ABORTION TRENDS

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in Webster vs. Reproductive Health Services, a case in which numerous abortion foes and the federal government have asked the high court to reverse Roe vs. Wade and allow individual states to regulate abortion. In that 1973 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that the choice to have an abortion is a decision protected by a constitutional right of privacy.

Following is the trend in the number of abortions performed in Orange County, the state and the United States since 1973, according to the Alan Guttmacher Institute. Guttmacher surveys each clinic and hospital in the U.S. that performs abortions and bases the data on voluntary reports filed at these locations.

Orange United Year County California States 1973 4,960 143,910 744,610 1974 6,270 158,890 898,570 1975 11,590 165,550 1,034,170 1976 14,170 192,930 1,179,300 1977 16,410 209,250 1,316,700 1978 19,140 234,520 1,409,600 1979 20,760 248,080 1,497,670 1980 19,810 250,380 1,553,890 1981 *12,940 262,710 1,577,340 1982 *14,320 265,740 1,573,920 1983 N/A N/A N/A 1984 29,360 297,730 1,577,180 1985 ** 31,210 304,130 1,588,550

N/A: Information not available.

* A major abortion provider in the county did not release figures for these years.

** Latest data available.

LOCAL OPTIONS

It is indicative of the controversy surrounding the question of abortion that the following Orange County clinics are the only ones that would provide information about the abortion services they offer. Doctors Family Planning 17400 Irvine Blvd. Tustin (714) 730-1890 Cost (including checkups and medication): sliding scale based on income Medi-Cal accepted?: yes Weeks into pregnancy abortions are performed up to: 17 weeks Family Planning Associates Medical Group: 28261 Marguerite Parkway Mission Viejo (714) 364-6800 3920 Birch St. Newport Beach (714) 851-1201 760 N. Euclid Ave. Anaheim (714) 772-9211 111 W. Bastanchury Road Fullerton (714) 525-9901 2445 W. Chapman Ave. Orange (714) 978-3391 Cost (including checkups and medication): $230 with local anesthetic, $250 general anesthetic Medi-Cal accepted?: yes Weeks into pregnancy abortions are performed up to: 13 weeks Family Planning Associates Medical Group 9461 Grindlay St. Cypress (714) 995-3001 Cost (including checkups and medication): $265 local anesthetic and $230 general anesthetic, to 13 weeks; $650 from 13 1/2 to 16 weeks; $825 from 16 1/2 to 19 1/2 weeks, and $1,285 from 20 to 22 weeks. Medi-Cal accepted?: yes Weeks into pregnancy abortions are performed up to: 22 weeks Feminist Women’s Medical Clinic of Orange County 500 W. Santa Ana Blvd., Ste. 210 Santa Ana (714) 972-2772 Cost (including checkups and medication): $240 to 11 weeks; $550 from 11 1/2 to 16 weeks, and $750 in the 17th and 18th weeks Medi-Cal accepted?: yes Weeks into pregnancy abortions are performed up to: 18 weeks Source: Alan Guttmacher Institute, Individual organizations