Induced abortions and sterilisations in 2007

Induced abortions

AccordingIn 2007, induced abortions totalled 10 533, which is 9.0 abortions per thousand women of childbearing age (15–49 years). This represents a decrease of 1.5 per cent or just over 150 abortions compared with the previous year. The number of induced abortions decreased in the under-20, 20-24, 35-39 and 40-44 age groups. The greatest decrease, 13.0 per cent, was observed in the 40-44 age group. The number of induced abortions increased in the 25-29, 30-34 and over- 45 age groups. The greatest increase was observed in the 30-34 age group.

Figure 1: Induced abortions among under-30s by age, per thousand women of the same age, 2000-2007.

In 2007, 90.7 per cent of abortions were performed on social grounds, that is, the birth of the child would have caused considerable strain to the mother in view of her personal circumstances and living conditions. The other most common indications were the mother being under 17 (5.4 per cent), over 40 (3.4 per cent), or having given birth to four children (2.1 per cent). Of the abortions, 0.5 per cent were performed on medical grounds, that is, the pregnancy would have endangered the woman’s life or health because of illness, a physical disability or debility. Abortions performed because of a potential or detected foetal defect accounted for 2.9 per cent of all abortions.
 
An analysis by hospital district shows that in 2007 the greatest number of abortions per thousand women of childbearing age were performed in Ahvenanmaa and in the hospital districts of Länsi-Pohja (11.0), Lapland and Päijät-Häme (both 10.5). The lowest figures were found in Etelä-Savo (6.2), Central Ostrobothnia (6.3) and Southern Ostrobothnia (6.5). 

The proportion of abortions before the 6th week of gestation was 38.5 per cent in 2007. Most abortions were performed before the 12th week of gestation (92.8 per cent). The proportion of abortions induced by drugs increased, being 63.8 per cent of all induced abortions. Approximately one in every three patients (34.9 per cent) had undergone at least one previous induced abortion, and nearly one half (47.4 per cent) at least one previous delivery.

When the pregnancy started, 61.4 per cent had used some contraceptive method. Post-coital oral contraceptive had been used by 3.1 per cent, representing a slight increase on the previous year. The most common planned contraceptive method after abortion was the pill. In 9.1 per cent of the cases, no contraceptive method had been planned after abortion or no data were available. 
 

Sterilisations

The total number of sterilisations continued to decrease in 2007, in total 10.9 per cent. Female sterilisations totalled some 3 300 and male sterilisations some 1 400. Female sterilisations decreased 13.2 per cent and male sterilisations 4.8 per cent. In 2007, female sterilisations accounted for 70.3 per cent and male sterilisations for 29.7 per cent.

The age of 30 and over was the most common indication for both male (76 per cent) and female (62 per cent) sterilisations. In proportion to the population, 2.2 sterilisations were performed per thousand persons aged 25–54. Women showed a higher rate (3.2) than men (1.3). The 35–39 age group accounted for a majority of both female (36.2 per cent) and male (30.7 per cent) sterilisations.

Figure 2: Sterilisations per 1 000 persons aged 25-54 years, 1950–2007.

Tables: Download tables in PDF format here  (pdf, 77 k)

Table 1a: Abortions by age in 1969-1970, 1975-2007
Table 1b: Abortions by age in 1969-1970, 1975-2007
Table 2: Abortions by hospital district and age 2007
Table 3: Indications for induced abortion 1970, 1973-2007
Table 4: Abortions by indication 2007
Table 5: Induced abortions by gestation length 1985-2007
Table 6: Induced abortions by previous deliveries 1987-2007
Table 7: Induced abortions by previous abortions 1987-2007
Table 8: Contraceptives used by abortion patients 1980, 1985, 1989-2007
Table 9: Planned contraceptive method for abortion patients after abortion 1983-2007
Table 10: Methods for induced abortion 2000-2007
Table 11: Sterilisations by sex 1951-2007
Table 12: Sterilisations by hospital district 2007
Table 13: Female sterilisations by age 1994-2007
Table 14: Male sterilisations by age 1994-2007
Table 15: Female sterilisations by indication, marital status, age and previous deliveries 2007
Table 16: Male sterilisations by indication, marital status and age 2007
Table 17: Time series data in the Register of Induced Abortions and Sterilisations, induced abortions 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995-2007
Table 18: Time series data in the Register of Induced Abortions and Sterilisations, sterilisations 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995-2007

Sources

The Act on Induced Abortion, the first ever piece of legislation on abortion in Finland, came into force on 1 July 1950, and statistics on induced abortions have been published since 1951. The current Act on Induced Abortion is from 1970.
 
In accordance with current legislation (Act on Induced Abortion 239/1970, Decree on Induced Abortion 359/1970 and Act on Sterilisation 427/1985), the physician performing the procedure is required to report the case to the National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health (STAKES) within one month using a specific data collection form approved by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.

The data are stored in the Register on Induced Abortions and Sterilisations, a statutory register maintained by STAKES in accordance with the Act on National Personal Records Kept under the Health Care System (556/1989) and Section 6 of the relevant Decree (774/1989).

Official statistical publications by the National Board of Health (one of STAKES' predecessors) have been used as a source of information for earlier years. Since 1987, the register has been on the STAKES database. Data for 1987-2004 have been checked for instance by removing data that had been entered twice and by adding cases that had arrived later and had not previously been included. For these reasons, some of the data are at variance with previously published statistics.

With regard to the data by age group, it should be noted that from 1994 onwards age data in the register refer to the age of the patient on the day of the procedure, whereas the data for preceding years referred to the age at the end of the year. For this publication, the data for 1986–1993 have been calculated retrospectively using the patient's age on the day of the procedure.

Concepts and definitions

Induced abortion/termination of pregnancy: an artificially induced termination of pregnancy which does not comply with the definition of a birth and in which there is no indication of intrauterine foetal death prior to the termination.

Sterilisation refers to an operation on the male or female genitals resulting in permanent inability to produce offspring. Operations performed on the genitals in cases where the operation is regarded as necessary in the treatment of a somatic disease are not regarded as sterilisations.  

• Whole Statistical Summary (pdf, 279 k)

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