The relationship between induced abortion and family formation.
This article examines the relationship between induced abortion and family formation. It argues that the exis-tence of the possibility of induced abortion has contribut-ed to making family formation an issue of choice. The article examines the development of induced abortion in Denmark and makes certain comparisons with other European countries. The Danish legislation on induced abortion (within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy) was based on medical social and feminist arguments. Abortion was viewed as an alternative to other forms of prevention. In the 1990’s the arguments have changed; now induced abortion is to be considered the final resort after other forms of prevention failed. And too from previously viewing induced abortion in terms of women’s health or family wel-fare, the arguments now argue that abortion is a (potential) killing of a child and therefore should be avoid-ed. Since the Danish law went into effect in 1975, both the abortion rate and the absolute number of induced abor-tions has fallen. Danish statistics indicate that abortion and fertility development are not complementary, both fell until 1983, and since then the abortion rate has remained stable while the fertility rate has increased. European figures indicate that countries with a high age at birth of the first child, have a low rate of induced abortion, and that it is not just access to induced abortion that makes a low fertility level possible. Late family formation is not related to a high rate of abortion.
