Differences in Abortion Rates between Asian Populations by Country of Origin and Nativity Status in New York City, 2011–2015

Abstract

Despite the size of the Asian population in New York City (NYC) and the city’s robust abortion surveillance system, abortion-related estimates for this population have not been calculated previously. This study examined the use of abortion services among specific Asian groups in NYC from 2011–2015. Using NYC surveillance data, we estimated abortion rates for Asians, disaggregated by five country of origin groups and nativity status, and for other major racial/ethnic groups. We compared rates between groups and over time. From 2014–2015, the abortion rate for Asian women in NYC was 12.6 abortions per 1000 women aged 15–44 years, lower than the rates for other major racial/ethnic groups. Among country of origin groups, Indian women had the highest rate (30.5 abortions per 1000 women), followed by Japanese women (17.0), Vietnamese women (13.0), Chinese women (8.8), and Korean women (5.1). Rates were higher for U.S.-born Asian groups compared to foreign-born groups, although the differential varied by country of origin. The abortion rate declined or remained steady for nearly all Asian groups from 2011–2015. These findings reinforce the importance of disaggregating data on this population at multiple levels and begin to provide much-needed evidence on the use of abortion services among Asian groups.