After falling sharply in 2020, the number ofvoluntary interruptions of pregnancy (IVG) its stabilized in France in 2021without returning to the level of 2019. In total, 223,000 abortions took place in 2021including 208,200 in mainland France, indicated a study de la Drees conducting an annual inventory of abortion in France and published on September 27, 2022.
The year 2020 had marked a significant drop in the number of abortions, with a drop very concentrated on conceptions between March and May 2020, the period of the first confinement against Covid-19 (222,000 abortions in 2020 compared to 233,000 in 2019, i.e. 11,000 fewer abortions).
If the figure stabilized when counting the general population, it “continues to decline among younger women“, indicates the DREES, in particular those under 25 and minors. 2 in 2019 and finally 14.3 in 2021. Over the same period, the rate fell from 8.7 to 6.0, then 4.9 per 1,000 among 15-17 year olds. Conversely, the rates of recourse increase slightly among those aged 30 and over.
It is nevertheless among women aged 20 to 29 that abortions remain the most frequentwith a take-up rate of 24.8‰ among young women aged 20-24 and 27.2‰ for those aged 25-29.
Great territorial disparities
The DREES report also shows a accentuation of territorial disparities in 2021, with a drop in the rate of recourse in metropolitan France but an increase in the DROMs, except Mayotte. But even within the metropolitan territory, the figures vary from simple to triple depending on the region, in particular from 11.3 abortions for 1,000 women in Pays de la Loire to 21.8 abortions for 1,000 women in Provence-Alpes. -French Riviera.
In the overseas departments, abortion is twice as common as in mainland France (average rate of 29.6 per thousand women, against 14.9), with a peak in Guadeloupe, with 47.2 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15 to 49.
Since the confinement of March 2020, the number of abortions carried out in health establishments has decreased significantly, a progression continued in 2021. “In 2021, one out of three abortions will be performed in a city practice or in a health or planning center“, indicates the DREES report. In total, 76% of abortions are medicated, whether they are carried out in establishments or not.
Finally, the last key point of the DREES, among medical abortions, which represent two thirds of abortions in health establishments, 76% are performed within eight weeks of amenorrhea (no rules). As a reminder, since February 23, 2022, the period for recourse to voluntary termination of pregnancy has increased from 12 to 14 weeks of pregnancy.
Source :
- Voluntary interruptions of pregnancy: the drop in rates of recourse continues among the youngest, OrdersSeptember 27, 2022
