Number of abortions in Sweden shows downward trend

In total, approximately 33,700 abortions were carried out in 2021, Socialstyrelsen reports. In 2020, about 900 more terminations of pregnancies were reported. The decline in abortions has been ongoing for a few years already.

The decrease can be explained mainly by two factors, Inga-Maj Andersson, investigator at the National Board of Health and Welfare, tells Socialstyrelsen. One of them is that contraceptives are prescribed more often. These medicines have been free for women under 21. In addition, the Covid pandemic may have contributed to fewer abortions. “The restrictions caused a decline in the number of social contacts of people”, Andersson explains.

Especially among young women, the number of abortions decreased. The curve has fallen steeply in the age group of 15-17.

Only a fraction of abortions by surgery

Furthermore, the statistics show that almost half of the women who had an abortion last year also terminated a pregnancy before that. “This can have various reasons”, says Andersson to Dagen. “For example, some people find it hard to find a good contraceptive.”

An increasing proportion of abortions is carried out in the early weeks of the pregnancy, Socialstyrelsen writes. Most of the time, the medical method is used. Of all abortions from last year, only 4 per cent was carried out by surgery.