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ABORTION <br />10 <br />The rate of abortion in Orange County during the <br />year 1988 was s:i.gnificantly higher than that of the <br />state. (O.C. - 311.5; N.C. - 11.1; 36. differential). <br />As is the case with the pregnancy rate, when these rates <br />are stratified by age, the abortion rate among women <br />25 44 is higher than that Of the state while the rate <br />for those age 15 -24 is lower. How-ever, of those women <br />in Orange County ages 15 -19 who became pregnant, <br />approximately 69% chose abortion in 1988 as compared to <br />40% of teens ages 17-19 in the state. The difference <br />might be explained by an overall higher education and <br />socioeconomic level among women in the county, <br />particularly in Chapel Hill, as compared to the state <br />and differences in future plans among these groups. <br />(See Tables 5 and 6) <br />In evaluating the statistics of abortion in Orange <br />County the abortion rates and abortion fractions were <br />looked at. The abortion rate is defined as the number <br />of induced abortions per 1,000 women of reproductive <br />age. The abortion fraction is the number of induced <br />abortions per 1,000 reported pregnancies. In looking at <br />the abortion fraction, Orange County is higher in all <br />age groups in comparison to the state. This is a <br />significant indicator of the high number of unwanted <br />pregnancies in the county. <br />When stratifying these rates by race there is a <br />greater likelihood that a nonwhite woman will choose <br />abortion than a white woman. The higher rate of <br />abortion may be at least partially related to the higher <br />rate of pregnancy among nonwhite women. (See Tables 5 <br />and 6) <br />Fi <br />