About 10 percent of abortions occur after 13 weeks of pregnancy, according to a new Guttmacher Institute study, while two thirds of Americans are in favor of first trimester abortions.
The study asked 9,500 women who obtained abortions in 2008 to detail the terms of their procedures. Researchers drew several conclusions from the results.
Of the various demographics analyzed, the study found women aged 14 to 19 were more likely to have a second-term abortion than older women. Researchers also concluded that black women are more likely than women of all other races to have late abortions.
Women with less education and women leading tumultuous lives were also more likely to receive second-trimester abortions. Researches claim women in these groups may have late abortions because they were unable to get one earlier.
The findings led researchers to conclude that women in the groups of highest abortion rights – particularly black women and women of little education – “would most benefit from increased availability of first-trimester abortion services.”
Women are more likely to use health insurance to pay for later abortions, according to the study.
Rachel Jones, one of the study’s researchers, told The Washington Post that the decision to pay with health insurance is in part due to the rising costs associated with late abortions.
“When planning a first-trimester, it’s easier to pay for it out of pocket,” Jones said. “Many may not want their employer or family to know. But as it becomes more expensive, seeking a second-trimester abortion, they may sacrifice the privacy because of the price.”
About 20 percent of all abortions in 2008 were paid for by Medicaid.
The Guttmacher Institute conducted the study because, it claimed in the study’s objective, that “little is known about the characteristics of second-trimester abortion patients.”
The study, which was released on Friday after several years of analysis, measured women of all demographics including age, race, marital status, previous births and abortions, education, wealth and more.