Article Abstract:
Researchers studying the acceptability of various abortion techniques to women disagree about what weight to accord to attitudinal and behavioral factors. This is because women have often gone along with whatever abortion method was available, regardless of the psychological or physical stress involved. Experience in France and England indicates that most women would prefer a noninvasive to a surgical abortion procedure, although acceptability may be more dubious in developing countries. Possible standards for studying acceptability are listed and applied to a California study.
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Article Abstract:
The 'gag rule' on abortion counseling in federally funded family planning clinics contained a potentially broad therapeutic exception that was ignored by all sides of the debate. The therapeutic exception, which would have made physicians function as abortion gatekeepers, failed to provide a politically viable compromise because it did not appeal to the interests of abortion opponents, pro-choice advocates or medical authorities. This example illustrates some of the obstacles in the way of a compromise on the abortion issue.
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Article Abstract:
There are more than one million teenage pregnancies in the US each year, but there is no documentation of teenage girls' use of RU 486 as an abortifacient. Feelings of denial may lead to a belated recognition of pregnancy, which can rule out the use of RU 486 since this method must be used within two months of the last period. Teenagers' hesitant use of family planning services may also be due to confused feelings about their sexuality.
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