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.
• 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 is abortions per 1000 women of childbearing age.

South Africa regional level data also available here.

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:

• 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, 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].
• 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 Health Systems Trust, 2009, "Health Statistics: TOPs (Terminations of Pregnancy)," Health Systems Trust, on line [http://www.hst.org.za/healthstats/47/data].
• Henshaw, Stanley K., T. A. Haas, K. Berentsen, and E. Carbone, eds., 2001, Readings on Induced Abortion, Volume 2: A World Review 2000, Alan Guttmacher Institute (New York, NY), on line at Access My Library [http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/browse_JJ_R048].
• Johnston, Wm. Robert, Dec. 2009, "South Africa abortions and live births by province," working paper, see "South Africa: abortions and live births by province, 1997-2007," Johnston's Archive, on line [http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/policy/abortion/southafrica/ab-sap.html].
• Office for National Statistics, 1992, "Abortion Statistics: Legal abortions carried out under the 1967 Abortion Act in England and Wales, 1991," National Statistics, on line [http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_health/AB18_1991/ab18_1991.pdf].
• Office for National Statistics, 1994, "Abortion Statistics: Legal abortions carried out under the 1967 Abortion Act in England and Wales, 1993," National Statistics, on line [http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_health/AB20_1993/ab20_1993.pdf].
• Office for National Statistics, 1995, "Abortion Statistics: Legal abortions carried out under the 1967 Abortion Act in England and Wales, 1994," National Statistics, on line [http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_health/AB21_1994/ab21_1994.pdf].
• Office for National Statistics, 1996, "Abortion Statistics: Legal abortions carried out under the 1967 Abortion Act in England and Wales, 1995," National Statistics, on line [http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_health/AB22_1995/ab22_1995.pdf].
• Office for National Statistics, 1997, "Abortion Statistics: Legal abortions carried out under the 1967 Abortion Act in England and Wales, 1996," National Statistics, on line [http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_health/AB23_1996/ab23_1996.pdf].
• ProLife South Africa, 2006, "Abortion holocaust in the Republic of South Africa," ProLife South Africa, on line [http://www.prolife.co.za/docs/doc/184.doc].
• 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].
• 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, 23 Nov. 2009, "Recorded live births, 2008," Statistics South Africa, on line [http://www.statssa.gov.za/Publications/P0305/P03052008.pdf].
• U.K. Parliament, 18 April 1972, "Abortion," HANSARD 1803-2005, on line [http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/written_answers/1972/apr/18/abortion#S5CV0835P0-05802].
• 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, 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, 23 July 2008, "Table 9. Live births and crude birth rates, by urban/rural residence: 2002-2006," in United Nations Demographic Yearbook 2006, United Nations (New York, NY), on line at United Nations Statistics Division [http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/dyb2006/Table09.pdf].
• United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 9 Oct. 2009, "Table 4. Vital statistics summary and expectation of life at birth: 2003-2007," in United Nations Demographic Yearbook 2007, United Nations (New York, NY), on line at United Nations Statistics Division [http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/dyb2007/Table04.pdf].

© 2000-2008, 2010 by Wm. Robert Johnston.
Last modified 27 January 2010.
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