[Legal abortivity and life project of women]. / Abortivita volontaria e progetti di vita femminile

PIP: This article concerns the relationship between fertility and legal abortivity in the first 5-year period of the 80's. The legal abortivity pattern of married women, by age and prior fertility is studied in 4 typical regions. This typology is stated considering both levels of fertility of abortivity at 1980-81 (low fertility-low abortivity; low fertility-high abortivity; high fertility-high abortivity; high fertility-low abortivity). In each region the change in the age-conception order specifies abortivity rate is examined by a regression model. Same interesting results can be stressed. Young women seem to be the most involved in the changing fertility pattern during the years considered. They appear at 1984-85 with a number of children more strictly reduced than during 1980-81. Of them, those residing in the too low fertility regions, as well as those residing in the high fertility-high abortivity region seem to be exposed to a lower risk of a legal abortion. The same results cannot be found for young residents in the high fertility-low abortivity region. In other words, those above seem to be in progress as it concerns the prevention possibility of an unplanned conception, otherwise the same cannot be stated for these latter. Many more women had a legal abortion in the early 80's, while less younger women, in a similar status, seem to risk the same 5 years later. At least, spreading knowledge about family planning methods seems to be working as outlined in the spirit of the 194 law operating in public health services. (Author's modified).^ieng

[Legal abortion and reproductive behavior in Italy]. / Abortiva' legale e comportamento riproduttivo in Italia.

PIP: This article discusses the problem of voluntary abortion from a strictly demographic point of view. The act of voluntarily interrupting a pregnancy is considered as an action concretely showing women's personal difficulties in accepting any change in their own demographic situation, because of an unplanned conception (change from the status of unmarried girl to that of spouse or from mother of a single child to mother of 2 children). This study is necessarily partial since the statistical sources comprehensively present data only on legal abortions. This problem is discussed as the most relevant question concerning the study's results. The results, derived from an analysis of legal abortion by age and civil status, can be summarized as follows. All women seem to consider marriage the only preliminary condition in order to choose having a child. However, many women consider completing their education or a career more urgent than their own family building. On the other hand, married women who live with their husbands and children seem to be clearly unwilling to have more than a 2nd order birth. The youngest as well as the oldest women seem to be uncertain often about having a 2nd birth.^ieng