Advances in research of abortion in Russia

Official statistics in Russia provides limited information on induced abortion: distribution of annual numbers of abortions either by type of abortion or by 5-year age groups. Such important information as socio-demographic profile of women who had abortion, motivation for abortion, medical facilities in which abortions are performed, post-abortion family planning consulting is available only from sample surveys.
Proposed paper demonstrates that the first nationally representative Russian Reproductive Health Survey 2011 based on individual pregnancy histories of 10 010 female respondents aged 15-44 answers most of the above-mentioned questions. RHS results show that for 35% of women reported ever having one or more abortions,level of education was the most significant factor of induced abortion in Russia, in contrast to place of residence or well-being.
Socio-economic circumstances (33%), desire to stop childbearing (24%), partner opposition to another child (17%), health reasons (11%), and desire to space the next birth (10%) were mentioned as the major reasons of abortion. 62% of respondents who had an abortion in 2006-2011 received family planning consulting around the time of having abortion, meanwhile women who experienced their first abortion in this time period were the most likely to receive counseling and supplies.