Induced abortions in the Nordic countries 2017

Statistical report and appendices

The number of induced abortions among teenagers declines in the Nordic countries

Some 74 000 induced abortions were performed in 2017 in the Nordic countries, that is, 12.6 abortions per thousand women of childbearing age (15–49 years). Finland had the lowest and Sweden the highest abortion rate; there were 8.2 induced abortions per thousand women aged 15–49 years in Finland, while the corresponding figure for Sweden was 16.9.

In the 2000s abortions among the under-20s have decreased in all Nordic countries. In 2017, abortion rates among the under-20s were the lowest in Norway and Finland.

Though the total number of induced abortions is still slightly higher than in early 2000’s, the number has decreased in recent years and is currently considerably below the level of the 1970s and 1980s. Back then, between 85 000 and 100 000 induced abortions were performed in the Nordic region each year. In 2017, the number of induced abortions increased only in Iceland. In other Nordic countries the number declined.

Figure 1. Induced abortions among under-20s per 1000 women aged 15–19, 1974–2017