Abortion statistics and other data--Johnston`s Archive
Historical abortion statistics, Ireland
compiled by Wm. Robert Johnston
last updated 6 June 2026
Definition of table data (see notes after table for additional information):
- Live births.
- Abortions, reported includes legal reported induced abortions.
- 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.
- Abortions, residents (AWR) are combined reported and estimated abortions by residents (in and out of country) from the Abortion Worldwide Report and working papers.
- 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, residents (AWR) is abortions by residency from Abortion Worldwide Report figures per 1000 women ages 15-39.
| year | live births | abortions, reported | abortions (AWR) | abortions, residents, in country only | abortions, residents, obtained abroad | abortions, residents, total | abortions, residents (AWR) | miscarriages | fetal deaths | abortion ratio | abortion % | abortion
rate,
residents | abortion
rate, residents (AWR) |
|---|
residents, in/out of country | all in country | residents, in/out of country | all in country |
| 1948 | 65,930 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1949 | 64,153 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1950 | 63,263 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1951 | 62,878 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1952 | 64,631 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1953 | 62,558 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1954 | 62,534 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1955 | 61,622 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1956 | 60,740 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1957 | 61,242 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1958 | 59,510 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1959 | 60,188 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1960 | 60,735 | | | | | | | | 1,361 | | | | | | |
| 1961 | 59,825 | | | | | | | | 1,264 | | | | | | |
| 1962 | 61,782 | | | | | | | | 1,241 | | | | | | |
| 1963 | 63,246 | | | | | | | | 1,169 | | | | | | |
| 1964 | 64,072 | | | | | | | | 1,126 | | | | | | |
| 1965 | 63,525 | | | | | | | | 1,072 | | | | | | |
| 1966 | 62,215 | | | | | | | | 996 | | | | | | |
| 1967 | 61,307 | | | | | | | | 1,000 | | | | | | |
| 1968 | 61,004 | | | | 64 | 64 | 64 | | 934 | 1.0 | | 0.10 | | 0.12 | |
| 1969 | 62,912 | | | | 218 | 218 | 218 | | 893 | 3.5 | | 0.35 | | 0.41 | |
| 1970 | 64,382 | | | | 261 | 261 | 261 | | 904 | 4.1 | | 0.40 | | 0.48 | |
| 1971 | 67,551 | | | | 1,225 | 1,225 | 1,225 | | 881 | 18.1 | | 1.78 | | 2.24 | |
| 1972 | 68,527 | | | | 975 | 975 | 975 | | 901 | 14.2 | | 1.40 | | 1.74 | |
| 1973 | 68,713 | | | | 1,195 | 1,195 | 1,195 | | 829 | 17.4 | | 1.71 | | 2.07 | |
| 1974 | 68,907 | | | | 1,421 | 1,421 | 1,421 | | 867 | 20.6 | | 2.02 | | 2.40 | |
| 1975 | 67,178 | | | | 1,575 | 1,575 | 1,575 | | 774 | 23.4 | | 2.29 | | 2.58 | |
| 1976 | 67,718 | | | | 1,822 | 1,822 | 1,822 | | 765 | 26.9 | | 2.62 | | 2.91 | |
| 1977 | 68,892 | | | | 2,185 | 2,185 | 2,185 | | 757 | 31.7 | | 3.07 | | 3.40 | |
| 1978 | 70,299 | | | | 2,550 | 2,550 | 2,550 | | 659 | 36.3 | | 3.50 | | 3.88 | |
| 1979 | 72,539 | | | | 2,809 | 2,809 | 2,809 | | 684 | 38.7 | | 3.73 | | 4.16 | |
| 1980 | 74,064 | | | | 3,324 | 3,324 | 3,324 | | 681 | 44.9 | | 4.30 | | 4.82 | |
| 1981 | 72,158 | | | | 3,605 | 3,605 | 3,605 | | 600 | 50.0 | | 4.76 | | 5.11 | |
| 1982 | 70,843 | | | | 3,654 | 3,654 | 3,654 | | 571 | 51.6 | | 4.90 | | 5.07 | |
| 1983 | 67,117 | | | | 3,677 | 3,677 | 3,677 | | 581 | 54.8 | | 5.19 | | 5.02 | |
| 1984 | 64,062 | | | | 3,948 | 3,948 | 3,948 | | 542 | 61.6 | | 5.81 | | 5.30 | |
| 1985 | 62,388 | | | | 3,888 | 3,888 | 3,888 | | 516 | 62.3 | | 5.87 | | 5.16 | |
| 1986 | 61,620 | | | | 3,920 | 3,920 | 3,920 | | 479 | 63.6 | | 5.98 | | 5.15 | |
| 1987 | 58,433 | | | | 3,673 | 3,673 | 3,673 | | 416 | 62.9 | | 5.91 | | 4.78 | |
| 1988 | 54,600 | | | | 3,839 | 3,839 | 3,839 | | 386 | 70.3 | | 6.57 | | 4.99 | |
| 1989 | 52,018 | | | | 3,721 | 3,721 | 3,721 | | 330 | 71.5 | | 6.68 | | 4.85 | |
| 1990 | 53,044 | | | | 4,064 | 4,064 | 4,064 | | 327 | 76.6 | | 7.12 | | 5.29 | 5.98 |
| 1991 | 52,718 | | | | 4,154 | 4,154 | 4,154 | | 301 | 78.8 | | 7.30 | | 5.35 | 6.07 |
| 1992 | 51,089 | | | | 4,254 | 4,254 | 4,254 | | 285 | 83.3 | | 7.69 | | 5.41 | 6.17 |
| 1993 | 49,304 | | | | 4,402 | 4,402 | 4,402 | | 291 | 89.3 | | 8.20 | | 5.55 | 6.35 |
| 1994 | 48,255 | | | | 4,590 | 4,590 | 4,590 | | 297 | 95.1 | | 8.69 | | 5.73 | 6.59 |
| 1995 | 48,530 | | | | 4,532 | 4,532 | 4,532 | | 330 | 93.4 | | 8.54 | | 5.59 | 6.47 |
| 1996 | 50,390 | | | | 4,894 | 4,894 | 4,894 | | 334 | 97.1 | | 8.85 | | 5.95 | 6.94 |
| 1997 | 52,311 | | | | 5,340 | 5,340 | 5,340 | | 368 | 102.1 | | 9.26 | | 6.39 | 7.42 |
| 1998 | 53,551 | | | | 5,891 | 5,891 | 5,891 | | 328 | 110.0 | | 9.91 | | 6.93 | 8.03 |
| 1999 | 53,354 | | | | 6,226 | 6,226 | 6,226 | | 311 | 116.7 | | 10.45 | | 7.21 | 8.35 |
| 2000 | 54,239 | | | | 6,391 | 6,391 | 6,391 | | 325 | 117.8 | | 10.54 | | 7.34 | 8.46 |
| 2001 | 57,854 | | | | 6,673 | 6,673 | 6,673 | | 358 | 115.3 | | 10.34 | | 7.53 | 8.73 |
| 2002 | 60,503 | | | | 6,522 | 6,522 | 6,522 | 117 | 364 | 107.8 | | 9.73 | | 7.18 | 8.42 |
| 2003 | 61,517 | | | | 6,320 | 6,320 | 6,320 | | 345 | 102.7 | | 9.32 | | 6.87 | 8.05 |
| 2004 | 61,684 | | | | 6,217 | 6,217 | 6,217 | | 321 | 100.8 | | 9.16 | | 6.67 | 7.76 |
| 2005 | 61,042 | | | | 5,585 | 5,585 | 5,585 | | 306 | 91.5 | | 8.38 | | 5.88 | 6.79 |
| 2006 | 64,237 | | | | 5,042 | 5,042 | 5,503 | | 308 | 78.5 | | 7.28 | | 5.17 | 6.52 |
| 2007 | 70,620 | | | | 4,686 | 4,686 | 5,137 | | 393 | 66.4 | | 6.22 | | 4.67 | 5.94 |
| 2008 | 73,996 | | | | 4,600 | 4,600 | 4,951 | | 358 | 62.2 | | 5.85 | | 4.51 | 5.60 |
| 2009 | 74,278 | | | | 4,422 | 4,422 | 4,556 | | 372 | 59.5 | | 5.62 | | 4.36 | 5.11 |
| 2010 | 73,724 | | | | 4,402 | 4,402 | 4,433 | | 355 | 59.7 | | 5.63 | | 4.41 | 5.04 |
| 2011 | 74,727 | | | | 4,182 | 4,182 | 4,182 | | 297 | 56.0 | | 5.30 | | | 4.84 |
| 2012 | 72,225 | | | | 4,006 | 4,006 | 4,006 | | 281 | 55.5 | | 5.26 | | | 4.71 |
| 2013 | 68,930 | | | | 3,691 | 3,691 | 3,691 | | 277 | 53.5 | | 5.08 | | | 4.40 |
| 2014 | 67,295 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 3,751 | 3,777 | 3,777 | | 286 | 56.1 | 0.4 | 5.31 | 0.04 | | 4.54 |
| 2015 | 65,909 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 3,485 | 3,511 | 3,511 | | 262 | 53.3 | 0.4 | 5.06 | 0.04 | | 4.24 |
| 2016 | 63,897 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3,287 | 3,312 | 3,312 | | 227 | 51.8 | 0.4 | 4.93 | 0.04 | | 4.00 |
| 2017 | 61,818 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 3,019 | 3,034 | 3,034 | | 216 | 49.1 | 0.2 | 4.68 | 0.02 | | 3.67 |
| 2018 | 60,978 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 2,879 | 2,911 | 2,911 | | 197 | 47.7 | 0.5 | 4.56 | 0.05 | | 3.51 |
| 2019 | 59,245 | 6,666 | 6,666 | 6,584 | 460 | 7,044 | 7,044 | | 223 | 118.9 | 112.5 | 10.63 | 10.11 | | 8.50 |
| 2020 | 55,923 | 6,577 | 6,577 | 6,533 | 203 | 6,736 | 6,736 | | 120 | 120.5 | 117.6 | 10.75 | 10.52 | | 8.18 |
| 2021 | 58,402 | 6,683 | 6,683 | 6,676 | 247 | 6,923 | 6,923 | | 122 | 118.5 | 114.4 | 10.60 | 10.27 | | 8.48 |
| 2022 | 57,495 | 8,876 | 8,876 | 8,859 | 214 | 9,073 | 9,073 | | | 157.8 | 154.4 | 13.63 | 13.37 | | 11.14 |
| 2023 | 54,678 | 10,033 | 10,033 | 10,017 | 245 | 10,262 | 10,262 | | | 187.7 | 183.5 | 15.80 | 15.50 | | 12.55 |
| 2024 | 54,062 | 10,852 | 10,852 | 10,832 | 10 | 10,842 | 10,842 | | | 200.5 | 200.7 | 16.70 | 16.72 | | 13.23 |
| 2025 | 54,125 | | (11,500) | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| year | live births | abortions, reported | abortions (AWR) | abortions, residents, in country only | abortions, residents, obtained abroad | abortions, residents, total | abortions, residents (AWR) | miscarriages | fetal deaths | abortion ratio | abortion % | abortion
rate,
residents | abortion
rate, residents (AWR) |
|---|
residents, in/out of country | all in country | residents, in/out of country | all in country |
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:
- Council of Europe, 2004, "Ireland, 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/IRLTAB2.xls].
- 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, 30 Oct. 2003, "Abortion Statistics: Legal abortions carried out under the 1967 Abortion Act in England and Wales, 2002," Department of Health, on line [http://www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/08/00/59/04080059.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].
- Department of Health, Aug. 2004, "Abortion Statistics: Legal abortions carried out under the 1967 Abortion Act in England and Wales, 2003," Department of Health, on line [http://www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/11/66/26/04116626.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].
- Department of Health, May 2012, "Abortion Statistics, England and Wales: 2011," Gov.UK, on line [https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/213386/Commentary1.pdf].
- Francome, Colin, 1988, "United Kingdom," in International Handbook on Abortion, ed. by Paul Sachdev, Greenwood Press (New York, NY), pp. 458-472.
- Government Statistical Service, 19 June 2007, "Statistical Bulletin: Abortion Statistics, England and Wales: 2006," Department of Health, on line [http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/idcplg?IdcService=GET_FILE&dID=142305&Rendition=Web].
- Government Statistical Service, June 2008, "Statistical Bulletin: Abortion Statistics, England and Wales: 2007," Department of Health, on line [http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/idcplg?IdcService=GET_FILE&dID=142305&Rendition=Web].
- Government Statistical Service, May 2009, "Statistical Bulletin: Abortion Statistics, England and Wales: 2008," Department of Health, on line [http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_099714.pdf].
- 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].
- 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].
- IGZ, April 2013, "Jaarrapportage 2011 van de wet afbreking zwangerschap," IGZ (Netherlands), on line at Rijksoverheid [http://www.rijksoverheid.nl/bestanden/documenten-en-publicaties/rapporten/2013/04/11/jaarrapportage-2011-van-de-wet-afbreking-zwangerschap/jaarrapportage-2011-van-de-wet-afbreking-zwangerschap.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].
- Office for National Statistics, 2002, "Abortion Statistics: Legal abortions carried out under the 1967 Abortion Act in England and Wales, 2001," National Statistics, on line [http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_health/AB28_2001/AB28_2001.pdf].
- Parliament of Ireland, 20 Feb. 2002, "Written answers," Parliament of Ireland, on line [http://www.irlgov.ie/debates-02/20feb/sect8.htm].
- Potts, Malcolm, Peter Diggory, and John Peel, 1977, Abortion, Cambridge Univ. Press (Cambridge, UK).
- 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].
- 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, 2006, "Table 12. Late foetal deaths and late foetal death ratios, by urban/rural residence: 2000-2004," in United Nations Demographic Yearbook 2004, United Nations (New York, NY), on line at United Nations Statistics Division [http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/DYB2004/Table12.pdf].
- United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2006, "Table 9. Live births and crude birth rates, by urban/rural residence: 2000-2004," in United Nations Demographic Yearbook 2004, United Nations (New York, NY), on line at United Nations Statistics Division [http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/DYB2004/Table09.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 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. 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, June 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 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].
- Pro Life Campaign, 2012, "Overview of Irish Abortions," Pro Life Campaign, on line [http://prolifecampaign.ie/plc/wp-content/uploads/Irish%20Figures%20Overview%20PDF(1).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].
- 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].
- United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 12 Aug. 2015, "3. Live births, deaths, and infant deaths, latest available year (2000-2014)," United Nations Statistics Division, on line [http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/vitstats/serATab3.pdf].
- [jaarrapportage-2014-van-de-wet-afbreking-zwangerschap.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].
- Minister for Health and Children, 2002, “Written answers—abortion statistics,” on line https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2002-02-20/36/
© 2000-2025, 2026 by Wm. Robert Johnston.
Last modified 6 June 2026.
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