International data on late-term abortions

compiled by Wm. Robert Johnston
last updated 9 March 2019

Table 1: North America

Note: Canada data are incomplete. United States data are based on incomplete voluntary reporting by individual states, as compiled by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC figures) or based on merged CDC and state-level data (CDC+state figures). High, medium, and low groups are state groups with late-term abortion fractions that were typically high (9 states), medium (12 states), or low (27 states plus District of Columbia), with no data for 2 states. United States data for 2016-2017 are for limited reporting.

yearCanadaUnited States
(CDC figures)
United States
(CDC+state figures)
United States-high groupUnited States-medium groupUnited States-low group
abortions,
>20 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >20 wksabortions,
>20 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >20 wksabortions,
>20 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >20 wksabortions,
>20 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >20 wksabortions,
>20 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >20 wksabortions,
>20 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >20 wks
1982   10,8611,009,5851.0810,8611,009,5851.088,706494,4101.761,353267,3260.51802247,8490.32
1983   9,338977,3250.969,338977,3250.966,812480,3351.421,716253,2790.68810243,7110.33
1984   5,588651,4120.865,588651,4120.864,052285,6651.42998136,2470.73538229,5000.23
1985   5,603652,6350.865,603652,6350.863,943285,5121.381,065133,3990.80595234,6240.25
1986   5,752654,7120.885,752654,7120.883,809278,2091.371,484142,4781.04459234,0250.20
1987   6,519686,7980.956,519686,7980.954,055283,1731.432,042161,3471.27422242,2780.17
1988   7,457672,8381.117,457672,8381.114,525277,0381.632,397165,6841.45535230,1160.23
1989   7,686734,9821.057,686734,9821.054,652289,1611.612,670250,3261.07364195,4950.19
1990   7,604770,4620.997,604770,4620.994,519302,6861.492,697259,4541.04388208,3220.19
1991   8,342751,5031.118,342751,5031.114,990297,3711.682,806250,7371.12546203,3950.27
1992   10,925737,5251.4810,925737,5251.487,977299,4822.662,392244,8650.98556193,1780.29
1993   9,309744,2451.259,309744,2451.256,387287,3982.222,325241,2120.96597215,6350.28
1994   9,260701,0491.329,260701,0491.326,166274,3902.252,595227,6941.14499198,9650.25
1995   9,685667,8901.459,685667,8901.456,357263,4182.412,800217,9951.28528186,4770.28
1996   10,132657,5101.5410,132657,5101.546,789272,5662.492,909221,2521.31434163,6920.27
1997   9,985700,1111.439,985700,1111.436,402266,5912.402,573247,4101.04588186,1100.32
1998   9,795705,7071.399,805705,7071.395,859265,1612.213,368238,4381.41578202,6490.29
1999   9,643656,6981.479,661656,6981.475,970230,6602.593,223232,5671.39468193,7810.24
2000   9,108634,2471.449,125634,2471.445,425219,7042.473,204227,8141.41496187,0480.27
2001   8,654605,0141.438,674605,0141.435,385219,2022.462,957231,0411.28332154,9930.21
2002   9,312662,2211.419,321662,2211.415,960251,2692.372,916229,5631.27445181,5730.25
2003   9,383662,9451.429,392662,9451.426,094251,0392.432,827230,6451.23471181,4910.26
2004   8,365648,1831.298,378648,1831.296,082249,8652.431,828220,1710.83468178,3710.26
2005   8,482632,0171.349,498678,1331.406,409251,5472.552,705255,6991.06384170,8870.22
2006   8,360662,8951.269,240709,3881.306,256253,6402.472,631262,5541.00353193,1940.18
200754966,4310.837,855623,0221.268,762670,1051.315,835245,4912.382,584255,5651.01343169,0490.20
200855863,7260.888,028618,9161.309,033668,9411.355,841246,0622.372,931260,0581.13261162,8210.16
200955263,4870.877,206558,7921.298,333646,6321.295,520234,9412.352,566249,6231.03247162,0680.15
201053761,9820.876,353518,0881.237,335600,8151.224,673200,3952.332,382243,2950.98280157,1250.18
201154964,4100.857,325520,3041.418,323602,2571.385,637216,8722.602,305231,1591.00381154,2260.25
201256356,3221.006,180467,9591.326,894548,4641.264,556175,7892.591,848227,7030.81490144,9720.34
201356458,5810.965,770449,6411.286,269523,2461.204,224169,0442.501,610216,7750.74435137,4270.32
201460558,1511.045,578440,3301.276,069509,5341.194,261169,3302.521,354203,1120.67454137,0920.33
201558760,4250.975,597428,0421.316,112494,8291.244,005164,6762.431,643197,9240.83464132,2290.35
201661659,3811.04   3,695375,7930.98   1,532209,1260.7330174,1130.41
201770658,4431.21   1,841272,7180.68   1,319190,3670.6930167,1430.45
2018                  
yearCanadaUnited States
(CDC figures)
United States
(CDC+state figures)
United States-high groupUnited States-medium groupUnited States-low group
abortions,
>20 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >20 wksabortions,
>20 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >20 wksabortions,
>20 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >20 wksabortions,
>20 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >20 wksabortions,
>20 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >20 wksabortions,
>20 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >20 wks

Table 2: Australia and New Zealand

Note: Australia data are incomplete.

yearAustralia-QueenslandAustralia-South AustraliaAustralia-VictoriaAustralia-West AustraliaAustraliaNew Zealand
abortions,
>19 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >19 wksabortions,
>19 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >19 wksabortions,
>19 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >19 wksabortions,
>19 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >19 wksabortions,
>19 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >19 wksabortions,
>20 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >20 wks
1999         288,1540.34   4715,5010.30
2000      11217,7200.63378,2830.4514926,0030.575116,1030.32
2001      15117,3800.87278,2540.3317825,6340.694316,4100.26
2002      16317,2000.95318,2180.3819425,4180.766017,3800.35
2003      21917,1701.28317,9050.3925025,0751.007218,5110.39
2004   844,9481.7032717,0301.92387,8290.4944929,8071.516418,2110.35
2005814,2330.06704,7121.4935816,3702.19487,8280.6148443,1431.126517,5310.37
20062114,5020.14784,8881.6029816,8701.77428,3310.5043944,5910.986817,9340.38
20076615,0490.44814,8841.6634516,9502.04458,4240.5353745,3071.19   
20088115,2020.53875,1011.7132816,9601.93418,6660.4753745,9291.177517,9400.42
20098615,4530.56905,0541.7842816,9102.53378,8850.4264146,3021.387317,5500.42
20109113,9530.65895,0481.7636615,5902.35448,4150.5259043,0061.376516,6300.39
201111412,9490.88945,0101.8837814,8202.55608,6830.6964641,4621.5610015,8630.63
201212012,7520.94944,7651.9733014,8202.23678,4280.7961140,7651.506614,7450.45
201313012,4051.05944,6812.0135814,5402.46708,5090.8265240,1351.626414,0730.45
201414111,2851.251074,6502.3031912,8902.47718,5160.8363837,3411.716713,1370.51
201513210,8131.22904,4392.0330912,2002.53768,1760.9360735,6281.705713,1550.43
201614010,5701.321204,3462.7631011,1002.79      7612,8230.59
2017               7213,2850.54
2018                  
yearAustralia-QueenslandAustralia-South AustraliaAustralia-VictoriaAustralia-West AustraliaAustraliaNew Zealand
abortions,
>19 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >19 wksabortions,
>19 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >19 wksabortions,
>19 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >19 wksabortions,
>19 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >19 wksabortions,
>19 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >19 wksabortions,
>20 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >20 wks

Table 3: Scandinavia

Note: Norway threhold for reported late-term abortions varies from 21 weeks to 22 weeks in this time period.

yearDenmarkFinlandIcelandNorwaySweden
abortions,
>18 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >18 wksabortions,
>21 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >21 wksabortions,
>20 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >20 wksabortions,
>21/22 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >21/22 wksabortions,
>17 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >17 wks
1975            32332,5260.99
1976               
1977               
1978               
1979               
1980            33834,8870.97
1981               
1982               
1983      26820.29   26631,0140.86
1984      37340.41   26930,7550.87
1985   413,7870.0357000.71   23730,8100.77
1986   1313,3160.1006810.00   25433,1240.77
1987   912,9730.0736840.44   22434,7070.65
1988   2312,7360.1806740.00   27937,5850.74
1989   1612,6420.1316890.15   23237,9200.61
1990   1212,2150.1017260.14   22637,4890.60
1991   1411,7370.1216780.15   16635,7880.46
1992   1311,0690.1257640.65   22334,7730.64
1993   910,3750.0918490.12   17434,0280.51
1994   2110,0130.2107890.00   14732,1940.46
1995   149,8720.1418130.12   16531,3230.53
1996   1010,4190.1008600.00   15532,9870.48
1997   910,2500.0929330.21   15831,2650.51
199811416,4020.701310,7480.1228950.22   17130,9370.55
199912015,7830.761310,8370.1239210.33   18230,6510.59
200011215,6540.72810,9330.07      19630,8730.63
200113315,2950.871410,7400.13      20831,6380.66
200213314,9700.891510,9770.14      23233,2500.70
200311815,6090.762310,7680.21      26334,3550.77
200413415,2150.882511,1660.22      27434,3280.80
200510715,0980.712310,9730.21      29334,8150.84
200614915,0530.992110,6890.20      31535,8960.88
2007   2110,5880.20   715,1270.0536037,0730.97
2008   2610,4790.25   316,0070.0233337,9600.88
2009   5210,4490.50   615,7310.0435537,3850.95
2010   5010,1800.49   715,6760.0441037,5721.09
2011         715,2960.0540737,6341.08
2012            40537,2211.09
2013   5510,1200.54         
2014   539,7790.54   1114,0600.0844736,2611.23
2015               
2016               
2017               
2018               
yearDenmarkFinlandIcelandNorwaySweden
abortions,
>18 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >18 wksabortions,
>21 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >21 wksabortions,
>20 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >20 wksabortions,
>21/22 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >21/22 wksabortions,
>17 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >17 wks

Table 4: Mainland Western Europe

Note: Netherlands data include non-resident abortions.

yearGermanyGermanyNetherlandsSpain
abortions,
>21 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >21 wksabortions,
>22 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >22 wksabortions,
>20 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >20 wksabortions,
>20 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >20 wks
1988         6125,4920.24
1989         9330,2900.31
1990         12936,9710.35
1991         15441,6300.37
1992         17244,4240.39
1993         23445,2610.52
1994         37147,4220.78
1995         38149,1260.78
1996   159130,8990.12   57150,8461.12
1997   190130,8900.15   61749,4781.25
1998   175131,7950.13   72653,7861.35
1999   164130,4710.13   82658,2191.42
2000   154134,6090.11   92663,7191.45
2001   177134,9640.13   1,16469,8091.67
2002   188130,3870.14   1,42677,1041.85
2003   217128,0300.17   1,53079,7801.92
2004   200129,6500.15   1,71584,9582.02
2005   171124,0230.1470332,9762.131,81391,6031.98
2006   183119,7100.1569932,9802.122,001101,5141.97
2007   229116,8710.2085133,1372.572,164112,0951.93
2008   231114,4840.2096632,9642.931,934115,7841.67
2009   237110,6940.2188832,4112.741,829111,4631.64
2010462110,4310.42   91630,8962.961,741112,9531.54
2011480108,8670.44   95531,6903.011,601118,3591.35
2012447106,8150.42   96830,5673.171,440112,3901.28
2013562102,8020.55   93830,5963.071,441108,6901.33
201458499,7150.59   92630,3543.051,42394,7961.50
201563499,2370.64   96630,7953.14   
201663098,7210.64   95430,0863.17   
2017654101,2090.65   1,02930,5003.37   
2018655100,9860.65         
yearGermanyGermanyNetherlandsSpain
abortions,
>21 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >21 wksabortions,
>22 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >22 wksabortions,
>20 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >20 wksabortions,
>20 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >20 wks

Table 5: Eastern Europe

Note: Data for Russia include miscarriages (spontaneous abortions), which are a minority of total abortions but may be a significant fraction of late-term abortions, thus these late-term fractions are likely upper limits through 2011; some late abortions were reclassified as stillbirths beginning with 2012 data.

yearCzech RepublicCzech RepublicRussia
abortions,
>20 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >20 wksabortions,
>24 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >24 wksabortions,
>21 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >21 wks
1991      61,6953,442,3951.79
1992      58,0343,436,6951.69
1993      48,8203,243,9571.50
1994      41,7133,060,2371.36
1995      37,9942,766,3621.37
1996      39,0732,652,0381.47
1997      35,2032,498,1401.41
1998      35,0562,346,1381.49
1999      29,9072,181,1531.37
200017533,9220.52033,9220.00028,6802,138,7501.34
200119931,7120.63131,7120.00327,5252,014,7101.37
200221430,1390.71230,1390.00726,9191,944,4811.38
200322628,4090.80128,4090.00425,9131,864,6471.39
200419528,9220.67128,9220.00322,9341,797,5671.28
200523627,7780.85127,7780.00421,2941,732,2891.23
200625026,6330.94026,6330.00020,4991,582,3981.30
200730126,8151.12026,8150.00020,1441,479,0101.36
200831827,1731.17027,1730.00017,5911,385,6001.27
200929025,8991.12025,8990.00017,4931,292,3891.35
201027825,2921.10025,2920.00017,1881,186,1081.45
201125525,2271.01025,2270.00016,3361,124,8801.45
201227924,2181.15024,2180.0009,6391,070,9800.90
201321023,9790.88023,9790.000   
201423923,1001.03023,1000.000   
201521721,6791.00021,6790.000   
201619521,7090.90821,7090.037   
2017         
2018         
yearCzech RepublicCzech RepublicRussia
abortions,
>20 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >20 wksabortions,
>24 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >24 wksabortions,
>21 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >21 wks

Table 6: Israel

Note: Data for 2003-2015 are for approved abortion applications; data for 1996-2002 late-term abortions are estimated from abortion application data.

yearIsrael
abortions,
>23 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >23 wks
199611018,0560.60
1997   
1998   
1999   
200016019,4050.83
200118020,3320.90
200218019,7960.93
200318919,4990.97
200418019,4730.92
200519718,5251.06
200622619,2091.18
200725119,2681.30
200820619,3621.06
200925919,5511.32
201025619,3111.33
201124918,7951.32
201222618,1381.25
201326818,0471.49
201425318,4471.37
201529418,3361.60
2016   
2017   
2018   
yearIsrael
abortions,
>23 wks
gestation
abortions,
all known
gestations
% at >23 wks


Sources (list under construction):


© 2019 by Wm. Robert Johnston.
Last modified 9 March 2019.
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