Want An Abortion? Good Luck Finding A Willing Doctor In The U.S.

A new survey published in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology shows that 97 percent of obstetrician-gynecologists have encountered patients wanting an abortion, but only 14 percent actually perform them (a 2008 survey put the figure at 22 percent). That leaves countless women seeking an abortion with nowhere to go a grim reality for someone like me who is decidedly pro-choice.

The nationwide survey included 1,144 practicing ob-gyns in the United States. Of those who do perform abortions, factors such as age, religion and gender play a huge role. Here’s an interesting breakdown of who’s most likely to perform one:

  • Female physicians are almost twice as likely to perform an abortion than male physicians (18.6 percent vs. 10.6 percent).
  • Young doctors aged 26-35 are most likely to offer abortion, followed by older ones aged 56-65.
  • Doctors in the Northeast or West are more likely than those in the South or Midwest to offer the procedure.
  • Urban doctors are more likely than rural doctors to perform abortions.
  • Jewish doctors are more likely to perform an abortion than any other religious group (40.2 percent of Jewish doctors said yes, compared with 20 percent of Hindus, 10.1 percent of Non-Evangelical Protestants, 9 percent of Roman Catholics or Eastern Orthodox and 1.2 percent of Evangelical Protestants).

(Photo: Hemera)

 

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