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An epidemic of antiabortion violence in the United States
Int J Gynecol Obstet, 1992, 38: 329-344
329
International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics
Citations from the Literature Thisis
a selection of abstracts taken from the literature iu the field of obstetrics and gynecology which the Journal’s Editors feel may be of interest to our readers*
GENERAL INTEREST An epidemic of antiabortion violence in the United States
Grimes DA; Forrest JD; Kirkman AL; Radford B Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Southern California School of Medicine, Women’s Hospital, 1240 North Mission Road, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
AM J OBSTET GYNECOL 1991 165/S I (1263-1268) From 1977 to 1988, an epidemic of antiabortion violence took place in the United States, involving 110 cases of arson, firebombing, or bombing. The epidemic peaked in 1984, when there were 29 attacks. Nearly all sites (98%) were clinics that provided abortions. Facilities in 28 states and the District of Columbia were involved. The national rate of violence was 3.7 per 100 abortion providers and 7.2 per 100 nonhospital abortion providers. The national ratio of violence per 100,000 abortions performed was 0.6. Arson was both the most frequent (39% of all cases) and the most damaging (mean cost $141,000) type of violence. The epidemic appears partially attributable to multiple point-source outbreaks of violence caused by small numbers of individuals or groups. Thirty-three persons have been convicted to date. Vigorous prosecution of perpetrators and the reemergence of clinics after damage probably helped to curb the epidemic. Are eollsumers of modern fertility treatments satisfied? Sabourin S; Wright J; Duchesne C; Belisle S Departement de Psychologie, Universite de Montreal, C.P. 6128, Succursale A, Montreal, Que. H3Ce 3J7, CAN
FERTIL STERIL 1991 5616 (1084-1090) Objective: To determine the extent of patient satisfaction with fertility treatments, its antecedents and its correlates. Design: This is a two-wave correlational panel study in which consumer satisfaction was assessed 6 and 12 months after admission to the clinic. Patients: The sample consisted of 385 couples who consulted the fertility clinic of a large metropolitan hospital. Measures: After their admission, patients completed scales measuring psychosocial disturbances. These variables were reassessed 6 and 12 months later along with a consumer satisfaction questionnaire. Results: Patients were generally satisfied with modern fertility treatments. Approximately 10% of the sample expressed dissatisfaction with received services. Analyses revealed that consumer satisfaction *Generated from the Excerpta Medica Database, EMBASE.
was significantly related to poor psychosocial functioning at intake and after 6 months. Conclusions: Our results suggest that consumers of fertility treatments are generally satisfied with the quality and quantity of service they received at the clinic. The more patients exhibited personal, marital and social symptoms of distress when they were admitted to the clinic, the more they were likely to be later dissatisfied with fertility treatments, Court-ordered treatment in obstetrics: The etkical views and legal framework
Strong C Department of Human Values and Ethics, University of Tennessee College of Medicine, Memphis, TN, USA
OBSTET GYNECOL 1991 78/5 I (861-868) Four main ethical views have been put forward concerning court-ordered treatment of mentally competent pregnant women for fetal indications: 1) Such treatment is never justifiable; 2) it is justifiable provided it poses no health risks for the woman, minimally invades her bodily integrity and would clearly prevent substantial harm to the fetus; 3) it is justifiable provided the maternal risks are low, there is a substantial likelihood that the fetus will suffer irrevocable harm without the intervention and the treatment will likely be effective; and 4) it is justifiable provided the risks to the woman are ones she should reasonably accept, the fetal risks of treatment are minimal and the potential fetal benefit is substantial. However, the first two views are too rigid to adequately handle the variety of clinical situations in which maternal treatment refusal can occur and recent legal decisions have ruled out the other views. The ethics of court-ordered treatment are often discussed as though the only interests involved are those of the pregnant woman and fetus, but other important interests may be relevant. An ethical view that avoids these difficulties and takes better account of the complexity of the issues is as follows: Such treatment is justifiable in rare, exceptional circumstances provided it poses insigniticant or no health risks to the woman or would promote her interests in life or health and there are compelling reasons to override her autonomy. LaparoaeopIc-aurgIcaI hysterectomy with tke EmIoGIATM30 Kuhn W; Wilke G; Rath W; Grabbe E Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Department of Radiology I, University of Giittingen. Robert-Koch-Str. 40, 3400 Giittingen. FRG
MINIMAL INVASIVE CHIRURGIE 1992 I (in press) Due to the development of minimal invasive surgery operaInt J Gynecol Obstet 38
329
International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics
Citations from the Literature Thisis
a selection of abstracts taken from the literature iu the field of obstetrics and gynecology which the Journal’s Editors feel may be of interest to our readers*
GENERAL INTEREST An epidemic of antiabortion violence in the United States
Grimes DA; Forrest JD; Kirkman AL; Radford B Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Southern California School of Medicine, Women’s Hospital, 1240 North Mission Road, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
AM J OBSTET GYNECOL 1991 165/S I (1263-1268) From 1977 to 1988, an epidemic of antiabortion violence took place in the United States, involving 110 cases of arson, firebombing, or bombing. The epidemic peaked in 1984, when there were 29 attacks. Nearly all sites (98%) were clinics that provided abortions. Facilities in 28 states and the District of Columbia were involved. The national rate of violence was 3.7 per 100 abortion providers and 7.2 per 100 nonhospital abortion providers. The national ratio of violence per 100,000 abortions performed was 0.6. Arson was both the most frequent (39% of all cases) and the most damaging (mean cost $141,000) type of violence. The epidemic appears partially attributable to multiple point-source outbreaks of violence caused by small numbers of individuals or groups. Thirty-three persons have been convicted to date. Vigorous prosecution of perpetrators and the reemergence of clinics after damage probably helped to curb the epidemic. Are eollsumers of modern fertility treatments satisfied? Sabourin S; Wright J; Duchesne C; Belisle S Departement de Psychologie, Universite de Montreal, C.P. 6128, Succursale A, Montreal, Que. H3Ce 3J7, CAN
FERTIL STERIL 1991 5616 (1084-1090) Objective: To determine the extent of patient satisfaction with fertility treatments, its antecedents and its correlates. Design: This is a two-wave correlational panel study in which consumer satisfaction was assessed 6 and 12 months after admission to the clinic. Patients: The sample consisted of 385 couples who consulted the fertility clinic of a large metropolitan hospital. Measures: After their admission, patients completed scales measuring psychosocial disturbances. These variables were reassessed 6 and 12 months later along with a consumer satisfaction questionnaire. Results: Patients were generally satisfied with modern fertility treatments. Approximately 10% of the sample expressed dissatisfaction with received services. Analyses revealed that consumer satisfaction *Generated from the Excerpta Medica Database, EMBASE.
was significantly related to poor psychosocial functioning at intake and after 6 months. Conclusions: Our results suggest that consumers of fertility treatments are generally satisfied with the quality and quantity of service they received at the clinic. The more patients exhibited personal, marital and social symptoms of distress when they were admitted to the clinic, the more they were likely to be later dissatisfied with fertility treatments, Court-ordered treatment in obstetrics: The etkical views and legal framework
Strong C Department of Human Values and Ethics, University of Tennessee College of Medicine, Memphis, TN, USA
OBSTET GYNECOL 1991 78/5 I (861-868) Four main ethical views have been put forward concerning court-ordered treatment of mentally competent pregnant women for fetal indications: 1) Such treatment is never justifiable; 2) it is justifiable provided it poses no health risks for the woman, minimally invades her bodily integrity and would clearly prevent substantial harm to the fetus; 3) it is justifiable provided the maternal risks are low, there is a substantial likelihood that the fetus will suffer irrevocable harm without the intervention and the treatment will likely be effective; and 4) it is justifiable provided the risks to the woman are ones she should reasonably accept, the fetal risks of treatment are minimal and the potential fetal benefit is substantial. However, the first two views are too rigid to adequately handle the variety of clinical situations in which maternal treatment refusal can occur and recent legal decisions have ruled out the other views. The ethics of court-ordered treatment are often discussed as though the only interests involved are those of the pregnant woman and fetus, but other important interests may be relevant. An ethical view that avoids these difficulties and takes better account of the complexity of the issues is as follows: Such treatment is justifiable in rare, exceptional circumstances provided it poses insigniticant or no health risks to the woman or would promote her interests in life or health and there are compelling reasons to override her autonomy. LaparoaeopIc-aurgIcaI hysterectomy with tke EmIoGIATM30 Kuhn W; Wilke G; Rath W; Grabbe E Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Department of Radiology I, University of Giittingen. Robert-Koch-Str. 40, 3400 Giittingen. FRG
MINIMAL INVASIVE CHIRURGIE 1992 I (in press) Due to the development of minimal invasive surgery operaInt J Gynecol Obstet 38