Demographics of women choosing outpatient early medical abortion
| Demographic | Hospital group (n=601) [n (%)] | SRH group (n=741) [n (%)] |
|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | ||
| Range | 16–45 | 16–46 |
| Mean (SD) | 26 (6.7) | 26.6 (6.0) |
| DepCat score* | ||
| 1–2 (Affluent) | 116 (19.3) | 118 (15.9) |
| 3–5 (Moderate) | 422 (70.2) | 532 (71.7) |
| 6–7 (Deprived) | 61 (10.1) | 83 (11.2) |
| Unknown | 2 (0.3) | 8 (1.0) |
| Reproductive history | ||
| Previous birth | 282 (46.9) | 333 (44.9) |
| Previous abortion | 203 (33.7) | 240 (32.3) |
| Previous miscarriage | 60 (9.9) | 66 (8.9) |
| Previous ectopic | 10 (1.6) | 14 (1.8) |
| Gestation (days) | ||
| ≤42 | 227 (37.7)† | 356 (48.0)† |
| 43–49 | 108 (17.9) | 153 (20.6) |
| 50–56 | 151 (25.1) | 142 (19.1) |
| 57–63 | 114 (18.9) | 89 (12.0) |
| ≥63 | 1 (0.1) | 1 (0.1) |
*The DepCat score is a marker of deprivation in Scotland based upon postcode area of residence, scoring from 1 (least deprived) to 7 (most deprived).
†A significantly higher proportion of women in the SRH group were at/under 42 days’ gestation (p=0.0002, Fisher's exact test).
SD, standard deviation; SRH, sexual and reproductive health.