Abortions: Year ended December 2008

Key facts

17,940 abortions were performed in New Zealand in 2008, down from 18,380 in 2007 and the peak of 18,510 in 2003.
The general abortion rate was 19.7 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15–44 years in 2008, down from 20.1 per 1,000 in 2007 and lower than the peak rate of 20.8 abortions per 1,000 in 2003.
Women aged 20–24 years had the highest abortion rate (37 abortions per 1,000 women aged 20–24 years) in 2008.
The median age of women having an abortion was 24.3 years in 2008.
In 2008, most abortions (63 percent) were a woman's first abortion.

Graph, general abortion rate.

Geoff Bascand	16 June 2009
Government Statistician	ISSN 1178-0193