Abortions (discontinued), 2002

The county of Finnmark had the highest abortion rate for teenagers in 2002.

The lowest level was registered in the counties Vest-Agder and Rogaland. The level in southern Norway was only half of what was registered in the north. Oslo has had the largest decrease in teenager abortion during the last years. Until the mid 1990s Oslo was the county with the highest abortion rate among teenagers. In 2002, this level was just 10 per cent above the national average.

Independent of age, Oslo had the highest abortion rate among the counties - 17.2 induced abortions per 1000 females aged 15-49, compared with the national average, 12.7. The abortion rate was also high in Troms and Finnmark. The counties Vest-Agder and Aust-Agder in southern Norway experienced the lowest abortion rate - half of the level in Oslo and the two northern counties.

15 000 petitions were made for abortion in 2002. 13 500 of these petitions resulted in induced abortion. In total 14 400 of the petitions came within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, which is the period of self-determination for the woman. From the 600 petitions handled in abortion committees, almost 500 resulted in induced abortion. The remaining ones were rejected or were not carried out for other reasons. About 44 per cent of the petitions for abortion granted by a committee had social reasons. About 35 per cent was made due to serious risk for the health of the fetus.

Tables:

• Table 1 Induced abortions, by woman's age. 1979-2002
• Table 2 Induced abortions, by woman's county of residence. 1980-2002
• Table 3 Induced abortions, per 1 000 women 15-49 year, by woman's county of residence. 1980-2002
• Table 4 Induced abortions among teenagers (-19 years), by woman's county of residence. 1999-2002
• Table 5 Induced commitee treats abortions, by paragrafs. 1999-2002
• Table 6 Induced abortions by period of gestation and the womans age. 2002
• Table 7 Induced abortions, by period of gestation and sort of decision. 2002
• Table 8 Abortions, by woman`s cohabitional status and county of residence, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001 og 2002
• Table 9 Induced abortions by woman´s county of residence, and part of town in Oslo. 1999-2002
• Table 10 Induced abortions within 9 weeks, by use of medicaments. 2000-2002
• Table 11 Induced abortions as percentage of live births, by woman's county of residence. 1980-2002