Abstract
Background
With changing patterns and increasing use of medical abortion in the United States,
it is important to have accurate statistics on the use of this method regularly available.
This study assesses the accuracy of medical abortion data reported annually to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and describes trends over time in
the use of medical abortion relative to other methods.
Study Design
This analysis included data reported to CDC for 2001–2008. Year-specific analyses
included all states that monitored medical abortion for a given year, while trend
analyses were restricted to states that monitored medical abortion continuously from
2001 to 2008. Data quality and completeness were assessed by (a) examining abortions
reported with an unspecified method type within the gestational age limit for medical
abortion (med-eligible abortions) and (b) comparing the percentage of all abortions
and med-eligible abortions reported to CDC as medical abortions with estimates based
on published mifepristone sales data for the United States from 2001 to 2007.
Results
During 2001–2008, the percentage of med-eligible abortions reported to CDC with an
unspecified method type remained low (1.0%–2.2%); CDC data and mifepristone sales
estimates for 2001–2007 demonstrated strong agreement [all abortions: intraclass correlation
coefficient (ICC)=0.983; med-eligible abortions: ICC=0.988]. During 2001–2008, the
percentage of abortions reported to CDC as medical abortions increased (p<.001 for
all abortions and for med-eligible abortions). Among states that reported medical
abortions for 2008, 15% of all abortions and 23% of med-eligible abortions were reported
as medical abortions.
Conclusion
CDC's Abortion Surveillance System provides an important annual data source that accurately
describes the use of medical abortion relative to other methods in the United States.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 09, 2012
Accepted:
May 30,
2012
Received in revised form:
May 17,
2012
Received:
March 18,
2012
Identification
Copyright
Published by Elsevier Inc.
