The remainder of the induced cases are unlawfully produced by the person herself or by some other person—criminal abortion.
The Committee received much evidence regarding the methods used in the attempt to procure abortion.
In the first instance it was shown that the use of so-called abortifacient drugs was extensively practised and was usually a first resort.
Little need be said about the matter at this stage except to state that the New Zealand evidence entirely supports the opinions expressed elsewhere that drug-taking is rarely effective.
Those tempted to use these drugs should realize the futility of the practice for the purpose intended and the frequency with which disturbances of health are caused by taking them.
Their only value is as a lucrative source of gain to those people who, knowing their inefficacy, yet exploit the distress of certain women by selling them.
It is perfectly clear that the real menace is the instrumentally produced abortion, either self-induced by the person herself or the result of an illegal operation performed by some outside person.
These abortionists include a few unprincipled doctors and chemists, a few women with varying degrees of nursing training, and a number of unskilled people.
It was a matter of considerable importance for the Committee to attempt to determine first the extent to which spontaneous abortions contribute to the total figures: the prevalence of unlawful abortion could then be better realized.
Here again it was found exceedingly difficult to obtain exact figures, but the evidence suggests that probably less than seven pregnancies in every 100 terminate in spontaneous abortion.