19 June 2018

The number of abortions performed in New Zealand rose slightly in 2017, Stats NZ said today. A total of 13,285 induced abortions were performed, compared with 12,823 in 2016. However, the number of abortions has been generally decreasing since 2003.

The general abortion rate (abortions per 1,000 women aged 15–44 years) was 13.7 in 2017. This was slightly higher than in 2016 when it was 13.5. However, the 2016 and 2017 rates were lower than any other year since 1990.

The abortion rate for women under 20 years was around one-third of the 2007 rate. In 2017 the abortion rate for women aged 15–19 years was 9 per 1,000 women in that age group, compared with 27 per 1,000 in 2007. The 2017 rate for women aged 15–19 years was the lowest since records began in 1980.

In 2017, a greater proportion of abortions were performed earlier in the pregnancy. Approximately 59 percent of abortions were performed before the 10th week of pregnancy, up from 57 percent in 2016.

The median age of women having an abortion in 2017 was 27.1 years, up from 24.5 years in 2007.

Authorised by Liz MacPherson, Government Statistician, 19 June 2018.

For more information about these statistics:

• Visit Abortion statistics: Year ended December 2017

• Open the attached files
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