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Induced Abortion Statistics
2003
Data quality, concepts and methodology
Explanatory notes for the tables
Table 1 Induced abortions, by area of report
and type of facility performing the abortion
| | Data sources: Statistics Canada, Therapeutic Abortion Database; Canadian
Institute for Health Information, Therapeutic Abortion Survey. Data users
should be aware of certain limitations to the Therapeutic Abortion Survey.
There are recognized issues concerning coverage, increased submission of aggregate
counts instead of detailed records and an increased reliance on age estimation.
Further information on methods and data quality is available in the "Definitions,
data sources and methods" section on the Statistics Canada website, under
the survey number 3209.
|
| | The number of induced abortions is provided by the province or territory
in which the abortion was performed. Counts include abortions performed in
Canadian hospitals and clinics on Canadian residents and non-residents of
Canada. Where indicated, the counts also include abortions performed in the
United States on Canadian residents.
|
| | Induced abortion is defined as the medical termination of pregnancy.
Equivalent terms include: artificial abortion, therapeutic abortion, voluntary
termination of pregnancy, elective termination of pregnancy and active termination
of pregnancy. Only counts of legally induced abortions are included.
|
| | Health departments in several American states, especially those along
the Canada and United States border have supplied information about abortions
obtained by Canadian residents, starting in 1971. These counts, however,
should be regarded as a minimum estimate because not all American states submit
reports, some private clinics may not report to the state health department
or the residence of the patient was not reported. The reports do not specify
if the abortion took place in a hospital or clinic (blank cells). 1
|
| | Abortions performed on Canadian residents in the United States are included
only at the combined hospital and clinic level.
|
| | Abortions performed in clinics were first reported by Quebec in 1978.
In other provinces such clinics came into operation soon after January 1988,
when the Supreme Court of Canada struck down the 1969 amended abortion
law.
|
| | As of 1983, Prince Edward Island no longer reports hospital abortions
to the Therapeutic Abortion Survey.
|
| | Clinic abortions are not reported (blank cells) by Prince Edward Island,
Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory, Northwest Territories or Nunavut.
|
| | Caution should be taken when comparing 1999 and later data
years with data from 1998 and earlier. As of 1999, the Ontario
Ministry of Health and Long-term Care no longer maintains a system for the
collection of detailed information on abortions performed in clinics in Ontario.
Ontario now uses the billing system of the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP)
to provide counts of clinic abortions to the Therapeutic Abortion Survey.
As a result, information is no longer available for clinic abortions performed
on non-residents of Ontario or on Ontario residents who do not submit a claim
to OHIP. A comparison of the data collected using both sources for the years 1995 to 1998 shows
that the new data source underestimated the clinic abortions performed on
Ontario residents by an average of 5.4% (950 cases) per year, or
approximately 1% of all abortions performed in Canada. The new source
does not include non-resident cases which averaged 70 cases per
year or .4% of total clinic abortions performed in Ontario.
|
| | For the 2003 data year, a facility in British Columbia did
not report to the Therapeutic Abortion Survey. Counts were estimated for this
facility based on the number of abortions reported by this facility in previous
years.
|
| | Nunavut came into being officially as a Territory of Canada on April 1, 1999.
Reports of abortions for 1999, however, are based on the full calendar
year (January to December). In previous years, the totals for the Northwest
Territories included residents of what became Nunavut.
|
| | For 2002 and 2003, Nunavut residents are excluded due
to incomplete reporting.
|
Table 2 Induced abortions, by type of facility
and area of residence of patient
| | Data sources: Statistics Canada, Therapeutic Abortion Database and Demography
Division (population estimates); Canadian Institute for Health Information,
Therapeutic Abortion Survey. Data users should be aware of certain limitations
to the Therapeutic Abortion Survey. There are recognized issues concerning
coverage, increased submission of aggregate counts instead of detailed records
and an increased reliance on age estimation. Further information on methods
and data quality is available in the "Definitions, data sources and methods"
section on the Statistics Canada website, under the survey number 3209.
|
| | Induced abortions by the usual area of residence of the person obtaining
the abortion. Counts include abortions performed on Canadian residents in
hospitals and clinics in Canada. Where indicated, the counts also include
abortions performed on non-residents of Canada obtaining an abortion in Canada
and abortions performed in the United States on Canadian residents. Rates
and ratios exclude non-residents of Canada.
|
| | Induced abortion is defined as the medical termination of pregnancy.
Equivalent terms include: artificial abortion, therapeutic abortion, voluntary
termination of pregnancy, elective termination of pregnancy and active termination
of pregnancy. Only counts of legally induced abortions are included.
|
| | The total includes induced abortions obtained by Canadian residents
and non-residents of Canada.
|
| | Non-residents of Canada who obtained an induced abortion in Canada.
|
| | Health departments in several American states, especially those along
the Canada and United States border have supplied information about abortions
obtained by Canadian residents, starting in 1971. These counts, however,
should be regarded as a minimum estimate because not all American states submit
reports, some private clinics may not report to the state health department
or the residence of the patient was not reported. The reports do not specify
if the abortion took place in a hospital or clinic (blank cells).
|
| | Abortions performed on Canadian residents in the United States are included
only at the combined hospital and clinic level.
|
| | Data are not available on the province or territory of residence of
patients who obtained abortions in clinics in 1991.
|
| | Abortions performed in clinics were first reported by Quebec in 1978.
In other provinces such clinics came into operation soon after January 1988,
when the Supreme Court of Canada struck down the 1969 amended abortion
law.
|
| | The number of induced abortions performed per 1,000 females
aged 15 to 44. Induced abortions performed on females aged 14 and
under, and females aged 45 and over are included in the numerator.
Excludes non-residents of Canada.
|
| | The number of induced abortions performed per 100 live births.
Excludes non-residents of Canada.
|
| | "Rate per 1,000 females aged 15 to 44" and
"Ratio per 100 live births" are not calculated for "Total, area
of residence of patient", "Non-residents of Canada", "Abortions reported by
American states" or "Province or territory not reported".
|
| | The population estimates used to calculate the rates for data years 1996 to
present were taken from CANSIM table 051-0001: Estimates of population,
by age group and sex, Canada, provinces and territories, annual.
|
| | Prince Edward Island has not reported to the Therapeutic Abortion Survey
since 1982. As of 1983, abortions performed on residents of Prince
Edward Island are only those reported by other provinces.
|
| | Caution should be taken when comparing 1999 and later data
years with data from 1998 and earlier. As of 1999, the Ontario
Ministry of Health and Long-term Care no longer maintains a system for the
collection of detailed information on abortions performed in clinics in Ontario.
Ontario now uses the billing system of the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP)
to provide counts of clinic abortions to the Therapeutic Abortion Survey.
As a result, information is no longer available for clinic abortions performed
on non-residents of Ontario or on Ontario residents who do not submit a claim
to OHIP. A comparison of the data collected using both sources for the years 1995 to 1998 shows
that the new data source underestimated the clinic abortions performed on
Ontario residents by an average of 5.4% (950 cases) per year, or
approximately 1% of all abortions performed in Canada. The new source
does not include non-resident cases which averaged 70 cases per
year or 0.4% of total clinic abortions performed in Ontario.
|
| | For the 2003 data year, a facility in British Columbia did
not report to the Therapeutic Abortion Survey. Counts were estimated for this
facility based on the number of abortions reported by this facility in previous
years.
|
| | Nunavut came into being officially as a Territory of Canada on April 1, 1999.
Reports of abortions for 1999, however, are based on the full calendar
year (January to December). In previous years, the totals for the Northwest
Territories included residents of what became Nunavut.
|
| | For 2002 and 2003, Nunavut residents are excluded due
to incomplete reporting.
|
Table 3 Selected induced abortions
statistics, by age group and area of residence of patient
| | Data sources: Statistics Canada, Canadian Vital Statistics, Birth Database;
Canadian Institute for Health Information, Therapeutic Abortion Database.
Data users should be aware of certain limitations to the Therapeutic Abortion
Survey. There are recognized issues concerning coverage, increased submission
of aggregate counts instead of detailed records and an increased reliance
on age estimation. Further information on methods and data quality is available
in the "Definitions, data sources and methods" section on the Statistics Canada
website, under the survey number 3209.
|
| | Induced abortion counts are taken from the Therapeutic Abortion Survey
that collects information on abortions performed in hospitals and clinics
in Canada, as well as on abortions performed on Canadian residents in selected
American states. Abortions performed on non-residents of Canada are excluded.
|
| | Induced abortion is defined as the medical termination of pregnancy.
Equivalent terms include: artificial abortion, therapeutic abortion, voluntary
termination of pregnancy, elective termination of pregnancy and active termination
of pregnancy. Only counts of legally induced abortions are included.
|
| | The "All ages" group is the total number of induced abortions performed
on Canadian residents. Rates for the "All ages" group is based on the population
of females aged 14 to 44. For the number of abortions per 100 live
births to females in the "All ages" group, the denominator is the total number
of births reported for all ages.
|
| | Rates for the "Under 20 years" age group are based on the
female population aged 14 to 19 years.
|
| | Rates for the "Under 15 years" age group are based on the
female population aged 14.
|
| | Rates for the "40 years and over" age group are based on the female
population aged 40 to 44.
|
| | For the "All ages" category, the "Proportion of induced abortions across
age groups" is not calculated. For the "Age unknown" category, only the "Number
of induced abortions" is provided.
|
| | For the 1994 to 1997 data years, a large number
of abortions were reported to the Therapeutic Abortion Survey without any
information on the age of the female. Age groups have now been estimated for
induced abortions at the Canada, provincial and territorial level. As a result
of these new estimations, any previously released age group statistics at
the Canada level will not match the latest Canada level statistics.
|
| | When data years 1995, 1996 and 1997 were originally
released, age estimations were not calculated for the counts of clinic abortions
where the area of residence was unknown and the age was unknown. Age estimations
have now been calculated for these counts, using the known national age distribution
for hospital abortions.
|
| | The population estimates used to calculate the rates for data years 1974 to
present were taken from CANSIM table 051-0001: Estimates of population,
by age group and sex, Canada, provinces and territories, annual.
|
| | Percentage distribution of induced abortions across age groups, excluding
abortions with no reported age.
|
| | Prince Edward Island has not reported to the Therapeutic Abortion Survey
since 1982. As of 1983, abortions performed on residents of Prince
Edward Island are only those reported by other provinces.
|
| | Caution should be taken when comparing 1999 and later data
years with data from 1998 and earlier. As of 1999, the Ontario
Ministry of Health and Long-term Care no longer maintains a system for the
collection of detailed information on abortions performed in clinics in Ontario.
Ontario now uses the billing system of the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP)
to provide counts of clinic abortions to the Therapeutic Abortion Survey.
As a result, information is no longer available for clinic abortions performed
on non-residents of Ontario or on Ontario residents who do not submit a claim
to OHIP. A comparison of the data collected using both sources for the years 1995 to 1998 shows
that the new data source underestimated the clinic abortions performed on
Ontario residents by an average of 5.4% (950 cases) per year, or
approximately 1% of all abortions performed in Canada. The new source
does not include non-resident cases which averaged 70 cases per
year or 0.4% of total clinic abortions performed in Ontario.
|
| | For the 1998 data year, Ontario reported 2,795 clinic
abortions with no age group information. The known proportion of Ontario residents
who obtained an abortion in hospital was used to estimate the age group of
these clinic counts. British Columbia also reported 725 clinic counts
with no age group information. The known proportion of British Columbia residents
who obtained an abortion in hospital was used to estimate the age group of
these clinic counts.
|
| | For the 2003 data year, a facility in British Columbia did
not report to the Therapeutic Abortion Survey. Counts were estimated for this
facility based on the number of abortions reported by this facility in previous
years.
|
| | For 2002 and 2003, Nunavut residents are excluded due
to incomplete reporting.
|
| | For data year 1999, counts and rates for Nunavut and the Northwest
Territories have been combined. Although Nunavut became a separate territory
as of April 1, 1999, not all sources of information (for example,
the Hospital Morbidity Database) used in the calculation of abortion statistics
contained enough information to provide complete and separate data for Nunavut
for the 1999 calendar year.
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