Induced Abortion: Incidence and Trends Worldwide

1995 to 2008

Gilda SedghGuttmacher Institute

April 2012

Objectives

• Estimate global, regional and subregional abortion incidence and trends since1995

• Examine the association between legal restrictions on abortion and abortion rates

• Interpret findings in context of other research

Key messages

• The decline in abortion has stalled. This stall coincides with a plateau in contraceptive uptake.

• A growing proportion of abortions occur in developing countries, where most are illegal and unsafe.

• Restrictive abortion laws are not linked to lower abortion rates.

• Greater investment in family planning is needed to reduce unintended pregnancy and abortions that result.

The Global Decline in theAbortion Rate Has Stalled

Abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-44

The abortion rate is lower in developed countries than in developing countries

Abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-44

*Excluding Eastern Europe

The stall in the global abortion decline coincides with a plateau in contraceptive use

Regional abortion levels vary

Abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-44

The highest regional abortion rate is in Eastern Europe

Abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-44

European Subregions

90

2418 11

44

18 17 12

43

17 18 120

20

40

60

80

100

Eastern Southern Northern Western

1995 2003 2008

Abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-44

Abortion incidence is higher in the US than in Western Europe

2117 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 9 8 7 7

30

21 2016

12 12 12 11

20 20

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-44, 2008

Europe excluding former Soviet bloc Former Soviet bloc Other countries

An increasing proportion of abortions are unsafe

% of abortions that are unsafe

Virtually all abortions in Africa and the Latin America region are unsafe

% of abortions

Consequences of Unsafe Abortion

• 13% of all maternal deaths are attributed to unsafe abortion. Virtually all of these deaths occur in the developing world.

• 8.5 million women experience complications that require medical attention each year; 3 million do not receive care.

• Complications include excessive blood loss, infection, septic shock and perforation of internal organs.

Abortion rates are lower in subregions with liberal abortion laws

% of female population 15-44 living under liberal abortion laws

Restrictive Liberal

Law reforms in developing countries have been followed by declines in morbidity and mortality

• South Africa (1997): annual number of abortion-related deaths decreased by 91% after the law was liberalized.

• Nepal (2002): abortion-related complications as a proportion of all of maternal illnesses (in facilities in eight districts) decreased by 48%.

• Ethiopia (2005): abortion complications per 100,000 live births (one large hospital) decreased by about 70%.

Summary

• Abortion declines and increases in contraceptive use have stalled in nearly all world regions.

• An increasing proportion of abortions are taking place in developing countries, where they are likely to be most dangerous.

• Restrictive abortion laws are not associated with low abortion rates. They are associated with higher rates of abortion related morbidity and mortality.

Implications

• Without increased investment in family planning, these trends are likely to persist.

• Postabortion care should be expanded.

• The evidence suggests a need to re-examine restrictive abortion policies.

Acknowledgments

UK Department for International Development

Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs

John D and Catherine T MacArthur Foundation