Abortion Statistics: 2008

The number of abortions performed in New Zealand decreased in the year ended December 2008, Statistics New Zealand said today. A total of 17,940 induced abortions were performed in New Zealand in the December 2008 year, 440 (2.4 percent) less than in 2007 (18,380). This follows increases of 2.5 percent between 2006 and 2007 and 2.3 percent between 2005 and 2006.

The general abortion rate (abortions per 1,000 women aged 15–44 years) decreased from 20.1 per 1,000 in 2007 to 19.7 per 1,000 in 2008. In 1998, the general abortion rate was 17.4 per 1,000.

Women aged 20–24 years had more abortions than any other age group. Their abortion rate was 37 abortions per 1,000 women aged 20–24 years in 2008.

The median age of women having an abortion was 24.3 years in 2008 and had remained relatively stable over the previous 20 years, at around 25 years of age.