211,900 voluntary terminations of pregnancy were performed in France in 2016, slightly less than the previous year.
In 2016, the number of abortions fell slightly, for the third consecutive year in France. This is the lesson that can be drawn from the last report of the Drees (Research, Studies, Evaluation and Statistics Department) on voluntary termination of pregnancy.
In 2016, 211,900 abortions were performed in France, including 197,800 in mainland France (compared to 218,100 the previous year, including 203,500 in mainland France) The rate of recourse is 13.9 abortions for 1,000 women aged 15 to 49 years in mainland France and 25.2 in the overseas departments and regions (DROM).
Young women more concerned
Women aged 20 to 24 remain the most affected, with a rate of 26 abortions per 1,000 women. On the other hand, the rates continue to decrease among those under 20, reaching 6.7 applications per 1,000 women among 15-17 year olds and 17.8 among 18-19 year olds.
Regional differences persist, with recourse ranging from one to two depending on the region: from 10.3 abortions per 1,000 women in Pays de la Loire to 20.1 abortions in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and more than 25 abortions in the DROMs.
Fewer instrumental abortions
Finally, in 2016, 34,700 abortions were performed outside a hospital structure in mainland France, i.e. 18% of total abortions, as in 2015. In addition, 56% of abortions performed in hospitals were medical abortions, compared to 10 % in 1992.
The gradual increase in the number of medical abortions in the community as well as in health centers since 2009 has been accompanied by a continuous decline in the number of instrumental abortions carried out in hospitals.
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