Agency or Composition? Socio-demographic Correlates of Abortion Among Immigrant Women in Spain

Abstract

[EN] Extensive empirical evidence indicates that immigrant women have higher abortion rates than native women. Understanding the factors behind this trend is essential for providing adequate sexual and reproductive healthcare to immigrants and addressing structural barriers to health equity. In this chapter, we examine variations in abortion rates between native-born and immigrant women from different origins, with a primary focus on determining the extent to which socio-demographic factors, such as age and educational attainment, contribute to these differences. To achieve this, we utilise census and abortion registration data from the Spanish Ministry of Health spanning from 2011 to 2021. Our findings reveal a significant decrease in abortion rates among immigrant women over the past decade, thereby narrowing the gap with native-born women. Additionally, we identify a connection between abortion and educational attainment, with a curvilinear pattern observed among immigrant women whereby the intermediate educational strata exhibit the highest risks. Although age and educational composition partly explain variations in abortion rates, our research highlights the importance of investigating behavioural factors alongside compositional aspects in future studies.