonsurgical termination for 3,552 abortions, followed by 434 terminations using misoprostol, and 199 terminations using methotrexate (Table 7).
Approximately one in ten women who obtained an abortion in 2016 were under 20 years of age, with another one-third between the ages of 20-24 years of age (Table 2). While the age distribution of resident women obtaining abortions has remained relatively unchanged since 2001, the age-specific abortion rates for women under age 25 have steadily decreased (Figure 5). Approximately 85% of women with known marital status who obtained abortions were never married, divorced, or widowed (Table 2). Fifteen percent of women who obtained an abortion and whose marital status was known were married or separated (Table 2). Forty-nine percent of resident women who obtained an abortion and for whom race was reported were White; 44% were African American; 3% were Asian/Pacific Islander; and 3% reported more than one race (Figure 2). Four percent of women with known ethnicity who obtained an abortion were of Hispanic origin (Table 1).
The 2016 Ohio abortion rate was 8.9 per 1,000 resident women ages 15-44 years old; unchanged from the rate in 2015 (Figure 4). The 2016 Ohio resident abortion ratio was 142 abortions per 1,000 live births; unchanged from the ratio in 2015 (Figure 4).
More than half of all induced abortions involved pregnancies of less than nine weeks (54%), approximately 30% occurred pregnancies of nine to 12 weeks (Table 2). The proportion involving abortions of less than nine weeks increased from 49% in 1997, while the proportion between nine and 12 weeks declined from 35% to 30% (Figure 7). There were 508 abortions in 2016 involving pregnancies of 19 or more completed weeks of gestation (Table 2). That represents an increase from the 478 reported in 2015. The abortion reporting form requests method used to determine gestational age: ultrasound was used in 96% of cases (Table 8b). The vast majority of reported abortions were obtained in six major metropolitan areas of Ohio.
Curettage was the most used method of termination in 2016 (53%) (Table 7). This method has decreased since 2001, when 87% of terminations were by curettage. Mifepristone was reported as the medication for nonsurgical termination for 3,552 abortions, followed by 434 terminations using misoprostol, and 199 terminations using methotrexate (Table 7).
