by Wm. Robert Johnston
last updated 3 September 2023
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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
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Albania: figures and rates by kraj
Australia: historical abortion statistics by state and territory
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Belarus: figures and rates by oblast
Belgium: figures and rates by region
Bulgaria: figures and rates by oblast
Canada: historical abortion statistics by province and territory
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P.R. China: figures and rates by region
Croatia: figures and rates by county
Czech Republic: figures and rates by region; figures and rates by district
Denmark: figures and rates by county
East Germany: figures and rates by region
Estonia: figures and rates by county
Finland: figures and rates by hospital district
France: figures and rates by region; figures and rates by department
Germany: figures and rates by state
Greenland: figures and rates by municipality
Guam: figures and rates by municipality
Hungary: figures and rates by county; figures and rates by subregion
Iceland: figures and rates by region
India: figures and rates by state and territory; figures and rates by district
--by districts, selected states:
Ireland: figures and rates by county
Israel: figures and rates by district
Italy: figures and rates by region; figures and rates by province
Japan: figures and rates by prefecture
Kazakhstan: figures and rates by region
Kosovo: figures and rates by municipality
Kyrgyzstan: figures and rates by oblast
Latvia: figures and rates by district
Lithuania: figures and rates by county; figures and rates by municipality
Mayotte: figures and rates by commune
Mexico: figures and rates by state
Moldova: figures and rates by region
Mongolia: figures and rates by region
Netherlands: figures and rates by province
New Zealand: figures and rates by region
Norway: figures and rates by county
Portugal: figures and rates by district
Reunion: figures and rates by commune
Romania: figures and rates by county
Russia: figures and rates by region
Serbia: figures and rates by region
Slovakia: figures and rates by region; figures and rates by county
Slovenia: figures and rates by region; figures and rates by administrative unit
South Africa: figures and rates by province
Spain: figures and rates by autonomous community; figures and rates by province
Sweden: figures and rates by county; figures and rates by municipality
Switzerland: figures and rates by canton
Tajikistan: figures and rates by region
Ukraine: figures and rates by oblast
U.S.S.R.: figures and rates by republic
United Kingdom: historical abortion statistics by country
Uzbekistan: figures and rates by region
Yugoslavia: figures and rates by region; rates by successor countries
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Copyright © 2000-2022, 2023 by Wm. Robert Johnston.
Last modified 3 September 2023.
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