Definitions and data sources

An induced abortion is 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.

The time series data in the publication are based on the following publications:

• Aborter i Norden, Induced Abortions in the Nordic Countries, STAKES. Statistical Report 10/1999.
• Pohjoismaiset raskaudenkeskeytystilastot. Nordisk abortstatistik. Nordic statistics on induced abortions. STAKES. Data Supplier Feedback 20/2002.
• Pohjoismaiset raskaudenkeskeytystilastot. Nordisk abortstatistik. Nordic statistics on induced abortions. STAKES. Statistical Report 32/2004.
• Pohjoismaiset raskaudenkeskeytystilastot 2005. Nordisk abortstatistik 2005. Nordic statistics on induced abortions 2005. STAKES. Statistical Report 1/2007.

These data have been updated based on the official statistics of each country. The members of the Nordic Abortion Epidemiology Group were in charge of the updating (Iceland: Hildur Sigbjörnsdóttir from the Directorate of Health; Norway: Kristin Gåsemyr from the Medical Birth Register/National Public Health Institute; Sweden: Anna Lindam from the National Board of Health and Welfare; Finland: Mika Gissler from the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL); Denmark: Linda Kongerslev from the National Board of Health).

Data collection methods differ from one country to another. In Denmark, over the past few years, data on induced abortions have been gathered directly from a national hospital register (Landspatientsregister) based on personal identification numbers. In Finland and Iceland, data collection is performed using a special form that also contains personal identification data. Iceland, Norway and Sweden gather individual-level data using forms, whereas the national register does not contain any personally identifiable data.

Data on the number of births, total fertility rates and the number of women of fertile age (as a basis for calculating relative abortion rates) were derived from the WHO Health for All database, the OECD Health Data database, and the annual report by the Nordic Medico-statistical Committee NOMESCO.

Return to the main page of the Nordic induced abortions