Abortion has been legal since 1970 in Singapore. This report traces the events leading to the liberalization of abortion laws and examines women's changing attitudes toward abortion, in Singapore. The method of abortion practiced by obstetricians, postabortal sterilization, and the effect of legalized abortion on the incidence of illegal abortion in the country are also examined.
PIP: The Abortion Act of 1969 was instituted to protect women against the dangers of illegal abortions. With this act came a liberalization of attitudes toward abortion. The researchers have done an epidemiological study of legalized abortion in Singapore from 1970 to 1983. They note an annual increase in the number of abortions for this period, with the rate finally plateauing at about 28/1,000 women of reproductive age. An increasing % of these women are unmarried and childless and 3/4 of the abortion seekers are over 20 years of age. The teenage abortion rate has remained stable at 8 to 9% of all abortions. The most common reasons given for desiring abortion were completion of desired family size and inability to finance an additional child. Interestingly, those citing single status as their reason for abortion increased from 4 to 27% by 1983.