Abortion Laws: A Study in Social Change

The management of unwanted pregnancy by the medical practitioner is changing radically in California and in the United States. This change is manifested by the rapid increase in the number of abortions being performed in accredited hospitals throughout the state. Before 1967, under the restrictive law in force up to that time, 1.8 abortions per 1,000 live births were performed in California hospitals. In the first year under the new Therapeutic Abortion Act, the statewide rate was 11.2 abortions per 1,000 live births. Single hospital rates were or have since become much higher; 100 to 300 abortions per 1,000 live births or in some university affiliated hospitals more abortions than live births. What are the reasons for and the implication of this change