tion data are difficult to collect , and national statistics can only be considered estimates. The figures included in this paper are primarily based on the data provided by the Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI). AGI data are based on national surveys of health institutions and private physicians providing abortion services. Today, about 40% of the 1.1 million pregnancies of females under the age of twenty annually are terminated by induced abortions. Nearly one-third of all abortions are done on women under the age of twenty. (Melton, 1986:41)A substantial number and proportion of abortions are obtained by teenagers. In 1981 more than 1 in 4 of the estimated 1,577,340 abortions performed were to teenagers; 6 out of 10 to 15-19 year olds were to teenagers 18-19 years of age. The chart that I included on the following page lists the number and distribution of legal abortions, abortion rates per 1,000 women, and percentage of pregnancies terminated by abortion, by age group from 1973 to 1981. (Melton 1986:43)The number of teenage abortions has risen since the Supreme Court decision in 1973, but not as rapidly as the number of abortions to other woman of childbearing age. From 1973 to 1981, the number of abortions to women aged 20-44 went from744,620 to 1,577,340 a rise of 112%. In contrast, the number of abortions to teenagers increased from 244,570 a rise of 84%. (Melton 1986:45)The increase in number of abortions has been greater for older teenagers. Between the ages 15-19, the number of abortions went from 232,440 in 1973 to 433,330 in 1981, an increase of 86%. Below age 15, the increase was 31%, from 11,630 to 15,240. (Melton 1986:45)Teenagers between 18 and 19 years of age have the highest demand for abortion services for women of any age, at 61.8 per 1,000 in 1981. For teenagers aged 15-17 years, the rate was 30.1%. For teenagers below age 15 it was 8.6. (Melton 1986:60)The rise in teenage abortion rates has been grea...
