Historical abortion statistics, India

Abortion statistics and other data--Johnston`s Archive

Historical abortion statistics, India

compiled by Wm. Robert Johnston
last updated 7 June 2026

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 ages 15-44.
Abortion rate, occurrences (AWR) is abortion occurrences from Abortion Worldwide Report figures per 1000 women ages 15-39.

India regional level data also available here.

year	live births	live births, estimated	abortions, reported	abortions (AWR)	abortions, residents, in country only	abortions, residents, obtained abroad	abortions, residents, total	miscarriages	fetal deaths	abortion ratio		abortion %		abortion rate, residents	abortion rate, occurrences (AWR)
year	live births	live births, estimated	abortions, reported	abortions (AWR)	abortions, residents, in country only	abortions, residents, obtained abroad	abortions, residents, total	miscarriages	fetal deaths	residents, in/out of country	all in country	residents, in/out of country	all in country	abortion rate, residents	abortion rate, occurrences (AWR)
1948	6,196,008
1949	6,762,131
1950	6,728,423
1951	6,846,517
1952	7,052,736
1953	6,969,358
1954	6,952,410
1955	5,855,854
1956	6,963,871
1957	7,709,848
1958	7,935,586
1959	8,407,487
1960	8,069,947
1961	8,360,021
1962	8,336,906
1963	8,344,407
1964	6,648,670
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971		(20,230,000)
1972		(20,460,000)	24,300	24,300	(24,300)		24,300			1.2	1.2	0.12	0.12	0.2
1973		(19,710,000)	44,800	44,800	(44,800)		44,800			2.3	2.3	0.23	0.23	0.4
1974		(20,050,000)	97,756	97,756	(97,756)		97,756			4.9	4.9	0.49	0.49	0.8
1975		(20,850,000)	214,332	214,332	(214,332)		214,332			10.3	10.3	1.02	1.02	1.7
1976		(20,770,000)	278,870	278,870	(278,870)		278,870			13.4	13.4	1.32	1.32	2.1
1977		(20,290,000)	247,049	247,049	(247,049)		247,049			12.2	12.2	1.20	1.20	1.8
1978		(20,870,000)	313,028	313,028	(313,028)		313,028			15.0	15.0	1.48	1.48	2.3
1979		(21,550,000)	358,002	358,002	(358,002)		358,002			16.6	16.6	1.63	1.63
1980		(22,010,000)	388,405	388,405	(388,405)		388,405			17.6	17.6	1.73	1.73	2.5
1981		(22,610,000)	500,624	500,624	(500,624)	6	500,630			22.1	22.1	2.17	2.17
1982		(23,040,000)	516,142	516,142	(516,142)		516,142			22.4	22.4	2.19	2.19	2.9
1983		(23,470,000)	548,239	548,239	(548,239)	6	548,245			23.4	23.4	2.28	2.28
1984		(24,110,000)	577,931	577,931	(577,931)		577,931			24.0	24.0	2.34	2.34	3.3
1985		(23,900,000)	583,704	583,704	(583,704)		583,704			24.4	24.4	2.38	2.38
1986		(24,190,000)	588,406	588,406	(588,406)		588,406			24.3	24.3	2.37	2.37	3.3
1987		(24,400,000)	584,870	584,870	(584,870)		584,870			24.0	24.0	2.34	2.34
1988		(24,360,000)	582,161	582,161	(582,161)		582,161			23.9	23.9	2.33	2.33	3.4
1989		(24,140,000)	596,357	596,357	(596,357)		596,357			24.7	24.7	2.41	2.41
1990		(24,320,000)	581,215	581,215	(581,215)		581,215			23.9	23.9	2.33	2.33	3.3	3.46
1991		(24,220,000)	636,456	636,456	(636,456)		636,456			26.3	26.3	2.56	2.56	3.1	3.67
1992		(25,530,000)	606,015	606,015	(606,015)		606,015			23.7	23.7	2.32	2.32	3.3	3.42
1993		(25,600,000)	612,291	612,291	(612,291)		612,291			23.9	23.9	2.34	2.34	3.1	3.38
1994		(26,120,000)	627,748	627,748	(627,748)		627,748			24.0	24.0	2.35	2.35	3.1	3.39
1995		(26,260,000)	618,373	618,373	(618,373)		618,373			23.5	23.5	2.30	2.30	3.1	3.27
1996		(26,020,000)	542,827	542,827	(542,827)		542,827			20.9	20.9	2.04	2.04	3.0	2.82
1997		(26,230,000)	512,823	512,823	(512,823)		512,823			19.6	19.6	1.92	1.92		2.61
1998		(26,040,000)	666,882	666,882	(666,882)		666,882			25.6	25.6	2.50	2.50		3.32
1999		(26,130,000)	739,975	739,975	(739,975)		739,975			28.3	28.3	2.75	2.75		3.62
2000		(26,300,000)	725,149	725,149	(725,149)		725,149			27.6	27.6	2.68	2.68		3.48
2001		(26,130,000)	770,714	770,714	(770,714)		770,714			29.5	29.5	2.87	2.87	3.0	3.63
2002		(26,150,000)	744,680	744,680	(744,680)		744,680			28.5	28.5	2.77	2.77		3.45
2003		(26,380,000)	763,126	(1,655,000)	(763,126)		763,126			28.9	28.9	2.81	2.81		7.5
2004		(26,060,000)	726,096	(2,509,000)	(726,096)	6	726,096			27.9	27.9	2.71	2.71		11.2
2005		(26,150,000)	721,859	(3,396,000)	(721,859)	8	721,867			27.6	27.6	2.69	2.69		14.9
2006		(26,240,000)	682,242	(4,248,000)	(682,242)		682,242			26.0	26.0	2.53	2.53		18.4
2007		(26,200,000)	642,174	(5,099,000)	(642,174)		642,174			24.5	24.5	2.39	2.39		21.7
2008		(26,260,000)	651,974	(6,001,000)	(651,974)		651,974			24.8	24.8	2.42	2.42		25.1
2009	20,286,268	(26,310,000)	689,534	(6,930,000)	(689,534)		689,534			26.2	26.2	2.55	2.55		28.6
2010	20,472,026	(26,290,000)	657,191	(7,789,000)	(657,191)		657,191			25.0	25.0	2.44	2.44		31.7
2011		(26,380,000)	625,448	(8,649,000)	(625,448)	6	625,454			23.7	23.7	2.32	2.32		34.7
2012		(26,520,000)	661,353	(9,576,000)	(661,353)	16	661,369			24.9	24.9	2.43	2.43		37.9
2013		(26,650,000)	667,279	(10,473,000)	(667,279)	15	667,294			25.0	25.0	2.44	2.44		41.0
2014	20,765,868	(26,530,000)	701,415	(11,399,000)	(701,415)	6	701,421		316,337	26.4	26.4	2.58	2.58		44.1
2015	21,193,094	(26,650,000)	721,381	(12,408,000)	(721,381)		721,381		302,935	27.1	465.6	2.64	31.77		47.4
2016	22,200,991	(26,510,000)	741,055	(12,330,000)	(741,055)		741,055		291,860	28.0	28.0	2.72	2.72		46.6
2017	22,104,418	(26,610,000)		(12,155,000)		4	4	587,110	277,942						45.5
2018	23,269,383	(26,600,000)	390,928	(11,980,000)	(390,928)		390,928	599,863	272,693	14.7	14.7	1.45	1.45		44.4
2019	24,820,886	(26,460,000)	475,396	(12,064,000)	(475,396)		475,396	591,112		18.0	18.0	1.76	1.76		44.4
2020		(26,440,000)	534,008	(12,123,000)	(534,008)		534,008			20.2	20.2	1.98	1.98		44.2
2021	20,338,078	(26,380,000)	593,520	(12,183,000)	(593,520)		593,520			22.5	22.5	2.20	2.20		44.1
2022		(26,330,000)	711,609	(12,301,000)	(711,609)		711,609			27.0	27.0	2.63	2.63		44.3
2023		(25,580,000)	801,769	(12,391,000)	(801,769)		801,769			31.3	31.3	3.04	3.04		44.3
2024		(25,620,000)	893,372	(12,482,000)	(893,372)		893,372			34.9	34.9	3.37	3.37		44.5
2025		(23,100,000)		(12,567,000)
year	live births	live births, estimated	abortions, reported	abortions (AWR)	abortions, residents, in country only	abortions, residents, obtained abroad	abortions, residents, total	miscarriages	fetal deaths	abortion ratio		abortion %		abortion rate, residents	abortion rate, occurrences (AWR)
year	live births	live births, estimated	abortions, reported	abortions (AWR)	abortions, residents, in country only	abortions, residents, obtained abroad	abortions, residents, total	miscarriages	fetal deaths	residents, in/out of country	all in country	residents, in/out of country	all in country	abortion rate, residents	abortion rate, occurrences (AWR)

Notes:

Abortion figures are by reporting year, not calendar year.
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:

Department of Family Welfare, April 2003, "Family Welfare Programme in India Year Book 2001," Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, on line [http://www.mohfw.nic.in/Yb01.pdf].
Department of Health, 27 July 2005, "Abortion Statistics: Legal abortions carried out under the 1967 Abortion Act in England and Wales, 2004," Department of Health, on line [http://www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/11/75/74/04117574.pdf].
Department of Health, 4 July 2006, "Abortion Statistics: Legal abortions carried out under the 1967 Abortion Act in England and Wales, 2005," Department of Health, on line [http://www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/13/68/59/04136859.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].
Johnston, Wm. Robert, March 2010, "India abortions and live births by regions, 1971-2008, working paper," see Johnston, Wm. Robert, 28 March 2010, "India abortions and live births by state and territory, 1971-2008," Johnston's Archive, on line [http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/policy/abortion/india/ab-indias.html].
Khan, M. E., Sandhya Barge, and Nayan Kumar, 2001, "Availability and Access to Abortion Services in India: Myth and Realities", IUSSP, on line [http://www.iussp.org/Brazil2001/s20/S21_P10_Barge.pdf].
Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, 13 Feb. 2006, "Goal 5 Improve maternal health," Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, on line [http://www.mospi.gov.in/mdg_goal5.pdf].
Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, 2006, "Selected socio-economic statistics India 2006," Government of India Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, on line [http://mospi.nic.in/mospi_cso_rept_pubn.htm].
Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Central Statistical Organisation, Dec. 2005, "Millenium development goals, India country report 2005," Development and Planning Department, Government of West Bengal, on line [http://wbplan.gov.in/docs/MDG_India_country_Report.pdf].
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].
Statistics Division, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 29 August 2011, "Family welfare statistics in India," Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, on line [http://mohfw.nic.in/WriteReadData/l892s/972971120FW%20Statistics%202011%20Revised%2031%2010%2011.pdf].
Statistics Division, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 14 Oct. 2013, "Health and Family Welfare Statistics in India 2013," Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, on line [https://nrhm-mis.nic.in/UI/FamilyWelfare2013/Complete%20BOOK.pdf].
Tietze, Christopher, ed., 1981, Induced Abortion: A World Review 1981, Population Council (New York, NY).
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 International Economic and Social Affairs, 1983, United Nations Demographic Yearbook 1981, United Nations (New York, NY).
United Nations Department of International Economic and Social Affairs, 1991, United Nations Demographic Yearbook 1989, United Nations (New York, NY).
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].
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Johnston, W. R., July 2014, "India: abortions and live births by state and territory, working paper," see "India abortions and live births by state and territory, 1971-2011".
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© 2000-2025, 2026 by Wm. Robert Johnston.
Last modified 7 June 2026.
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