56 million abortions are performed throughout the world every year. A study published in the British medical journal, The Lancet, claims that this figure has “decreased perceptibly in developed countries whilst remaining stable in developing countries”.
Between 1990 and 2014, the number of abortions in developed countries fell from 46 to 27 per 1,000 women of child-bearing age (15 to 44 years old). “The biggest decrease was recorded in Eastern countries, falling from 88 to 42”. Over the same period, the rate of abortions fell from 39 to 26 in Southern Europe, from 22 to 18 in Northern Europe and from 25 to 17 in North America. Between 2010 and 2014, the highest figures were recorded in Latin America where 32% of pregnancies were aborted.
According to the authors of this study, “one in four pregnancies across the world will be aborted”. They have used “official statistics as well as data recorded in surveys and published/unpublished studies”.
The study attributes the decrease in abortion rates in developed countries to “better access to contraceptives”.
AFP (2016/05/12)