Report of the Committee of Inquiry into the Various Aspects of the Problem of Abortion in New Zealand

by New Zealand. Committee of Inquiry into various aspects of the Problem of Abortion in New Zealand; D. G. McMillan

PART II.—THE UNDERLYING CAUSES OF ABORTION IN NEW ZEALAND.

As seen by the Committee, the reasons which lead to a resort to abortion may be set out under the following broad headings:—

(1) Economic and domestic hardship.

(2) Fear of labour and its sequelæ.

(3) Pregnancy in the unmarried.

(4) Changes in social outlook.

(5) Ignorance of effective methods of contraception and of the dangers of abortion.

(6) Influence of advertising.

(1) Economic and Domestic Hardship.

(a) Poverty.—Cases arise where the parents are on the bread-line and have no means of supporting a child, but the Committee is of opinion that such extreme poverty is rare in New Zealand.