Survey on abortion in Israel, October 2019

Survey on abortion,  October 2019, (Miskar professional survey company)

2000 women, ages 18-45 ,  participated in the survey. The results are a sampling using 970 of the responses.

The survey studied responses according to religious attitude, age and whether Israeli, Arab or from Russian background. This summary only includes the total opinions for each question.

Part 1, Opinions about abortion-

1.       In which week does baby’s heart beat?

3-4 weeks after conception : 35.9%

5-6 weeks after conception: 35.2%

7-9 weeks after conception: 24.8%

10-12 weeks after conception: 3%

13-15 weeks after conception: 1.1%

2.       At what point during pregnancy can we say that there is life in the womb?

At conception: 37.2%

When there is DNA : 5.3%

When the heart starts beating: 45.3%

When there are brain waves: 3.6%

From the moment the baby feels pain: 3.0%

When he can live outside of the womb : 4.3%

From birth: .8%

3.       When the baby’s heart starts beating, is he a human being / a pre-born baby?

Yes : 75.6%

No:   24.4%

4.       Which ‘right’ is more important?

The mother’s right to abort: 47.1%

The baby’s right to live: 52.9%

5.       Should abortion be legal?

Always: 32%

Usually: 25.5%

Rarely: 26.1%

Never: 16.4%

6.       Under what circumstances is it legitimate to have an abortion?

If the woman is under 18 or over 40: 43.1%

If the baby has a defect and may not survive the pregnancy: 68.8%

If the baby might be born with a physical handicap: 34.9%

If the baby may be born with a mental handicap: 54.3%

If the mother is unwed: 28.3%

If the pregnancy is a result of incest or rape: 82.6%

If the mother doesn’t have enough emotional support: 37.3%

If the mother doesn’t have enough financial support: 36.0%

If the pregnancy could cause physical or emotional harm to the mother: 85.0%

7.       If the woman is pregnant by her husband, the baby and mother are healthy, the financial situation is stable, is it legitimate to have an abortion because the baby is unwanted?

Yes: 29.8%

No: 70.2%

8.       Should it be permissible to forbid abortion, when the mother’s life is not in danger, at this stage ?

From week one to second month: 74.6%

From third month to fifth month: 43.5%

From sixth month to ninth month: 17.7%

9.       If you were considering abortion for a particular reason, and discovered that the baby had a beating heart, would this affect your decision?

Yes, I would not abort: 28.6%

Yes, unless my life were in danger: 51.9%

No, I would abort: 19.5%

10.   What should be done if the baby’s father doesn’t agree to the abortion?

Abortion should be permitted in any case: 33.6%

Abortion should be permitted only if the parents are not married: 17.5%

Abortion should be permitted only if pregnancy was caused by rape or incest: 46.2%

Abortion should be permitted only if the mother’s life is in danger: 41.5%

Abortion should never be permitted without father’s consent: 10.6%

11.   In 2017, an increase of 40 million shekels was added to the health basket to further subsidize abortions, what is your opinion?

Abortion should not be funded by the state, each one should pay for her own abortion: 11.1%

The budget should be cut but funding continue in cases of rape, incest and danger to the mother’s life: 49.9%

Funding should remain and continue subsidizing all elective abortions: 38.9%

12.   If you were in an unplanned pregnancy, would you be willing to give birth and allow your baby to be adopted rather than aborted?

Yes, I would give my baby for adoption and not abort: 13.3%

I would seriously consider adoption rather than abortion: 22.8%

I might consider adoption, but would be inclined to abort: 17.4%

I would not consider adoption and would abort: 46.5%

13.   To what degree do you agree with this statement? “ Abortion is murder in every case , except when the woman’s life is in danger. “

Very little: 24.8%

Somewhat: 9.7.%

Moderately: 20.2%

Very much: 17.3%

Totally: 28.0%

14.   To what degree to do you agree with this statement? “Abortion is a medical procedure, with no moral considerations.”

Very little : 45.3%

Somewhat: 18.4%

Moderately: 19.1%

Very much : 13.1%

Totally: 4.1%

15.   Did you ever consider aborting a baby but changing your mind? If so, why?

I never considered abortion: 71.6%

Yes, but I was worried about the consequences of not being able conceive : 1.6%

Yes, but the baby’s father said he’d support me: 1.5%

Yes, but I thought that I would regret never having a child: 1.8%

Yes, but I understood that there was life  growing in my womb: 19.9%

We surveyed women 400 women who had at least one induced abortion, ages 18-45

(Results  have been rounded to whole and half numbers)

In order to have a legal abortion in Israel, a woman must apply for permission to a committee in a hospital. 98.6% of those who apply receive permission.

In such cases, abortion is government funded.

1. What was your reason for the abortion ?

general reason – 23%

unwed- 40%

unplanned- 45%

fear-18%

pressure 11%

pressured by baby’s father – 12%

Pressure by doctor ,social worker or other professional- 4%

threatened 2%

Possible physical disability to baby 14%

Possible harm to mother 3%

Rape or incest 1.9%

Other 13%

2. How old were you at time of abortion

18 and under 22%

18-25 - 47%

26-33 – 23.8%

34-39 – 6%

40 and older – 1.5 %

3. Were you in the army?

yes 10%

no 90%

4. Did a professional explain the dangers/consequences to you?

yes 52%

No 48%

5. Did you need to lie to get permission from the termination of pregnancy committee for a government funded abortion ?

no  76%

yes, but no one coached me – 10%

yes, a professional coached me- 4%

yes , a friend or someone else coached me 10%

6. Did your partner know about the abortion?

didn’t know , but would have agreed 5%

didn’t know and would have disagree 4%

knew and agreed 80%

knew and disagreed 11%

7. If the baby’s father would have promised to take responsibity , how much would this have influenced your decision to abort?

a lot 26%

somewhat 7.5%

a little 6.5%

no influence  30.5%

he would have taken responsibility 29%

8. What week of pregnancy was the abortion done?

1-3  wks. 3%

4-6  wks. 26%

7-10  wks. 40%

11-15 wks. 22.5%

16-21 wks. 6.5%

22-26% wks. 1%

27+ weeks  .2 

* Israeli’s do not define  a later term ‘abortion’ as abortion, they call it a ‘still birth’

9. Have you ever used the morning after pill? (postinor)

never 36%

once 19%

twice 17.8%

3-5 times 20%

6 or more times 7%

10. What kind of abortion did you have?

pills (chemical) and surgery 35% (*indicating that chemical abortion was ineffective 35% of the time)

surgical suction 14%

surgical D&C 48%

still birth  (including natural and late term abortion)  2.4%

11. Were you sorry after taking the first pill and wanted to stop the abortion?

No – 72%

Yes- 28%

12. How many abortions did you have between 2012-2018 ?

1 abortion

In your life – 1.5

13. Where did you do the abortion ?

Private doctor with committee 13%

Private doctor with no committee 10%

Hospital with committee – 68%

Hospital with no committee – 9%

14. How much did the abortion cost?

Up to 400NS – 50%

400-1000NS – 15%

1000-2000 NS - 12%

2000-5000NS- 21%

Over 5000NS – 1.5%

15. How much time passed from the discovery of the pregnancy to the abortion?

1-3 days – 4.5%

3 days to 1 week – 14%

1 week to 2 weeks – 33.5%

2 weeks to a month – 22%

Month to 3 months -20%

More than 3 months – 5.5%

16.  Did you experience a still-birth?

Yes- 6%

No-94%

17. Did you want to bury your baby?

No- 64%

Yes, but I wasn’t able to – 12%

Baby was buried with no trouble – 24% *

*100 % of Russian women said that baby was buried with no trouble , but it’s not clear if they buried the baby themselves or agreed for an unknown person to bury the baby. Jewish burials are done by the rabbis in a ‘community grave’.  Burials of Christian babies are often  the responsibility of the parents.

18. Do you know where your baby was buried?

Yes – 100%  of the Russian women

Yes – 67%  (including the percentage of Russian respondents)

No – 33%

19. Was the abortion traumatic for you?

No – 11%

Somewhat- 14%

A little -9%

Moderately – 23%

Very 18%

Extremely 25.5%

20.  Did you suffer from physical problems after the abortion?

Infections  - 16%

Excessive bleeding – 37%

Inability to conceive a baby- 8%

Miscarriage – 11%

Other- 18%  ( many women mentioned depression and trauma)

Did not suffer – 28%

21. What did you feel after the abortion ?

Relief  - 25%

I did the right thing – 42%

Felt very bad- 51%

I had pleased other people, but not myself – 18%

Relationship with my partner deteriorated- 15%

Increased drinking and smoking – 11.5%

Depression – 26%

Suicidal thoughts – 11%

Other – 12%

22. Did you regret the abortion?

No – 27%

Slightly – 18%

Somewhat -  12%

Moderately – 14.5%

A lot – 11%

Terribly – 17.6%

23. If you could turn back time, would you have the abortion?

Yes – 65%

No, I’d keep the baby – 35%

24. Would you like to do a symbolic act to memorialize the baby, such as planting a tree or another practical action?

Yes – 47%

No – 53%