Background
: Many women have experienced artificial abortion, but artificial abortion itself may take a life away from a fetus and also influence serious effect on operated women's health condition. So this study was attempted to offer basic information for improving maternity health condition by knowing women's artificial abortion performance status and recognition about its complication.

Methods : The 215 married women who visited in OPD of certain hospital in Pusan from no-vember 1994 to January 1995, answered the question about experience of artifial abortion the recognition about its complication, and artificial abortioned group answered the reason of artifi-cial abortion and the experience of complication.

Results : The number of women who experienced artificial abortion was 107 persons(49.8%). More educated women have experienced less artificial abortion. The causes of artificial abortion were birth control as of 14.2%, impossible marriage as of 14.2%. 115 persons out of 215 persons (53.4%) answered they heard about its complicatons. In relation to health, 66 persons(30.7%) answered that the abortion had no relation with health condition or they answered they have no idea about the issue, 68 persons(31.6%) answered that the abortion had relation with but its complication would be soon recovered. Higher understanding was obtained in higher educated group(P<0.05). If unwanted pregnancy occur to them in the future, 32 persons(27.8%) in rec-ognized group and 38 persons(38%) in unrecognized group answered they would perform artifi-cial abortion. So understanding about complicaton of artificial abortion has little effect on their artificial abortion rate.

Conclusion : Recongnition of complication of married women is low, and recognition degree doesn't affect artificial abortion. So, not only education about complications of artificial abortion and contraception but also social performance of sharing women's responsibility for birth control or bringing up infants is necessary.