21. Global Demography of Abortion

Global Problems of Population Growth (MCDB 150)

Abortion is very common: worldwide, and in the US, there is 1 abortion for every 3.2 live births. In places where contraception is not used, abortion is used as birth control. Neither legal nor religious proscriptions have a strong effect on abortion rates. In countries where abortion is illegal, maternal death rates are extraordinarily high. Legal, medically done abortions are safer than getting pregnant. Psychological responses depend on the individual and the culture.

00:00 - Chapter 1. Abortion Data
11:22 - Chapter 2. Country Level Abortion Data
21:59 - Chapter 3. Abortion Rates: Health, Safety, Religion and Legality
30:40 - Chapter 4. Abortion: Legality and Health
42:25 - Chapter 5. Contraception and Abortion
55:14 - Chapter 6. Abortion as a Controversy

Complete course materials are available at the Open Yale Courses website: http://open.yale.edu/courses

This course was recorded in Spring 2009.