by Wm. Robert Johnston
last updated 25 July 2026
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Abortion data summaries and maps
Comments on abortion statistics
Abortion statistics and other data is intended to improve the accessibility of abortion statistics. It is under continuing development. The reader should be aware that abortion statistics are often hard to obtain, and those statistics that are available are frequently inaccurate.
Official abortion statistics are often low due to incomplete reporting. In the United States, for example, not all states mandate such reporting. Even in those states that require or encourage reporting of abortion statistics, this reporting is incomplete (as demonstrated by higher numbers reported to abortion advocacy organizations). From 1988 to 1997, the total number of U.S. abortions reported to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control was 11.3% lower than the total number reported to the Alan Guttmacher Institute (the research branch of Planned Parenthood). In 1998 four states discontinued state-level gathering of abortion statistics, contributing to the 25.4% drop in CDC figures from 1997 to 1998.
In contrast, other organizations that provide estimates of abortion statistics may be motivated to inflate the numbers. Currently, the Alan Guttmacher Institute is an important source for estimates of both legal and illegal abortions worldwide. AGI is an extension of an organization engaged in intense political lobbying for the completely unrestrained practice of abortion. High abortion rates are in their political (and financial) interests for a number of reasons. For example, high numbers of illegal abortions are an element of their rationalization for legalized abortion.
Thus, when AGI estimates high rates of illegal abortions in the developing world these estimates bear scrutiny. Many such estimates are based on limited surveys. Some such surveys are limited to urban areas, which are not representative of rural areas. Other studies use compound assumptions to develop a figure for illegal abortions from data on hospitalizations for miscarriages.
Few pro-life organizations conduct their own statistical research, but such groups that make estimates of abortion numbers may also be inclined to accept higher figures as worst-case scenarios.
The following pages also include figures on live births and miscarriages. In many developing nations reporting of live births is incomplete. In all countries data on miscarriages is incomplete and is also subject to varying definitions. Reported miscarriages generally include only those pregnancies of a certain minimum gestation, often 20 weeks.
The country listings below contain some or all of the following columns:
Figures for Czechoslovakia, East Germany, the U.S.S.R., and the Panama Canal Zone end with the last year those countries/territories existed as intact/separate entities. Tables for Soviet successor states include data for the corresponding republics prior to independence; these figures are included in the corresponding U.S.S.R. totals. Data for the Federal Republic of Germany applies to reunited Germany from 1990 onward.
For U.S. states, abortion ratios and percentages are based on abortion figures from different sources with different completeness; the mixed figures are not reliable time series.
Reporting areas used on these pages are de facto statistical reporting areas and should not be assumed to represent recognition of disputed status; see this page for discussion.
The above list of sources includes references for all abortion statistics pages below. Most individual pages below include a listing of respective references (the above list includes sources for those pages with source lists under construction).
Review of sources and useful links
U.S. state agency sources of abortion statistics
Available regional-level abortion data
Historical abortion statistics by country
United States: historical abortion statistics by state
United States: county-level abortion data by state
Albania: figures and percentages by kraj
Argentina: figures and percentages by province
Armenia: figures and percentages by province
Australia: historical abortion statistics by state and territory
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Belarus: figures and percentages by oblast
Belgium: figures and percentages by region
Bosnia and Herzegovina: figures and percentages by canton/district
Brazil: figures and percentages by state
Bulgaria: figures and percentages by oblast
Canada: historical abortion statistics by province and territory
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P.R. China: figures and percentages by region
Croatia: figures and percentages by county
Czech Republic: figures and percentages by region; figures and percentages by district
Denmark: figures and percentages by county or region; figures and percentages by municipality
Estonia: figures and percentages by county
Finland: figures and percentages by hospital district
France: figures and percentages by region; figures and percentages by department
Germany: figures and percentages by state
East Germany: figures and percentages by region
Ghana: figures and percentages by region
Greenland: figures and percentages by municipality
Guam: figures and percentages by municipality
Hungary: figures and percentages by county; figures and percentages by subregion
Iceland: figures and percentages by health region
India: figures and percentages by state and territory; figures and percentages by district
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Ireland: figures and percentages by county
Israel: figures and percentages by region
Italy: figures and percentages by region; figures and percentages by province
Japan: figures and percentages by prefecture
Kazakhstan: figures and percentages by region
Kosovo: figures and percentages by municipality
Kyrgyzstan: figures and percentages by oblast
Latvia: figures and percentages by region; figures and percentages by district
Lithuania: figures and percentages by county; figures and percentages by municipality
Mayotte: figures and percentages by commune
Mexico: figures and percentages by state
Moldova: figures and percentages by region
Mongolia: figures and percentages by region
Mozambique: figures and percentages by province
Nepal: figures and percentages by province
Netherlands: figures and percentages by province
New Zealand: figures and percentages by region
Norway: figures and percentages by county
Poland: figures and percentages by province
Portugal: figures and percentages by district
Reunion: figures and percentages by district
Romania: figures and percentages by county
Russia: figures and percentages by region
Serbia: figures and percentages by region
Slovakia: figures and percentages by region; figures and percentages by county
Slovenia: figures and percentages by region; figures and percentages by administrative unit
South Africa: figures and percentages by province
Spain: figures and percentages by autonomous community; figures and percentages by province
Sweden: figures and percentages by county; figures and percentages by municipality
Switzerland: figures and percentages by canton
Tajikistan: figures and percentages by region
Ukraine: figures and percentages by oblast
U.S.S.R.: figures and percentages by republic
United Kingdom: historical abortion statistics by country
Uruguay: figures and percentages by department
Uzbekistan: figures and percentages by region
Yugoslavia: figures and percentages by region; percentages by successor countries
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Copyright © 2000-2025, 2026 by Wm. Robert Johnston.
Last modified 25 July 2026.
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