Part 9 (1/2)

I. The Committee is convinced that the induction of abortion is exceedingly common in New Zealand, and that it has definitely increased in recent years.

It has been estimated that at least one pregnancy in every five ends in abortion; in other words that some 6,000 abortions occur in New Zealand every year.

Of these, it is believed that 4,000, at a conservative estimate, are criminally induced either through the agency of criminal abortionists or by self-induction, either of which is equally dangerous.

It is clear that death from septic abortion occurs almost entirely in such cases.

Such deaths have greatly increased in recent years, and now const.i.tute one-quarter of the total maternal mortality: in some urban districts it amounts to nearly half of the total maternal mortality.

New Zealand has, according to comparative international statistics, one of the highest death-rates from abortion in the world.

II. The Committee, after taking evidence from witnesses representing all sections of the community, has formed the conclusion that the main causes for this resort to abortion are:--(1)Economic and domestic hards.h.i.+p; (2)changes in social and moral outlook; (3) pregnancy amongst the unmarried; and (4) in a small proportion of cases, fears of childbirth.

These matters are fully discussed.

III. Consideration has been given to the possible remedying of these causes.

(_a_) In so far as economic hards.h.i.+p is the primary factor, certain recommendations have been made regarding financial, domestic, and obstetrical help by the State.

(_b_) To lessen any fear of childbirth where this exists, it has been recommended that the public should be informed that New Zealand now has a very low death-rate in actual childbirth and that relief of pain in labour is largely used. At the same time the Committee has advocated that further efforts in the direction of pain relief should be explored.

(_c_) For dealing with the problem of the unmarried mother, the Committee considers that the attack must be along the lines of more careful education of the young in matters of s.e.x, prohibition of the advertis.e.m.e.nt and sale of contraceptives to the young, and a more tolerant att.i.tude on the part of society towards these girls and their children.

(_d_) The Committee believes, however, that the most important cause of all is a change in the outlook of women which expresses itself in a demand of the right to limit--or avoid--the family, coupled with a widespread half-knowledge and use of birth-control methods--often ineffective. These failing, the temptation to abortion follows.

The Committee can see only two directions in which abortion resulting from these tendencies can be controlled:--

(1) By the direction of birth-control knowledge through more responsible channels, where, while the methods would be more reliable, the responsibilities and privileges of motherhood, the advisability of self-discipline in certain directions, and other aspects of the matter would be discussed.

The Committee believes that it is through the agency of well-informed doctors, and, to a certain extent, through clinics a.s.sociated with our hospitals, that this advice should be given.

It is not, however, considered that this is a matter for the State except to a limited degree.