III. Abortion and mortality study. Twenty-year study in New York State exclusive of New York City.

An epidemiological study of abortion and abortion-related mortality in New York State (exclusive of New York City) shows a pattern of continued decline in mortality over the last 20 years. There is a discussion of maternal mortality associated with the following abortion-connected circumstances: infected spontaneous abortion, spontaneous abortion incidental to primary cause of death, therapeutic abortion, elective abortion, and illegal abortion. Infection was found to be the most important factor associated with abortion-related mortality. Women over 25 died 5 times more often than the teenage group who underwent abortion. Increased length of gestation increased the risk of death. Death from illegal abortion fell substantially after 1970, the year in which a liberalized abortion law was passed in New York.