Number of abortions down by 10%
In 5 years the number of abortions carried out in Belgium has fallen by 10%. The fall means that the number of abortions carried out annually in 2017 was at the same level as it was in 2006. The figures come from the Pregnancy Termination Evaluation Commission.
The fall was especially pronounced among the 15 to 24 age demographic. Compare with 2012 there were around 10% fewer (17,108 as opposed to 18,968) terminations in 2017 than there were in 2012. Among teenagers between the ages of 15 and 19 the number of terminations fell from 2,302 in 2012 to 1,544 in 2017. The Commission says that this is many thanks to affordable and more accessible contraception.
However, looking back over a longer period of time the fall in the number of terminations was more modest, down just 380 on the figures from 2006.
Brussels was good for 20% of all abortions, with 16% of abortions being carried out in Antwerp.
Around 100 foreign women had a termination in Belgium during 2017. More than three-quarters of these were from another European country, 10% were from Africa, 6% from Asia and 5% from the Americas.
Meanwhile, 472 had a termination in The Netherlands during 2017.
In around the half of terminations, failure to use contraception was the cause of the unwanted pregnancy. Most abortions are carried out in specialised centres. Just 16% of terminations are carried out in hospital.