Neonatal death after induced abortion (Hebrew)

Previous induced abortions were reported by 7.2% of 9,874 pregnant women interviewed in the Jerusalem Perinatal Study in 1966-68. The rate was highest in women of North African origin and lowest in Arabs, when other factors were taken into account. Previous abortions were rarely reported by women having their first baby, but rose in frequency with increasing birth order, reached a maximum in those having their fourth baby, and then decreased. Abortions were negatively correlated with degree of religious observance, age at marriage and previous stillbirths. They were positively correlated with age at interview, smoking, uterine scars, bleeding, vomiting and medication early in pregnancy. Among the 11,057 singleton babies born to those interviewed neonatal deaths were 2-3 times more common when previous abortions were reported and there was a greater frequency of low birth weight and of both major and minor birth defects. However, there were no differences in the frequency of stillbirths, or in sex ratio or mean birth weight.