Arizona law requires a comprehensive annual statistical report on statistics and demographic characteristics of women obtaining abortions in Arizona. During the 2013 reporting year the total number of reported elective abortions performed in Arizona was 13,401, compared to 13,340 in 2012.
The report includes data compiled from reports of elective abortions, complications resulting from an abortion, and petitions compiled by the Arizona Administrative Office of the Courts authorizing an abortion to unemancipated minors. Facilities and providers submit abortion procedure and complication reports to the Arizona Department of Health Services on a monthly basis.
During the 2013 reporting year, ninety-nine percent of abortions performed within Arizona in 2013 were to resident women, a 1.0 percent increase from the 13,129 resident abortions in 2012. Approximately 58 percent of resident women who received an abortion were between 20 to 29 years of age. The majority of resident women obtaining abortions in Arizona were unmarried.
Compared to 2012, the 2013 abortion rate decreased for all adolescents groups 15 -19 years. The abortion rate among Arizona females age 18-19 years dropped 32.5 percent from 2012 to 2013. Surgical abortion procedures were used to perform approximately 72 percent of reported resident abortions. Abortions using non-surgical abortion procedures decreased nearly 4 percent from 32.0 percent in 2012 to 28.1 percent in 2013.
The number of abortions due to maternal and fetal medical conditions increased in 2013. Over fifty-two percent of abortions performed due to maternal medical conditions were performed at gestational ages of 13 weeks or fewer, 90.8 percent used primarily surgical procedures, and 97.4 percent were performed in hospitals. Over fifty-one percent of abortions performed due to fetal medical conditions were performed at gestational ages between 14 and 20 weeks, around 89 percent used primarily surgical procedures, and around 62 percent were performed in clinics. The age of resident women for both groups was similarly distributed.
During the 2013 reporting year hospitals and clinics reported 102 resident women who experienced complications resulting from an abortion. Of these, the majority resulted from abortions performed at gestational ages of 13 or fewer weeks. The most frequently reported complication was Delay or Excessive Hemorrhage.
The Arizona Administrative Office of the Courts reported a total of 53 petitions filed during the 2013 reporting year. Of those, 43 orders authorizing an abortion without parental consent were issued to unemancipated minors.