The Safety and Quality of Abortion Services in the United States: What Does the Evidence Indicate?
Authors: Bruce N. Calonge, Helene D. Gayle
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2018)

Ideas and Opinions19 June 2018The Safety and Quality of Abortion Services in the United States: What Does the Evidence Indicate?Bruce N. Calonge, MD, MPH and Helene D. Gayle, MD, MPHBruce N. Calonge, MD, MPHSchool of Medicine and School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado (B.N.C.)Search for more papers by this author and Helene D. Gayle, MD, MPHChicago Community Trust, Chicago, Illinois (H.D.G.)Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/M18-0662 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail The rate of abortions performed for U.S. women aged 15 to 44 years has decreased by half since 1980, from 29.3 per 1000 women to 14.6 per 1000 women in 2014 (1–3). With 926 190 abortions reported in 2014, abortion remains a common medical intervention and, as is standard for most medical interventions, should be assessed periodically for safety and quality. The Institute of Medicine last evaluated abortion services in 1975 (4). Many advances and improvements in available technologies have occurred since then. As such, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) was asked by a group of sponsors ...References1. Finer LB, Henshaw SK. Abortion incidence and services in the United States in 2000. Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2003;35:6-15. [PMID: 12602752] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Guttmacher Institute. Fact sheet: induced abortion in the United States. 2017. www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/induced-abortion-united-states. Google Scholar3. Jones RK, Jerman J. Abortion incidence and service availability in the United States, 2014. Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2017;49:17-27. [PMID: 28094905] doi:10.1363/psrh.12015 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Institute of Medicine. Legalized Abortion and the Public Health. Washington, DC: National Acad Pr; 1975. Google Scholar5. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The Safety and Quality of Abortion Care in the United States. 2018. www.nap.edu/catalog/24950/the-safety-and-quality-of-abortion-care-in-the-united-states. Google Scholar6. Institute of Medicine. Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century. Washington, DC: National Acad Pr; 2001. Google Scholar7. Jatlaoui TC, Ewing A, Mandel MG, et al. Abortion surveillance—United States, 2013. MMWR Surveill Summ. 2016;65:1-44. [PMID: 27880751] doi:10.15585/mmwr.ss6512a1 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Highlights of prescribing information: Mifeprex. 2016. www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2016/020687s020lbl.pdf. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: School of Medicine and School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado (B.N.C.)Chicago Community Trust, Chicago, Illinois (H.D.G.)Note: Drs. Calonge and Gayle are joint co-chairs of the Committee on Reproductive Health Services: Assessing the Safety and Quality of Abortion Care in the U.S.Disclosures: Authors have disclosed no conflicts of interest. Forms can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M18-0662.Corresponding Author: Bruce N. Calonge, MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Medicine and School of Public Health, University of Colorado, c/o 1600 Sherman Street, Denver, CO 80203.Current Author Addresses: Dr. Calonge: Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Medicine and School of Public Health, University of Colorado, c/o 1600 Sherman Street, Denver, CO 80203.Dr. Gayle: President and CEO, Chicago Community Trust, 225 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 2200, Chicago, IL 60601.Author Contributions: Conception and design: B.N. Calonge.Analysis and interpretation of the data: B.N. Calonge, H.D. Gayle.Drafting of the article: B.N. Calonge, H.D. Gayle.Critical revision of the article for important intellectual content: B.N. Calonge, H.D. Gayle.Final approval of the article: B.N. Calonge, H.D. Gayle.Collection and assembly of data: B.N. Calonge.This article was published at Annals.org on 20 March 2018. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited byMissouri’s Abortion law: Access to care for Patients with Lethal Fetal Anomalies at a Midwest Tertiary care CenterEffect of Mirena placement on reproductive hormone levels at different time intervals after artificial abortionBuilding Evidence through ResearchHangers, Potions, and Pills: Abortion Procedures on American Television, 2008 to 2018Consensus Guidelines for Facilities Performing Outpatient Procedures 19 June 2018Volume 168, Issue 12Page: 878-880KeywordsAnesthesiaFood and Drug AdministrationHealth care qualityPain managementPregnancyRapid eye movementResearch quality assessmentSafetySafety studiesSedation ePublished: 20 March 2018 Issue Published: 19 June 2018 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2018 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...