Reference Type: Journal Article Record Number: 1 Author: Koch E, Aracena P, Gatica S, Bravo M, Huerta-Zepeda A, Calhoun BC Year: 2012 Title: Fundamental discrepancies in abortion estimates and abortion-related mortality: A reevaluation of recent studies in Mexico with special reference to the International Classification of Diseases Journal: International Journal of Women's Health Volume: 4 Issue: 1 Pages: 613-623 Date: 05 December 2012 Short Title: Fundamental discrepancies in abortion estimates and abortion related mortality A reevaluation of recent studies in Mexico with special reference to the International Classification of Diseases DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/IJWHS38063 Abstract: Abstract: In countries where induced abortion is legally restricted, as in most of Latin America, evaluation of statistics related to induced abortions and abortion-related mortality is challenging. The present article reexamines recent reports estimating the number of induced abortions and abortion-related mortality in Mexico, with special reference to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). We found significant overestimations of abortion figures in the Federal District of Mexico (up to 10-fold), where elective abortion has been legal since 2007. Significant overestimation of maternal and abortion-related mortality during the last 20 years in the entire Mexican country (up to 35%) was also found. Such overestimations are most likely due to the use of incomplete in-hospital records as well as subjective opinion surveys regarding induced abortion figures, and due to the consideration of causes of death that are unrelated to induced abortion, including flawed denominators of live births. Contrary to previous publications, we found important progress in maternal health, reflected by the decrease in overall maternal mortality (30.6%) from 1990 to 2010. The use of specific ICD codes revealed that the mortality ratio associated with induced abortion decreased 22.9% between 2002 and 2008 (from 1.48 to 1.14 deaths per 100,000 live births). Currently, approximately 98% of maternal death URL: http://www.dovepress.com/fundamental-discrepancies-in-abortion-estimates-and-abortion-related-m-peer-reviewed-article-IJWH