Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The purpose of this survey was to collect data from a random sample of women living in England, Wales and Scotland and having abortions in the Spring of 1972 and to find out whom they had consulted in the process, the number of consultations, any delays involved and the reasons for them, and what the women felt about the way they had been treated.

Main Topics:

Attitudinal/Behavioural Questions Type of hospital, gestation weeks at operation (patient and calculator estimates) and reason for discrepancy where appropriate. Details of respondent's own GP (religion, sex, type of practice), number of consultations prior to abortion (number and type of doctors and other professionals). Discussion of possibility of abortion with friends and/or relatives, satisfaction with discussion of (dis)advantages and reasons for abortion, whether pregnant by husband (if married), desire for more children, number of previous abortions (whether NHS or private), methods of contraception ever used/used around time of conception (reasons). Future intended contraceptive practice, discussion of birth control with doctors or other professional staff, whether sterilization discussed, satisfaction with decision process for abortion and/or sterilization. Costs involved (operational, consultations, fares, lost pay), length of journey from home to clinic/hospital, number of weeks between consultation and operation, satisfaction with treatment from medical staff, details of operation (understanding and expectation of respondent). Employment status at time of conception and attitude to returning to work. Advice respondent would give to a person in similar circumstances about abortion. Background Variables Age, age finished full-time education, place of birth, religion, marital status, number of children (ages), social class, household composition, persons per room, amenities (whether shared), country of residence, length of stay in England.

Multi-stage stratified random sample

two-stage 1. Selection of hospitals and approved places by systematic sampling. Then stratified by number of abortions performed (ie less than or more than 50). 2. Sample of patients: total sample for patients in institutions performing less than 50 abortions per quarter, and patients in institutions performing more than 50 abortions per quarter selected with probability proportional to the number of abortions performed.

Face-to-face interview