Annual Abortion Rate Research Articles

Characterizing two models for abortion care in Argentina pre-Law 27.610: 2016-2019.

Explore the use of two abortion care models in Argentina over the period 2016-2019: pro-rights private medical service providers and abortion accompaniment (via self-management and via health institutions); and compare the profile of who accesses these models and when. We used data from accompaniment collectives in the Socorristas en Red and private service providers. We estimated annual abortion rates via these service models and compared the profile of the populations by type of service and gestational age (2019) using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. In 2016, 37 people per 100,000 women of reproductive age obtained accompanied self-managed abortions, and the number increased to 111 per 100,000 in 2019, a threefold increase. The rate of abortions via care providers was 18 per 100,000 in 2016 and 33 in 2019. Higher proportions of those who obtained abortion via care providers were 30 years or older. A higher proportion of those accompanied were 19 years or younger; 11% of those who obtained accompanied self-managed abortions were more than 12 weeks gestation compared with 7% among those who had accompanied abortions via health institutions and 0.2% among those who had abortions with private providers. A higher proportion of those who accessed accompanied abortions after 12 weeks gestation had lower educational levels, did not work or have social security coverage, had more past pregnancies, and attempted to terminate their pregnancies prior to contacting the Socorristas compared to those who had accompanied abortions at 12 weeks or earlier. In Argentina, prior to Law 27.610 models of care guaranteed access to safe abortion. It is important to continue making visible and legitimizing these models of care so that all those who decide to have an abortion, whether inside or outside health institutions, have safe and positive experiences.

Contraception free of charge for young women in Tuscany: an interrupted time series analysis

Abstract The Regional Health Authority of Tuscany, ITALY, launched in November 2018 a public program providing all contraceptive methods free of charge to all young residing women after medical evaluation at free family counselling centres. We aimed to explore the effect of the regional program on five outcomes - abortions, contraception provision, access to family counselling centres, conception, and outpatient service utilization for six sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). These outcomes were retrospectively computed from January 2016 to December 2020 using regional administrative databases, and then expressed as both annual rates per 1,000 and monthly rates per 100,000 women aged 14 to 25 years and residing in Tuscany. We ran interrupted time series (ITS) models to analyze how the trends in monthly rates changed over time after the intervention (set in November 2018). The decline in annual abortion rates per 1,000 women doubled from 2016-2018 (-9%, from 7.0 to 6.4) to 2018-2020 (-17%, from 6.4 to 5.3). ITS models revealed a significant post-intervention decrease in monthly abortion rates (-0.61, -1.11 to -0.12) and a significant increase in both access rates to counselling centres (87.60, 77.77 to 97.43) and contraception provision rates (16.75, 0.31 to 33.19). Conception rates fell significantly just in under-18 women (-0.84, -1.39 to -0.28). A significant reduction in outpatient service utilization rates for STDs emerged for N. gonorrhoeae, HSV, and HPV. As a prime example of similar initiatives in Italy, the free contraception program of Tuscany promoted access to counselling and contraception services among young under-25 women, empowering the entire care pathway. As a result, abortion rates declined significantly in this group. The wider access to counselling centres to obtain free contraception and overall enhancement of the pathway might have fostered sexual education and reproductive health, leading to a reduction in teenage conception and STD spread. Key messages • This study proves the effectiveness of the free contraception campaign of Tuscany in reducing abortions and empowering the entire care pathway, providing further evidence for policy accountability. • Therefore, this study supports the maintenance of this program and suggests the potential benefits of implementing and promoting similar initiatives in other Regions.

Essai d’estimation de la prévalence de l’avortement provoqué au Maroc. Approche comparative

A major public health issue worldwide, induced abortion is probably the least documented demographic and social phenomenon in Morocco. The scarcity of data, the sensitivity of the subject due to its penalization by law (with some exceptions) and the social stigma, make abortion difficult to study. This article aims to contribute to the knowledge of the scale of this phenomenon in Morocco by combining direct and indirect methods. Based on data from the 2009-10 National Demographic Survey, the 2003-04, 2011, and 2018 National Family Planning and Health Surveys, in addition to the 2004 and 2014 General Population and Housing Censuses, the authors measured abortion rates using indirect approaches, such as the Bongaarts model (1978) and the reduced and improved Westoff method (2008), and a direct method based on women's self-reports. The annual abortion rate reached, respectively, according to the Bongaarts and improved Westoff method, 11.6‰ versus 37.6‰ in 2004, 5.1‰ versus 38.7‰ in 2009 and 4.4‰ versus 39.9‰ in 2014. In 2009-10, this rate reached 7.21‰ among unmarried women, 8.35‰ in rural areas and 6.34‰ in urban areas, according to the direct method. Estimates of annual abortion rates should be reproduced or completed by other approaches to better capture the reality of the level of this phenomenon in Morocco.

Contraceptive and abortion practices of young Ghanaian women aged 15\u201324: evidence from a nationally representative survey

BackgroundYoung Ghanaian women experience high rates of unmet need for contraception and unintended pregnancy, and face unique barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive health services. This study provides a comprehensive national analysis of young women’s contraceptive and abortion practices and needs.MethodsIn 2018, we conducted a nationally representative survey of women aged 15–49, including 1039 women aged 15–24. We used descriptive statistics, multivariable logistic and multinomial regression to compare young versus older (25–49 year-old) women’s preferred contraceptive attributes, reasons for discontinuing contraception, quality of counseling, use of Primolut N-tablet, method choice correlates, and friends’ and partners’ influence. We also examined youth’s self-reported abortion incidence, abortion methods, post-abortion care, and barriers to safe abortion.ResultsAmong Ghanaian 15–24 year-olds who had ever had sex, one-third (32%) were using contraception. Compared to older women, they had higher desires to avoid pregnancy, lower ever use of contraception, more intermittent sexual activity, and were more likely to report pregnancies as unintended and to have recently ended a pregnancy. Young contraceptors most commonly used condoms (22%), injectables (21%), withdrawal (20%) or implants (20%); and were more likely than older women to use condoms, withdrawal, emergency contraception, and N-tablet. They valued methods for effectiveness (70%), no risk of harming health (31%) nor future fertility (26%), ease of use (20%), and no effect on menstruation (19%). Infrequent sex accounted for over half of youth contraceptive discontinuation. Relative to older women, young women’s social networks were more influential on contraceptive use. The annual self-reported abortion rate among young women was 30 per thousand. Over half of young women used abortion methods obtained from non-formal providers. Among the third of young women who experienced abortion complications, 40% did not access treatment.ConclusionsYoung people’s intermittent sexual activity, desire for methods that do not harm their health, access barriers and provider bias, likely contribute to their greater use of coital-dependent methods. Providers should be equipped to provide confidential, non-discriminatory counseling addressing concerns about infertility, side effects and alternative methods. Use of social networks can be leveraged to educate around issues like safe abortion and correct use of N-tablet.

Isolation of Neospora caninum from a beef cattle fetus from Argentina: Immunopathological and molecular studies.

Neospora caninum is an important abortifacient agent affecting mainly cattle worldwide. The aim of the present work was to describe the histopathological findings in a naturally infected beef cow and its midterm fetus caused by a genetically defined N. caninum isolate in Argentina. A N. caninum seropositive multiparous Aberdeen Angus pregnant cow and its fetus in the sixth month of gestation were submitted for histopathological, immunohistochemical, serological, and molecular studies and parasite isolation. The cow belonged to a beef herd under extensive management, with a N. caninum seroprevalence of 11%, and low level of annual abortion rate (≤ 5%). The dam had mild lymphocytic infiltrate in CNS, heart and uterus and no parasites were detected by Immunohistochemistry (IHC). No parasitic DNA was detected in the dam's brain, and gamma interferon knockout mice inoculated with brain material did not become infected. Clusters of tachyzoites and parasitic DNA were detected in the placenta by IHC and PCR, respectively. However, isolation from the placenta was unsuccessful. The fetus developed specific antibodies and an inflammatory response was detected in multiple organs. Furthermore, in vitro and in vivo isolation was achieved from gamma interferon knockout mice inoculated with CNS from the fetus. Multilocus-microsatellite typing revealed a genetically defined N. caninum isolate similar to the previously reported as MLG 72. We report the first N. caninum isolate from beef cattle in Argentina.

Analysis of births, abortions and maternal mortality in adolescents in Ecuador from 2013 to 2016.

IntroductionAdolescent pregnancy is associated to school desertion, violence, termination of pregnancy under suboptimal conditions, obstetric complications and other consequences that can put the woman's quality of life at risk and of those that surround her. The purpose of this study is to describe the situation and tendencies of adolescent pregnancies, abortions and maternal deaths between 2013 and 2016 in Ecuador.MethodsThis cross-sectional study uses secondary data from national Ecuadorian vital statistics reports of adolescents between 10 and 19 years old. The data sources used register all the births, deaths and hospital discharges in the country at both public and private health establishments. We performed a descriptive analysis of qualitative and quantitative variables.ResultsEcuador has approximately 1.5 million female adolescents that gave birth to 256,561 newborns between 2013 and 2016, resulting in an average annual birth rate in early adolescence of 13.9 live births per 1000 and in late adolescence of 86.6 per 1000 live births.The number of registered abortions among adolescents between 2013 and 2016 was of 19,214. The estimated annual abortion rate in late stage adolescents is 6.3 abortions per 1000 women between 15 and 19. The estimated abortion ratio for this same age group is 72.9 per 1000 live births.Of all the adolescents that gave birth, 84.9% self-identified as mestiza, while 71.9% of Ecuador's general population identifies as such. Only 7% of the general population in Ecuador self-identifies as indigenous, while 21.6% of pregnancies come from this population. Out of all adolescents that gave birth, 57.4% of those aged 17 and over; 43% of those between 14 and 16 and 96.7% of adolescents from 10 to 13, completed the level of education for their age. There were 81 maternal deaths among this group. The maternal mortality rate for late stage adolescents is of 7.72 per 100,000.

Estimating The Annual Abortion Rate in Kerman, Iran: Comparison of Direct, Network Scale-Up, and Single Sample Count Methods.

BackgroundAbortion is a sensitive issue surrounded by social, cultural and religious stigmata. Therefore, estimation of its prevalence involves methodological challenges. The aim of this manuscript is to estimate the abortion prevalence, stratified by type, using a direct and two indirect methods.Materials and MethodsThis cross-sectional study was done in 2016, we recruited 1020 women aging 18-49 years. Three methods were applied to estimate the abortion prevalence: direct question, network scale-up (NSU), and single sample count (SSC). In the direct method, to guarantee anonymity, data were collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire. In other methods, data were collected through gender-matched street-based inter- views.ResultsThe annual rate of abortion estimated by direct and NSU methods were respectively 29 (10 intentional, 4 therapeutic and 15 spontaneous) and 23 (9 intentional, 3 therapeutic, and 11 spontaneous) per 1000 women aging 18-49 years. The annual rate of intentional abortion estimated based on SSC method was higher (15 per 1000 women) than other methods.ConclusionThe present estimates are higher than previously reported ones. The results of three methods more or less supported each other confirming the internal validity of our estimates.

Ecological study on the use of hormonal contraception, abortions and births among teenagers in the Nordic countries

ObjectivesCompare hormonal contraceptive use, birth and abortion rates among teenagers in the Nordic countries. A secondary aim was to explore plausible explanations for possible differences between countries.DesignEcological study using national...

Seroprevalence and risk factors associated with Brucella seropositivity in dairy and mixed cattle herds from Ecuador.

An extensive cross-sectional study to determine the seroprevalence of and associated risk factors for Brucella infection was performed in dairy and mixed (dairy-beef) cattle herds in Ecuador. A total of 2666 serum samples from 386 farms were analyzed using Rose Bengal test and a blocking ELISA test. In addition, a questionnaire with 57 variables related to management, feeding, facilities, biosecurity, and animal health was filled in every cattle farm. A Generalized Estimating Equations model was used to determine the factors associated with Brucella seropositivity. The true prevalence of Brucella seropositivity in dairy and mixed cattle from Ecuador reached 17.0% (CI95% 15.6-18.4%). The herd prevalence was 45.1% (174/386) (CI95% 40.1-50.1%), and the within-herd prevalence ranged from 10 to 100% (mean 38.9%; Q1 14.3%, Q2 26.8%, Q3 52.5%). Seven factors were included in the GEE model for Brucella seropositivity: the nominal variables sex (OR 2.03; CI95% 1.32-3.13), herd type (dairy) (OR 1.79; CI95% 1.11-2.87), closed facilities in the farm (OR 1.80; CI95% 1.19-2.74), and ad libitum feeding (OR: 0.32; CI95%: 0.19-0.54), and the quantitative variables age (OR 1.005; CI95% 1.001-1.009), average slope in the farm (%) (OR 1.013; CI95% 1.002-1.024), and annual abortion rate (OR 1.016; CI95% 1.002-1.031). This study remarks the high spread of Brucella infection in cattle farms from Ecuador. In addition, it reports the risk factors associated to this infection in the predominant extensive system existent in this country.

The Estimated Incidence of Induced Abortion in Ethiopia, 2014: Changes in the Provision of Services Since 2008.

In 2005, Ethiopia's parliament amended the penal code to expand the circumstances in which abortion is legal. Although the country has expanded access to abortion and postabortion care, the last estimates of abortion incidence date from 2008. Data were collected in 2014 from a nationally representative sample of 822 facilities that provide abortion or postabortion care, and from 82 key informants knowledgeable about abortion services in Ethiopia. The Abortion Incidence Complications Methodology and the Prospective Morbidity Methodology were used to estimate the incidence of abortion in Ethiopia and assess trends since 2008. An estimated 620,300 induced abortions were performed in Ethiopia in 2014. The annual abortion rate was 28 per 1,000 women aged 15-49, an increase from 22 per 1,000 in 2008, and was highest in urban regions (Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa and Harari). Between 2008 and 2014, the proportion of abortions occurring in facilities rose from 27% to 53%, and the number of such abortions increased substantially; nonetheless, an estimated 294,100 abortions occurred outside of health facilities in 2014. The number of women receiving treatment for complications from induced abortion nearly doubled between 2008 and 2014, from 52,600 to 103,600. Thirty-eight percent of pregnancies were unintended in 2014, a slight decline from 42% in 2008. Although the increases in the number of women obtaining legal abortions and postabortion care are consistent with improvements in women's access to health care, a substantial number of abortions continue to occur outside of health facilities, a reality that must be addressed.

Induced abortions and unintended pregnancies in pakistan.

During the past decade, unmet need for family planning has remained high in Pakistan and gains in contraceptive prevalence have been small. Drawing upon data from a 2012 national study on postabortion-care complications and a methodology developed by the Guttmacher Institute for estimating abortion incidence, we estimate that there were 2.2 million abortions in Pakistan in 2012, an annual abortion rate of 50 per 1,000 women. A previous study estimated an abortion rate of 27 per 1,000 women in 2002. After taking into consideration the earlier study's underestimation of abortion incidence, we conclude that the abortion rate has likely increased substantially between 2002 and 2012. Varying contraceptive-use patterns and abortion rates are found among the provinces, with higher abortion rates in Baluchistan and Sindh than in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. This suggests that strategies for coping with the other wise uniformly high unintended pregnancy rates will differ among provinces. The need for an accelerated and fortified family planning program is greater than ever, as is the need to implement strategies to improve the quality and coverage of postabortion services.

Some risk factors for reproductive failures and contribution of Toxoplasma gondii infection in sheep and goats of Central Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study

Reproductive failure has a negative impact on animal production, health and welfare and ultimately rural economies. In Ethiopia, the factors affecting small ruminant reproductive efficiency are inadequately investigated. A cross-sectional survey was done from November, 2010 to May, 2011 to investigate risk factors of reproductive failures including Toxoplasma gondii infection. Analysis of 1372 sera (787 sheep and 585 goats) from 409 flocks using ELISA showed high flock (59.7%) and animal (31.8%) level T. gondii seroprevalence. An overall 24.9% (341/1372) annual abortion rate (19.6% in sheep and 32.0% in goats) was recorded. Animal level T. gondii seroprevalence was significantly associated with abortion in Ambo and Ada’a-Liben districts (Odds ratio [OR]=2.31, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.42, 3.76; P=0.001). Questionnaire survey on 199 households of Ambo, Ada’a-Liben and Fentale districts revealed high flock level abortion (57.5%), still birth (28.9%) and neonatal losses (47.9%), which are significantly different between study districts (P<0.001). Multivariable logistic regression model showed that species (goat), large flock size, pastoral and agro-pastoral production systems, drinking water from river and stagnant water bodies, grazing/browsing in plain land and extensive management were significant predictors of flock level reproductive failures. In the final Zero inflated Poisson regression model number of abortions was significantly higher in goat than in sheep flocks (Incidence risk ratio [IRR]=1.42, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.87; P=0.012). It is also significantly higher in pastoral (IRR=1.81, 95% CI: 1.16, 2.83; P=0.008) and agro-pastoral production systems (IRR=1.94, 95% CI: 1.32, 2.86; P=0.001) than in sedentary production system. Prevention of toxoplasmosis, improved husbandry practices and further epidemiological studies to identify causes of reproductive failures are recommended.

The horror of unsafe abortion: case report of a life threatening complication in a 29-year old woman

BackgroundEvery year 42 million women with unintended pregnancies choose abortion, and fifty percent of these procedures, 20 million are unsafe. An unsafe abortion is defined as a procedure for terminating an unintended pregnancy carried out either by person lacking the necessary skills or in an environment that does not conform to minimal medical standards or both.Pakistan is the one of the six countries where more than 50% of the world’s all maternal deaths occur. It is estimated that 890,000 induced abortions are performed annually in Pakistan, and estimate an annual abortion rate of 29 per 1000 women aged 15-49.Case presentationHere we present a case report of a 29-year old woman who underwent an unsafe abortion for unintended pregnancy resulting in uterine perforation. The unskilled provider pulled out her bowel through vagina after perforating the uterus, as a result she lost major portion of her small intestine resulting in short bowel syndrome.ConclusionThe law of Pakistan only allows abortion during early stages of pregnancy for purpose of saving the life of a mother but does not cater for cases of rape, incest and fetal abnormalities or social reasons.Only legalization of abortion is not sufficient, preventing unintended pregnancy should be the priority of all the nations and for this reason contraception should be widely accessible.Practitioners need to become better trained in safer abortion methods and be to able transfer the patient to health facility when complications occur.

The Incidence of Menstrual Regulation Procedures and Abortion in Bangladesh, 2010

Bangladesh is unique in including menstrual regulation (MR) services as part of the government family planning program, despite having a highly restrictive abortion law. The only national estimates of MR and abortion incidence are from a 1995 study, and updated information is needed to inform policies and programs regarding the provision of MR and related reproductive health services. Surveys of a nationally representative sample of 670 health facilities that provide MR and postabortion care services and of 151 knowledgeable professionals were conducted in 2010, and MR service statistics of nongovernmental organizations were compiled. Indirect estimation techniques were applied to calculate the incidence and rates of MR and induced abortion. In 2010, an estimated 647,000 induced abortions were performed in Bangladesh, and 231,400 women were treated for complications of such abortions. Furthermore, an estimated 653,000 MR procedures were performed at facilities nationwide. However, an estimated 26% of all women seeking an MR at facilities were turned away, and about one in 10 of those who had an MR were treated for complications. Nationally, the annual abortion rate was 18.2 per 1,000 women aged 15-44, and the MR rate was 18.3 per 1,000 women. The incidence of induced abortion is the same as that of MR, which suggests considerable unsatisfied demand for the latter service. Furthermore, the high rates of complications from MRs highlight the need to improve the quality of clinical services. Increased access to contraceptives and MR services would help reduce rates of unplanned pregnancy and unsafe abortion.

Induced Abortion in Tehran, Iran: Estimated Rates and Correlates

Abortion is severely restricted in Iran, and many women with an unwanted pregnancy resort to clandes-tine, unsafe abortions. Accurate information on abortion incidence is needed to assess the extent to which women ?experience unwanted pregnancies and to allocate resources for contraceptive services. Data for analysis came from 2,934 married women aged 15-49 who completed the 2009 Tehran Survey of Fertility. Estimated abortion rates and proportions of known pregnancies that end in abortion were calculated for all women and for demographic and socioeconomic subgroups, and descriptive data were used to examine women's contraceptive use and reasons for having an abortion. Annually, married women in Tehran have about 11,500 abortions. In the year before the survey, the estimated total abortion rate was 0.16 abortions per woman, and the annual general abortion rate was 5.5 abortions per 1,000 women; the general abortion rate peaked at 11.7 abortions among those aged 30-34. An estimated 8.7 of every 100 known pregnancies ended in abortion. The abortion rate was elevated among women who were employed or had high levels of income or education, as well as among those who reported a low level of religiosity, had two children or wanted no more. Fertility-related and socioeconomic reasons were cited by seven in 10 women who obtained an abortion. More than two-thirds of pregnancies that were terminated resulted from method failures among women who had used withdrawal, the pill or a condom. Estimated abortion rates and their correlates can help policymakers and program planners identify subgroups of women who are in particular need of services and counseling to prevent unwanted pregnancy.

Performance of camels (Camelus dromedrius) kept by pastoralists with different degrees of experience in camel keeping in Borana, Southern Ethiopia

ABSTRACTThe aim of the present study was to investigate the performances of camels kept by pastoralists with different degrees of experience in camel production. The study was conducted on 60 selected camel herds twice a year; during wet and dry seasons of 2003 and 2004 in Borana, Southern Ethiopia. The average ages at first parturition and calving intervals of breeding females were 68.1 ± 0.5 and 25.5 ± 0.4 months (LSMean ± SE), respectively. Age at first parturition was significantly reduced by use of veterinary services, while variation was not observed among Borana, Guji, Gabra and Somali herds. Calving intervals were significantly shorter (P &lt; 0.05) in Borana (24.8 ± 0.6) and Guji (24.5 ± 1.5) than Somali herds (27.0 ± 0.5). Calving intervals were also prolonged (P &lt; 0.05) by fixing breeding time. Annual calving, abortion and calf mortality rates were similar for the four populations and averaged 37.3%, 9.3%, 20.3% in 2003, and 41.3%, 8.2%, 14.9% in 2004, respectively. The overall mortality rate was significantly higher (P &lt; 0.05) in Borana (10.0 ± 2.1) than in Gabra herds (4.2 ± 0.8). However, mortality was not statistically different for use of veterinary services and other managemental practices. The study showed an increase in annual herd growth by 5.7% in 2003 and 11.6% in 2004 with similarity of herd dynamics between the two years. Daily milk yield differed significantly (P &lt; 0.05) depending on veterinary services, watering frequency and the season (7.6 L during wet and 4.3 L during dry season). Similarly, milk yield was significantly higher (P &lt; 0.01) in Somali herds than in Borana and Gabra herds. In conclusion, the study revealed that some production and reproduction performances in camel herds have showed significant variation with varying levels of herding experience and veterinary services. This may suggest performance in pastoral camels can be enhanced with learning more about and using traditional management practices as well as improving animal health service delivery.

Rates of Induced Abortion in Iran: The Roles of Contraceptive Use and Religiosity

Iran has experienced a dramatic decline in fertility in recent decades, but limited access to legal abortion continues to lead many women whose pregnancies are unwanted or mistimed to undergo clandestine, unsafe abortions. No official data on the abortion rate in Iran have been collected, however. This study uses the 2000 Iran Demographic and Health Survey to estimate the abortion rate for the country as a whole and for specific regions, and to explore the role of contraceptive use and religiosity in explaining regional variations in abortion rates. We estimate the total abortion rate for the country to be 0.26 abortions per married woman, and the annual general abortion rate to be 7.5 abortions per 1,000 married women aged 15-49. We find that the negative effect of modern contraceptive use on the abortion rate is 51 percent greater than the negative effect of religiosity, and we highlight the implications of these findings for policies on reproductive health and family

Estimating the Incidence of Abortion in Pakistan

This study applies an indirect estimation method to develop comprehensive national and provincial estimates of the prevalence of abortion and abortion-related morbidity in Pakistan. Data from a health facilities survey and a health professionals survey from 2002 are analyzed to develop estimates of postabortion hospitalizations and of the abortion rate, abortion ratio, and unwanted pregnancy rate. We estimate that 890,000 induced abortions are performed annually in Pakistan, and estimate an annual abortion rate of 29 per 1,000 women aged 15-49. The abortion rate is found to be higher in provinces where contraceptive use is lower and where unwanted childbearing is higher. The unwanted pregnancy rate is estimated at 77 per 1,000 women, or about 37 percent of all pregnancies. Abortions account for termination of one in seven pregnancies. An estimated 197,000 women are treated annually in public hospitals and private teaching hospitals for induced abortion complications, a number equivalent to an annual rate of 6.4 women hospitalized as a result of unsafe induced abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-49.

Application of the Neospora caninum IgG avidity ELISA in assessment of chronic reproductive losses after an outbreak of neosporosis in a herd of beef cattle.

Point-source infections are most likely the cause for Neospora caninum-induced abortion outbreaks in cattle, whereas an increased annual abortion rate may be a consequence of vertical transmission. The aims of the present study were to examine the reproductive effects of neosporosis in a beef herd for 3 years, after a point-source outbreak and to use IgG avidity serology to examine the chronicity of infections and patterns of transmission. During the study, 76-78% of animals were seropositive for N. caninum. The pregnancy rate varied from 88% to 94%, without any reduction in the pregnancy rate of seropositive cows compared with seronegative cows. The annual abortion rate was 2.5-5.5%, and all but 1 abortion occurred in seropositive dams. The efficiency of vertical transmission was estimated to be 85%. Several calves, born to seronegative dams, were seropositive at 6-13 months of age, indicating a 22% mean annual rate of horizontal transmission. The mean avidity in seropositive cows increased from 30 during the initial outbreak to 74 after 3 years. The mode of IgG avidity was 21-40 during the initial abortion outbreak, 41-60 after 1 year, and 61-80 after 2 and 3 years. The results reveal high annual rates of both vertical and horizontal transmission of N. caninum in a herd of beef cows and provide further validation on the ability of the N. caninum IgG avidity ELISA to accurately assess the chronicity of infection.

A Long-Term Study of Neospora caninum Infection in a Swedish Dairy Herd

A longitudinal study was performed in a Swedish dairy herd where Neospora caninum had been isolated from a stillborn calf. Starting in autumn 1994, blood samples from all female animals in the herd were collected once yearly until 1999. The sera were analysed for presence of IgG1 antibodies to N. caninum by the iscom ELISA, and by an avidity ELISA to establish the timing of infection. In addition, data on reproductive performance were compiled. During the study the percentage of seropositive female animals increased from 63% to 87%. In 1994 a large number of young animals tested seropositive although their dams were seronegative, indicating that a transmission of the parasite other than the vertical had recently occurred. Low avidity values supported this assumption. The annual abortion rate increased from a mean of 2% before the initiation of the study to 9% in 1994–1998. During the same time, as judged by the avidity data, a large proportion of the animals shifted from being recently to being chronically infected. The source of the external infection in the herd could not be identified.