South Africa: abortions and live births by province, 1997-2023
compiled by Wm. Robert Johnston
last updated 10 August 2025
Reported abortions by province, 1997-2023
| province | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | province |
|---|
| Eastern Cape | 2,693 | 2,938 | 3,115 | 3,310 | 4,671 | 5,887 | 6,819 | 6,330 | 10,034 | 10,015 | (11,150) | (11,790) | (10,870) | (9,390) | (11,490) | (13,840) | (16,030) | (14,770) | (16,320) | (12,930) | (11,460) | (11,910) | (12,510) | (10,460) | (12,090) | (14,370) | (14,030) | | Eastern Cape |
| Free State | 2,534 | 4,107 | 4,062 | 6,919 | 4,824 | 3,949 | 4,952 | 8,343 | 8,890 | 7,834 | 7,142 | 9,275 | 6,641 | (5,770) | (5,630) | (5,600) | (6,390) | (6,290) | (6,190) | (6,230) | (7,090) | (8,450) | (8,400) | (7,250) | (7,510) | (8,110) | (7,770) | | Free State |
| Gauteng | 13,505 | 19,417 | 19,298 | 17,408 | 20,321 | 18,256 | 30,250 | 37,806 | 33,727 | 32,464 | 23,268 | 28,995 | 32,814 | (21,630) | (21,220) | (21,670) | (20,910) | (19,030) | (18,050) | (24,850) | (21,470) | (20,280) | (22,470) | (22,950) | (25,210) | (31,750) | (31,860) | | Gauteng |
| KwaZulu-Nata | 1,259 | 5,167 | 6,900 | 11,592 | 7,533 | 9,592 | 11,015 | 10,602 | 12,706 | 9,679 | 3,883 | (5,240) | (5,540) | (5,170) | (6,160) | (8,110) | (9,580) | (9,670) | (10,060) | (14,810) | (22,160) | (27,500) | (27,730) | (23,260) | (23,300) | (25,780) | (24,930) | | KwaZulu-Nata |
| Limpopo | 570 | 852 | 1,728 | 2,493 | 4,512 | 4,706 | 4,236 | 4,587 | (9,670) | (11,250) | (10,700) | (9,710) | (8,830) | (8,420) | (8,500) | (8,310) | (8,590) | (8,470) | (9,320) | (10,510) | (10,050) | (11,750) | (14,330) | (14,030) | (14,050) | (14,850) | (14,200) | | Limpopo |
| Mpumlanga | 1,509 | 1,857 | 2,558 | 3,728 | 3,520 | 3,218 | 2,206 | 3,757 | 1,346 | (1,790) | (1,770) | (2,910) | (2,690) | (2,620) | (3,170) | (3,210) | (2,820) | (2,480) | (2,530) | (3,220) | (4,170) | (5,230) | (7,470) | (3,940) | (5,570) | (9,170) | (9,520) | | Mpumlanga |
| Northern Cape | 435 | 552 | 642 | 615 | 738 | 910 | 779 | 1,408 | 1,305 | 1,418 | 1,734 | 1,227 | 1,266 | (1,170) | (1,170) | (930) | (1,280) | (1,670) | (1,730) | (1,380) | (1,560) | (1,620) | (1,530) | (1,470) | (1,700) | (2,170) | (2,170) | | Northern Cape |
| North West | 218 | 455 | 2,231 | 2,329 | 3,120 | 3,070 | 2,011 | 3,165 | (3,780) | (7,310) | (6,140) | (5,910) | (6,010) | (6,320) | (6,770) | (6,830) | (7,600) | (8,190) | (9,230) | (6,310) | (6,510) | (14,010) | (18,740) | (11,210) | (8,900) | (9,950) | (9,670) | | North West |
| Western Cape | 3,796 | 5,008 | 5,775 | 6,721 | 8,300 | 10,065 | 10,513 | 11,157 | 15,149 | 13,314 | 14,131 | 18,390 | (13,810) | (12,540) | (12,020) | (13,040) | (15,030) | (18,830) | (20,160) | (19,400) | (20,370) | (18,870) | (18,940) | (17,010) | (16,170) | (17,680) | (17,170) | | Western Cape |
| UNKNOWN | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | 86,388 | 77,092 | 92,120 | | | | | | 1,693 | 6,819 | 118,509 | UNKNOWN |
| SOUTH AFRICA | 26,519 | 40,353 | 46,309 | 55,115 | 57,539 | 59,653 | 72,781 | 87,155 | (96,600) | (95,000) | (79,900) | (93,400) | (88,500) | (73,000) | (76,100) | (81,500) | (88,200) | 175,788 | 170,682 | 191,760 | (104,800) | (119,600) | (132,100) | (111,600) | 114,496 | 135,523 | 138,139 | 118,509 | SOUTH AFRICA |
Notes: Reporting for abortions is incomplete. Figures in parentheses are calendar year estimates based on reported fiscal year figures.
Reported live births by province, 1997-2023
| province | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | province |
|---|
| Eastern Cape | 111,804 | 140,989 | 137,694 | 125,450 | 120,522 | 122,450 | 133,806 | 148,722 | 152,533 | 150,859 | 143,210 | 139,386 | 128,565 | 123,890 | 125,697 | 124,010 | 121,508 | 122,773 | 123,827 | 115,449 | 108,608 | 110,341 | 118,269 | 121,009 | 116,121 | 106,615 | 92,215 | | Eastern Cape |
| Free State | 41,832 | 43,159 | 44,244 | 45,306 | 46,533 | 47,052 | 49,589 | 53,286 | 55,774 | 56,128 | 56,668 | 58,229 | 55,002 | 55,239 | 54,021 | 53,854 | 51,698 | 52,752 | 52,954 | 49,130 | 48,096 | 48,399 | 50,012 | 46,018 | 48,564 | 45,664 | 41,854 | | Free State |
| Gauteng | 144,427 | 133,221 | 144,425 | 148,680 | 153,946 | 156,988 | 158,776 | 179,740 | 185,978 | 192,359 | 193,623 | 202,204 | 200,294 | 201,057 | 201,088 | 201,883 | 225,906 | 226,762 | 222,329 | 212,058 | 208,818 | 214,839 | 226,657 | 213,140 | 211,348 | 202,656 | 188,508 | | Gauteng |
| KwaZulu-Nata | 176,362 | 208,460 | 216,174 | 213,888 | 209,135 | 217,104 | 204,883 | 215,584 | 227,961 | 241,103 | 232,902 | 236,188 | 223,003 | 219,533 | 217,585 | 212,773 | 215,817 | 217,090 | 215,589 | 201,100 | 190,146 | 203,356 | 226,860 | 210,506 | 206,897 | 206,844 | 181,309 | | KwaZulu-Nata |
| Limpopo | 93,217 | 107,568 | 107,537 | 101,529 | 101,184 | 96,606 | 99,636 | 113,118 | 122,922 | 120,349 | 121,211 | 126,124 | 120,983 | 123,882 | 129,261 | 128,659 | 128,831 | 129,346 | 129,789 | 126,801 | 119,339 | 126,288 | 135,248 | 128,536 | 129,530 | 121,918 | 110,581 | | Limpopo |
| Mpumlanga | 56,145 | 63,418 | 63,364 | 64,291 | 63,823 | 61,917 | 66,488 | 74,759 | 77,799 | 84,374 | 85,307 | 88,108 | 85,944 | 83,883 | 87,307 | 87,757 | 82,396 | 84,337 | 84,659 | 77,174 | 77,698 | 79,733 | 86,396 | 96,889 | 94,903 | 82,061 | 70,688 | | Mpumlanga |
| Northern Cape | 17,064 | 15,708 | 16,621 | 16,930 | 16,468 | 16,590 | 17,059 | 18,811 | 19,579 | 23,794 | 24,272 | 24,967 | 24,483 | 24,425 | 24,442 | 25,205 | 25,180 | 25,352 | 25,413 | 24,998 | 23,928 | 24,736 | 24,972 | 24,769 | 26,037 | 24,180 | 23,417 | | Northern Cape |
| North West | 54,694 | 59,907 | 62,717 | 63,659 | 63,182 | 62,197 | 66,027 | 73,763 | 79,166 | 78,736 | 80,719 | 83,699 | 81,053 | 79,949 | 79,940 | 79,781 | 70,832 | 70,557 | 60,065 | 57,640 | 56,718 | 56,600 | 59,979 | 57,687 | 58,482 | 56,525 | 52,633 | | North West |
| Western Cape | 82,990 | 74,596 | 81,008 | 82,286 | 83,473 | 83,953 | 85,292 | 96,256 | 102,364 | 107,633 | 108,014 | 111,362 | 108,043 | 105,775 | 104,543 | 103,650 | 98,708 | 102,724 | 102,948 | 99,513 | 97,968 | 99,553 | 106,687 | 100,147 | 95,580 | 91,623 | 87,132 | | Western Cape |
| UNKNOWN | 181,798 | 97,466 | 95,753 | 120,036 | 106,539 | 110,638 | 89,253 | 56,163 | 47,830 | 48,246 | 43,596 | 42,774 | 34,707 | 17,876 | 20,655 | 27,511 | 11,383 | 4,840 | 2,517 | 3,367 | 13,408 | 18,025 | 181 | 17,203 | 23,783 | 7,577 | 15,110 | | UNKNOWN |
| SOUTH AFRICA | 960,333 | 944,492 | 969,537 | 982,055 | 964,805 | 975,495 | 970,809 | 1,030,202 | 1,071,906 | 1,103,581 | 1,089,522 | 1,113,041 | 1,062,077 | 1,035,509 | 1,044,539 | 1,045,083 | 1,032,259 | 1,036,533 | 1,020,090 | 967,230 | 944,727 | 981,870 | 1,035,261 | 1,015,904 | 1,011,245 | 945,663 | 863,447 | | SOUTH AFRICA |
Note: Reporting for births is incomplete, particularly for 2022-2023.
Sources (incomplete):
- Dobbie, Mark, Lesego O. Masebe, and Mosidi S. Nhlapo, 2007, "The coverage and quality of birth registration data in South Africa, 1998-2005," Statistics South Africa, on line [http://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/report-03-06-01/report-03-06-012005.pdf].
- Health Systems Trust, 2009, "Health Statistics: TOPs (Terminations of Pregnancy)," Health Systems Trust, on line [http://www.hst.org.za/healthstats/47/data].
- Health Systems Trust, 2013, "Health Statistics: TOPs (Terminations of Pregnancy)," Health Systems Trust, on line [http://indicators.hst.org.za/healthstats/47/data].
- Statistics South Africa, 7 Dec. 1999, "Recorded live births, 1997," Statistics South Africa, on line [http://www.statssa.gov.za/Publications/P0305/P03051997.pdf].
- Statistics South Africa, 24 May 2001, "Recorded live births, 1998, 1999, 2000," Statistics South Africa, on line [http://www.statssa.gov.za/Publications/P0305/P03051998,1999,2000.pdf].
- Statistics South Africa, 30 July 2002, "Recorded live births, 2001," Statistics South Africa, on line [http://www.statssa.gov.za/Publications/P0305/P03052001.pdf].
- Statistics South Africa, 22 April 2003, "Recorded live births, 2002," Statistics South Africa, on line [http://www.statssa.gov.za/Publications/P0305/P03052002.pdf].
- Statistics South Africa, 29 June 2004, "Recorded live births, 2003," Statistics South Africa, on line [http://www.statssa.gov.za/Publications/P0305/P03052003.pdf].
- Statistics South Africa, 4 Aug. 2005, "Recorded live births, 2004," Statistics South Africa, on line [http://www.statssa.gov.za/Publications/P0305/P03052004.pdf].
- Statistics South Africa, 10 Oct. 2006, "Recorded live births, 2005," Statistics South Africa, on line [http://www.statssa.gov.za/Publications/P0305/P03052005.pdf].
- Statistics South Africa, 28 Nov. 2007, "Recorded live births, 2006," Statistics South Africa, on line [http://www.statssa.gov.za/Publications/P0305/P03052006.pdf].
- Statistics South Africa, 24 July 2008, "Recorded live births, 2007," Statistics South Africa, on line [http://www.statssa.gov.za/Publications/P0305/P03052007.pdf].
- Statistics South Africa, 23 Nov. 2009, "Recorded live births, 2008," Statistics South Africa, on line [http://www.statssa.gov.za/Publications/P0305/P03052008.pdf].
- Statistics South Africa, 16 Aug. 2010, "Recorded live births, 2009," Statistics South Africa, on line [http://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P0305/P03052009.pdf].
- Statistics South Africa, 18 Aug. 2011, "Recorded live births, 2010," Statistics South Africa, on line [http://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P0305/P03052010.pdf].
- Statistics South Africa, 16 Aug. 2012, "Recorded live births, 2011," Statistics South Africa, on line [http://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P0305/P03052011.pdf].
- Statistics South Africa, 18 Nov. 2013, "Recorded live births, 2012," Statistics South Africa, on line [http://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P0305/P03052012.pdf].
- Commission for Gender Equality, 2021, "Investigation into choice on termination of pregnancies in South Africa," CGE, on line [https://cge.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Investigation-into-choice-on-Termination-of-Pregnancies-in-SA.pdf].
- Engelbrecht, Michelle Catherine, Nov. 2005, "Termination of pregnancy policy and services: an appraisal of the implementation and operation of the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act (92 of 1996)," Ph.D. thesis, University of the Free State, on line at University of the Free State [http://etd.uovs.ac.za/ETD-db//theses/available/etd-08212006-132756/unrestricted/EngelbrechtMC.pdf].
- Epidemiological Research and Surveillance Management, 2006, Update on the choice on termination of pregnancy in the Eastern Cape, 1997-2005.
- Fawcus, S., S. Gebhardt, R. Niit, and R. Pattinson, 2024, Resilence in the time of crisis: A review of maternal, perinatal and reproductive health effects of COVID-19 in South Africa, South African Medical Journal, 114(5):12, on line [https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.7196/SAMJ.2024.v114i5.1757].
- Health Systems Trust, 2016, "ToPs (Terminations of pregnancy)," Health Systems Trust, on line [http://indicators.hst.org.za/healthstats/47/data].
- Motsoaledi, Aaron, 11 Dec. 2024, "Question: 2299," National Assembly, on line [https://pa.org.za/questions/questions-asked-to-the-minister-of-health/2024-w2299-11-december-2024].
- Ndiovu, Noluthando, Candy Day, Andy Gray, Jacob Busang, and Linda Mureithi, 2022, "Health and related indicators 2021," Health Systems Trust, on line [https://www.hst.org.za/publications/South%20African%20Health%20Reviews/Chapter29_Indicators_SAHR21_04022022_OD.pdf].
- Ndiovu, Noluthando, Andrew Gray, Ntombifuthi Blose, and Matome Mokganya, 2023, "Health and related indicators, 2023," Health Systems Trust, on line [122768-health-and-related-indicators-2023.pdf].
- Padarath, A., and T. Moeti, eds., 2023, "South Africa Health Review 2022," Health Systems Trust, on line, [87567-south-african-health-review-2022-health-systems-recovery-after-covid-19.pdf].
- Reproductive Rights Alliance (RPA), May 2002, "National Statistics, Terminations of pregnancy," Barometer, on line [http://www.hst.org.za/rra/barometer/may2002.htm].
- Rispel, L. C., and A. Padarath, eds., 2018, "South African health review 2018," Health Systems Trust, on line [https://saafp.org/uploads/Health_Review_2018.pdf].
- Statistics South Africa, 27 Oct. 2016, Recorded live births 2013-2015, Statistics South Africa, on line [https://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P0305/P03052015.pdf].
- Statistics South Africa, 27 Aug. 2018, Recorded live births 2017, Statistics South Africa, on line [https://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P0305/P03052017.pdf].
- Statistics South Africa, 26 Sept. 2019, Recorded live births 2018, Statistics South Africa, on line [https://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P0305/P03052018.pdf].
- Statistics South Africa, 19 Oct. 2020, Recorded live births 2019, Statistics South Africa, on line [https://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P0305/P03052019.pdf].
- Statistics South Africa, 11 Nov. 2021, Recorded live birth 2020, Statistics South Africa, on line [https://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P0305/P03052020.pdf].
- Statistics South Africa, 13 Dec. 2023, "Recorded live births 2022" and "RLB 2023 Tables and Appendices," Statistics South Africa, on line [https://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P0305/P03052022.pdf].
© 2004-2015, 2025 by Wm. Robert Johnston.
Last modified 10 August 2025.
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