Induced abortions
 09. Sep 2022
Number of abortions rises slightly but remains lowest in the Nordics

There were 32 legally induced abortions in 2021. This is above the average annual figure of 25 over the past eight years. The figure is now at about the same level as a decade ago, though far lower than the period from the 1980s to 2004 – and still by far the lowest in the Nordic region.

Although the low numbers of legally induced abortions in recent years can lead to significant fluctuation from one year to another, the trend is clear: the figure is on a steady decline. This also applies to the number of abortions relative to the number of live births.

In the latter half of the 1990s, there was an average of 50 abortions per year. At the turn of the century, this figure came down to 40-45. By the first half of the 2010s, it had reached 30, and since 2015, the average number has been about 25. This period has seen a significant change in the number of women of reproductive age as well as in the number of live births. However, the trend for abortions relative to live births is unaffected by these factors, as can be seen in the graph below.

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Increase in the 25-29 age group

The abortion rate per age group has changed in recent years. The youngest age group now has the lowest rate. The rate peaks at 25-29 and decreases steadily from there.

Aldur

By far the lowest abortion rate in the Nordic region

The Faroes have a rate of 50 induced abortions per 1,000 live births, compared to 200-300 in the other Nordic countries, except Greenland, which has an unusually high number.

N-lond

See more graphs
All tables (Statbank)