Historical abortion statistics, Belgium

Abortion statistics and other data--Johnston`s Archive

Historical abortion statistics, Belgium

compiled by Wm. Robert Johnston
last updated 15 October 2023

Definition of table data (see notes after table for additional information):

Live births.
Abortions, reported includes legal reported induced abortions.
Abortions (AWR) are combined reported and estimated abortion occurrences from the Abortion Worldwide Report and working papers.
Abortions, residents, in country only includes reported abortions obtained within the country by residents only.
Abortions, residents, obtained abroad includes reported abortions by country residents obtained in other countries.
Abortions, residents, total includes reported abortions by residents, obtained both within the country and abroad.
Fetal deaths generally includes fetal deaths or stillbirths of at least 20 weeks` gestation.
Miscarriages generally includes spontaneous fetal losses/ abortions, fetal deaths, or stillbirths, regardless of gestation period.
Abortion ratio is abortions per 1000 live births.
Abortion % is abortions as percentage of pregnancies (excluding fetal deaths/miscarriages).
Abortion rate, residents is abortions by residency per 1000 women of childbearing age.
Abortion rate, occurrences (AWR) is abortion occurrences from Abortion Worldwide Report figures per 1000 women ages 15-39.

Belgium regional level data also available here.

year	live births	abortions, reported	abortions (AWR)	abortions, residents, in country only	abortions, residents, obtained abroad	abortions, residents, total	abortions, occurrences by non-residents	fetal deaths	abortion ratio		abortion %		abortion rate, residents	abortion rate, occurences (AWR)
year	live births	abortions, reported	abortions (AWR)	abortions, residents, in country only	abortions, residents, obtained abroad	abortions, residents, total	abortions, occurrences by non-residents	fetal deaths	residents, in/out of country	all in country	residents, in/out of country	all in country	abortion rate, residents	abortion rate, occurences (AWR)
1948	150,416
1949	147,854
1950	145,672
1951	142,314
1952	146,064
1953	146,125
1954	148,538
1955	149,195
1956	150,210
1957	152,871
1958	155,048
1959	158,237
1960	154,784							2,380
1961	158,431							2,360
1962	155,061							2,277
1963	159,192							2,242
1964	160,838							2,339
1965	155,496							2,131
1966	151,096							2,022
1967	146,193							1,860
1968	141,984				19	19		1,730	0.13		0.01
1969	141,799				150	150		1,737	1.1		0.11
1970	142,168				563	563		1,616	4.0		0.39
1971	140,966				2,111	2,111		1,580	15.0		1.48
1972	136,304				2,536	2,536		1,471	18.6		1.83
1973	129,424				1,463	1,463		1,392	11.3		1.12
1974	123,674				641	641		1,276	5.2		0.52
1975	119,273				12,000	12,000		1,227	100.6		9.14
1976	121,000				390	390		1,088	3.2		0.32
1977	121,852				8,500	8,500		1,083	69.8		6.52
1978	121,983				7,900	7,900		1,035	64.8		6.08
1979	123,824	3,266	3,266	(3,266)	7,500	10,766		979	86.9	26.4	8.00	2.57
1980	124,398	7,100	(7,100)	7,100	7,100	14,200	7,100	990	114.1	57.1	10.25	5.40
1981	123,792		(8,800)		153	153		891	1.2		0.12
1982	120,231		(10,600)		6,300	6,300		853	52.4		4.98
1983	117,145		(12,400)		75	75		839	0.64		0.06
1984	115,715		(14,200)		4,900	4,900		789	42.3		4.06
1985	114,030	16,035	16,035	(10,991)	5,044	16,035	5,044	714	140.6	140.6	12.33	12.33
1986	117,102	14,972	14,972	(14,972)	47	15,019		746	128.3	127.9	11.37	11.34	7.0
1987	117,334	15,623	15,623	(15,623)	100	15,723		660	134.0	133.1	11.82	11.75
1988	118,764	14,828	14,828	(14,828)		14,828		664	124.9	124.9	11.10	11.10	7.4
1989	120,550	16,245	16,245	(16,245)	36	16,281		710	135.1	134.8	11.90	11.88
1990	123,554	3,524	(14,800)	3,524	3,526	7,050	3,524	677	57.1	28.5	5.40	2.77		8.18
1991	125,412		(13,300)		45	45		642	0.36		0.04			7.32
1992	124,182		(11,800)		2,832	2,832		648	22.8		2.23			6.52
1993	120,848	10,380	10,380	(10,380)	2,497	13,474		597	111.5	85.9	10.03	7.91	6.1	5.75
1994	116,449	10,737	10,737	(10,737)	2,314	13,261		507	113.9	92.2	10.22	8.44	4.9	5.97
1995	115,361	11,243	11,243	(8,996)	2,247	13,398	2,247	578	116.1	97.5	10.41	8.88	5.2	6.27
1996	114,226	12,628	12,628	(12,628)	2,019	14,800		508	129.6	110.6	11.47	9.95	5.8	7.08
1997	115,214	12,266	12,266	(12,266)	1,831	12,266		545	106.5	106.5	9.62	9.62	5.7	6.92
1998	114,276	11,999	11,999	(11,999)	1,567	13,582		513	118.9	105.0	10.62	9.50	5.6	6.83
1999	113,469	12,734	12,734	(12,734)	1,557	14,291		509	125.9	112.2	11.19	10.09	6.9	7.32
2000	114,883	13,762	13,762	13,382	1,473	14,855	374	457	129.3	119.8	11.45	10.70	6.5	7.98
2001	114,014	14,775	14,775	14,361	1,334	15,695	408	387	137.7	129.6	12.10	11.47	7.0	8.64
2002	111,225	14,791	14,791	14,317	1,224	15,541	466	517	139.7	133.0	12.26	11.74	7.0	8.71
2003	112,149	15,595	15,595	15,203	1,091	16,294	379	554	145.3	139.1	12.69	12.21	7.4	9.23
2004	115,618	16,024	16,024	15,626	(984)	16,610	392	526	143.7	138.6	12.56	12.17	7.6	9.53
2005	117,799	16,696	16,696	16,400	(913)	17,313	295	491	147.0	141.7	12.81	12.41	7.9	9.94
2006	121,382	17,640	17,640	17,344	(857)	18,201	296	518	149.9	145.3	13.04	12.69	8.4	10.49
2007	120,663	18,033	18,033	17,719	(851)	18,570	314	534	153.9	149.4	13.34	13.00	8.5	10.69
2008	127,205	18,595	18,595	18,304	(830)	19,134	291	574	150.4	146.2	13.08	12.75	8.9	10.98
2009	127,297	18,870	18,870	18,618	(811)	19,429	252	660	152.6	148.2	13.24	12.91	8.9	11.09
2010	129,909	19,095	19,095	18,913	(681)	19,594	182	646	150.8	147.0	13.11	12.82	9.0	11.20
2011	128,705	19,578	19,578	19,455	698	20,153	123	627	156.6	152.1	13.54	13.20	9.2	11.45
2012	128,051	19,155	19,155	19,036	617	19,653	119	608	153.5	149.6	13.31	13.01	9.0	11.16
2013	125,606	19,551	19,551	19,423	604	20,027	128	571	159.4	155.7	13.75	13.47	9.2	11.34
2014	125,014	19,107	19,107	18,954	582	19,536	153	596	156.3	152.8	13.52	13.26	9.0	11.03
2015	122,274	19,013	19,013	18,872	533	19,405	141	536	158.7	155.5	13.70	13.46	8.9	10.91
2016	121,896	17,878	17,878	17,710	533	18,243	168	542	149.7	146.7	13.02	12.79	8.4	10.19
2017	119,690	17,257	17,257	17,133	481	17,614	124	634	147.2	144.2	12.83	12.60	8.1	9.80
2018	118,319	18,273	18,273	18,134	444	18,578	139	601	157.0	154.4	13.57	13.38	8.6	10.34
2019	117,695	18,027	18,027	17,911	432	18,343	116	576	155.9	153.2	13.48	13.28	8.5	10.17
2020	114,350	16,585	16,585	16,431	334	16,765	154		146.6	145.0	12.79	12.67	7.8	9.34
2021	118,349	16,702	16,702	16,567	376	16,943	135		143.2	141.1	12.52	12.37	7.8	9.38
2022	113,593		(17,000)		452									(9.5)
year	live births	abortions, reported	abortions (AWR)	abortions, residents, in country only	abortions, residents, obtained abroad	abortions, residents, total	abortions, occurrences by non-residents	fetal deaths	abortion ratio		abortion %		abortion rate, residents	abortion rate, occurences (AWR)
year	live births	abortions, reported	abortions (AWR)	abortions, residents, in country only	abortions, residents, obtained abroad	abortions, residents, total	abortions, occurrences by non-residents	fetal deaths	residents, in/out of country	all in country	residents, in/out of country	all in country	abortion rate, residents	abortion rate, occurences (AWR)

Notes:

Parenthetical figures are estimates, some of which are derived from reported data.
Abortion ratios, percentages, and rates may be based on a mix of data from different sources and thus may not represent a consistent time series.

Sources:

[jaarrapportage-2014-van-de-wet-afbreking-zwangerschap.pdf].
[http://www.mloz.be/files/Accouchements_FR_25022016.pdf].
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2015, "Table 9. Live births and crude birth rates, by urban/rural residence: 2010-2014," in United Nations Demographic Yearbook 2014, United Nations (New York, NY), on line at United Nations Statistics Division [http://unstats.un.org/UNSD/Demographic/products/dyb/dyb2014/Table09.pdf].
Council of Europe, 2004, "Belgium, Table 2: Births, deaths and legal abortions," in Recent Demographic Developments in Europe: Demographic Yearbook 2003, on line at COE [http://www.coe.int/t/e/social_cohesion/population/BTAB2.xls].
Eurostat, 6 March 2012, "Legally induced abortions by mother's age," Eurostat, on line [http://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/show.do?wai=true&dataset=demo_fabort].
Government Statistical Service, May 2010, "Statistical Bulletin: Abortion Statistics, England and Wales: 2009," Department of Health, on line [http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_116336.pdf].
Health Care Inspectorate, Oct. 2006, "Jaarrapportage 2005 van de Wet afbreking zwangerschap," Health Care Inspectorate, on line [http://www.igz.nl/33986/2006-10_Jaarrapportage_Wet_1.pdf].
Henshaw, Stanley K., Susheela Singh, and Taylor Haas, 1999, "Recent trends in abortion rates worldwide," International Family Planning Perspectives, 25(1):, on line at AGI [http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/journals/2504499.html].
Henshaw, Stanley K., T. A. Haas, K. Berentsen, and E. Carbone, eds., 2001, Readings on Induced Abortion, Volume 2: A World Review 2000, Alan Guttmacher Institute (New York, NY), on line at Access My Library [http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/browse_JJ_R048].
IGZ, 2007, "Jaarrapportage 2006 van de Wet afbreking zwangerschap", IGZ (Netherlands), on line at IGZ [http://www.igz.nl/publicaties/jaarrapportages/afbrekingzwangerschap2006].
IGZ, Dec. 2009, "Jaarrapportage 2008 van de Wet afbreking zwangerschap," IGZ (Netherlands), on line at IGZ [http://www.igz.nl/zoeken/download.aspx?download=Jaarrapportage_2008_Wet_afbreking_zwangerschap.pdf].
IGZ, December 2011, "Jaarrapportage 2010 van de wet afbreking zwangerschap," IGZ (Netherlands), on line at IGZ [http://www.igz.nl/Images/Jaarrapportage%20WAZ%202010_tcm294-320369.pdf].
IGZ, Nov. 2008, "Jaarrapportage 2007 van de Wet afbreking zwangerschap", IGZ (Netherlands), on line at IGZ [http://www.igz.nl/15451/1166039/2008-11_2007_Wet_afbreking_1.pdf].
IGZ, Dec. 2013, "Jaarrapportage 2012 van de wet afbreking zwangerschap," IGZ (Netherlands), on line at Rijksoverheid [http://www.rijksoverheid.nl/bestanden/documenten-en-publicaties/rapporten/2013/12/06/jaarrapportage-2012-van-de-wet-afbreking-zwangerschap/jaarrapportage-2012-van-de-wet-afbreking-zwangerschap.pdf].
Ketting, Evert, and Paul Schnabel, 1980, "Induced abortion in the Netherlands: A decade of experience, 1970-1980," Studies in Family Planning, 11(12):385-394.
Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2003, "Q&A Abortion in the Netherlands," IGZ, on line [http://www.igz.nl/33986/jaarrapportageWAZ2002.pdf].
Office for National Statistics, 1992, "Abortion Statistics: Legal abortions carried out under the 1967 Abortion Act in England and Wales, 1991," National Statistics, on line [http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_health/AB18_1991/ab18_1991.pdf].
Potts, Malcolm, Peter Diggory, and John Peel, 1977, Abortion, Cambridge Univ. Press (Cambridge, UK).
Rademakers, Jany, 1988, "The Netherlands," in International Handbook on Abortion, ed. by Paul Sachdev, Greenwood Press (New York, NY), pp. 333-346.
Rademakers, Jany, 29 March 2002, "Abortus in Nederland 1993-2000," StiSAN, on line [http://www.stisan.nl/documents/general/lar.pdf].
Ruytjens, Katrien, Sept. 2004, "Abortus in Belgie, 2002-2003: Een analyse van de gegevens," on line, CRZ [http://www.crz.be/down/Abortus_in_Belgie_2002-2003.doc].
Sedgh, Gilda, Stanley K. Henshaw, Susheela Singh, Akinrinola Bankole, and Taylor Haas, Sept. 2007, "Legal abortion worldwide: incidence and recent trends," International Family Planning Perspectives, 33:106-116, on line at AGI [http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/journals/3310607.html].
Sensoa, Aug. 2007, "Feiten and Cijfers: Abortus in Belgie," Sensoa [http://www.sensoa.be/pdf/feiten_en_cijfers/Feiten&cijvers_abortus_in_belgie_2007.pdf].
Sensoa, Oct. 2004, "Abortus in Belgie," on line, Sensoa [http://www.sensoa.be/pdf/feiten_en_cijfers/abortus_in_belgie_2004.pdf].
Temmerman, Marleen, Jean-Jacques Amy, and Michel Thiery, 1988, "Belgium," in International Handbook on Abortion, ed. by Paul Sachdev, Greenwood Press (New York, NY), pp. 49-65.
U.K. Parliament, 30 Nov. 1987, "Abortion," HANSARD 1803-2005, on line [http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/written_answers/1987/nov/30/abortion].
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2000, "Table 5. Live births by age of mother, sex and urban/rural residence: 1948-1997," in United Nations Demographic Yearbook 1948-1997: Historical Supplement, United Nations (New York, NY), on line at United Nations Statistics Division [http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/DYBHist/HistTab05.pdf].
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2002, "Table 1. Live births by sex and urban/rural residence: 1980-1999," in United Nations Demographic Yearbook 1999 Natality Supplement, United Nations (New York, NY), on line at United Nations Statistics Division [http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/DYBNat/NatStatTab01.pdf].
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2012, "Table 9. Live births and crude birth rates, by urban/rural residence: 2007-2011," in United Nations Demographic Yearbook 2009-2010, United Nations (New York, NY), on line at United Nations Statistics Division [http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/dyb2011/Table09.pdf].
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 9 Oct. 2009, "Table 13. Legally induced abortions: 1998-2007," in United Nations Demographic Yearbook 2007, United Nations (New York, NY), on line at United Nations Statistics Division [http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/dyb2007/Table13.pdf].
United Nations Statistics Division, 21 Feb. 2008, "Live births by sex and urban/rural residence," on line at UNdata [http://data.un.org/Data.aspx?d=POP&f=tableCode%3a4].
World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, Aug. 2009, "European health for all database (HFA-DB)," World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, on line [http://data.euro.who.int/hfadb/].
World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, Aug. 2012, "European health for all database (HFA-DB)," World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, on line [http://data.euro.who.int/hfadb/].
World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, Jan. 2012, "European health for all database (HFA-DB)," World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, on line [http://data.euro.who.int/hfadb/].
World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, Nov. 2007, "European health for all database (HFA-DB)," World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, on line [http://data.euro.who.int/hfadb/].
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2013, "Table 13. Legally induced abortions: 2003-2012," in United Nations Demographic Yearbook 2012, United Nations (New York, NY), on line at United Nations Statistics Division [http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/dyb2012/Table13.pdf].
United Nations Statistics Division, 1 July 2014, "3. Live births, deaths, and infant deaths, latest available year (1999-2013)," United Nations Statistics Division, on line [a href=https://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/vitstats/serATab3.pdf>https://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/vitstats/serATab3.pdf].
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2013, "Table 9. Live births and crude birth rates, by urban/rural residence: 2008-2012," in United Nations Demographic Yearbook 2012, United Nations (New York, NY), on line at United Nations Statistics Division [http://unstats.un.org/UNSD/Demographic/products/dyb/dyb2012/Table09.pdf].
Department of Health, 12 June 2014, "Abortion Statistics, England and Wales: 2013," Gov.UK, on line [https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/319460/Abortion_Statistics__England_and_Wales_2013.pdf].
Department of Health, July 2013, "Abortion Statistics, England and Wales: 2012," Gov.UK, on line [https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/211790/2012_Abortion_Statistics.pdf].
Statistics Estonia, 2014, "Number of live births," Statistics Estonia, on line [http://www.stat.ee/29946].
IGZ, Dec. 2014, "Jaarrapportage 2013 van de Wet afbreking zwangerschap," IGZ, on line [http://www.igz.nl/Images/2014-12%20Jaarrapportage%20Wet%20afbreking%20zwangerschap%202013_tcm294-361379.pdf].
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2014, "Table 12. Late foetal deaths and late foetal death ratios, by urban/rural residence: 2009-2013," in United Nations Demographic Yearbook 2013, United Nations (New York, NY), on line at United Nations Statistics Division [http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/dyb2013/Table12.pdf].
Department of Health, June 2015, "Abortion Statistics, England and Wales: 2014, complete tables," Gov.UK, on line [https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/433457/2014_complete_tables.xlsx].

© 2000-2021, 2022 by Wm. Robert Johnston.
Last modified 15 October 2023.
Return to Home. Return to Other Policy Issues. Return to Abortion Statistics.