Abortions: Year ended December 2006

Key facts

There were 17,930 abortions performed in New Zealand in 2006, compared with 17,530 in 2005 and 18,510 in 2003.
The general abortion rate was 20.0 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15–44 years in 2006, up on 19.7 abortions per 1,000 in 2005, but lower than the 2003 rate of 21.0 abortions per 1,000.
Women aged 20–24 years had the highest abortion rate (37 abortions per 1,000 women aged 20–24 years) in 2006.
The median age of women having an abortion was 24.5 years in 2006, a slight decrease from the median age of 24.7 recorded in the previous three years.
Most abortions (64 percent) were first abortions in 2006.

Dallas Welch (Mrs)
Acting Government Statistician

14 June 2007
Cat 32.902 Set 06/07 – 192