The number of abortions performed each year continue to grow throughout Europe,but the causes of this development are not assessed in the reports or the official statistics published in several countries.

The Netherlands: Abortions up almost 15 % in 2022

According to the Dutch Healthcare and Youth Inspectorate, the number of abortions in the Netherlands increased by almost 15% last year.

The increase was approximately the same in all age groups. Women in the age category 30 - 35 years (23.42%) most often terminate a pregnancy, followed by women between 25 - 30 years (23.07%).

Among teenagers, the number of abortions increased less rapidly than in the other age categories, but still at 13%.

Although clinics and hospitals have to submit figures to the inspectorate, because of privacy rules it is not possible to analyse them further, but we obviously have a picture of what is happening in society", said the Inspectorate.

They believe that pandemic may have had an influence, because "in 2020 and 2021, there was a slight decrease in the number of abortions. As a result, the line now seems to be going up more strongly".



In 2019, the last year before the corona crisis, there were over 32,000 abortions; in 2021, there were 31,049 abortions, and in 2022 this increased to 35,606.

“The national increase cannot be attributed to one specific cause. There may be social factors, such as concerns about housing, finances, the war in Ukraine and a growing group of women using natural contraceptive methods", Daphne Latour, policy officer of Fiom (expertise center for unwanted pregnancy) told RTL Nieuws.

Latour emphasized that the increase is not due to the abolition of the mandatory five-day waiting period for abortion. This rule only applies from January 1, 2023.

Germany: Around 26,700 abortions in the second quarter of 2023

The German Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) recently reported that the number of abortions in the country in the second quarter of 2023 (around 26,700)increased by 4.5% compared to the second quarter of 2022.

Furthermore, 70% of women who had an abortion in the 2nd quarter of 2023 were between 18 and 34 years old; 19% between 35 and 39; 8% were 40 years and older; and 3% were younger than 18 years old.



Most abortions (50 %) were performed using the suction method, with the drug Mifegyne being used in 37 % of cases. The procedures were mainly performed on an outpatient basis, 83% of them in doctors' surgeries or surgical centres and 14% on an outpatient basis in hospitals.