Legally induced abortions by mother's age in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Legally induced abortions by mother's age was 197,659 Number in 2016. ▲ Rising
Latest (2016)
197,659 Number
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
5th
of 49 countries
All-time high
212,277 Number
in 2007
All-time low
23,600 Number
in 1968
Years of data
47
1968–2016
Legally induced abortions by mother's age in United Kingdom, 1968–2016
Source: Eurostat. Measured in Number.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 197,659 Number for legally induced abortions by mother's age in 2016.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 4.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, legally induced abortions by mother's age in United Kingdom peaked at 212,277 Number in 2007 and was at its lowest, 23,600 Number, in 1968.
United Kingdom ranks 5th of 49 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 47 years of available data.
Legally induced abortions by mother's age in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 23,600 Number | — |
| 1969 | 58,400 Number | +147.5% |
| 1970 | 91,819 Number | +57.2% |
| 1971 | 133,100 Number | +45.0% |
| 1972 | 167,500 Number | +25.8% |
| 1973 | 174,600 Number | +4.2% |
| 1974 | 170,500 Number | -2.3% |
| 1975 | 147,029 Number | -13.8% |
| 1976 | 136,800 Number | -7.0% |
| 1977 | 140,300 Number | +2.6% |
| 1978 | 148,900 Number | +6.1% |
| 1979 | 157,500 Number | +5.8% |
| 1980 | 168,808 Number | +7.2% |
| 1981 | 171,500 Number | +1.6% |
| 1982 | 171,400 Number | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 170,600 Number | -0.5% |
| 1984 | 179,100 Number | +5.0% |
| 1985 | 181,062 Number | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 181,914 Number | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 183,736 Number | +1.0% |
| 1988 | 193,926 Number | +5.5% |
| 1989 | 194,183 Number | +0.1% |
| 1990 | 197,131 Number | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 190,590 Number | -3.3% |
| 1992 | 182,887 Number | -4.0% |
| 1993 | 179,780 Number | -1.7% |
| 1994 | 178,268 Number | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 174,781 Number | -2.0% |
| 1996 | 189,473 Number | +8.4% |
| 1997 | 191,855 Number | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 199,887 Number | +4.2% |
| 1999 | 185,869 Number | -7.0% |
| 2000 | 186,359 Number | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 189,200 Number | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 187,801 Number | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 193,890 Number | +3.2% |
| 2004 | 197,530 Number | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 199,081 Number | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 206,904 Number | +3.9% |
| 2007 | 212,277 Number | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 209,199 Number | -1.4% |
| 2009 | 202,211 Number | -3.3% |
| 2010 | 202,506 Number | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 202,402 Number | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 197,569 Number | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 197,906 Number | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 197,659 Number | -0.1% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Legally induced abortions by mother's age in United Kingdom changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | +147.5% | 23,600 Number | 58,400 Number |
| 1970 | +57.2% | 58,400 Number | 91,819 Number |
| 1971 | +45.0% | 91,819 Number | 133,100 Number |
| 1972 | +25.8% | 133,100 Number | 167,500 Number |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 41,000 Number | 23,600 Number | 58,400 Number | 2 |
| 1970s | 146,805 Number | 91,819 Number | 174,600 Number | 10 |
| 1980s | 179,623 Number | 168,808 Number | 194,183 Number | 10 |
| 1990s | 187,052 Number | 174,781 Number | 199,887 Number | 10 |
| 2000s | 198,445 Number | 186,359 Number | 212,277 Number | 10 |
| 2010s | 199,608 Number | 197,569 Number | 202,506 Number | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 3 France 251,059 Number compare
- 4 Metropolitan France 212,285 Number compare
- 5 United Kingdom 197,659 Number compare
- 7 Germany 106,218 Number compare
- 8 Spain 106,172 Number compare
More reference data data for United Kingdom
- Cooling and heating degree days by NUTS 2 regions - annual data -3.65 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cooling and heating degree days by NUTS 2 regions - monthly data 1.57 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cooling and heating degree days by NUTS 2 regions - annual data 2,710 Number (2025)
- Cooling and heating degree days by NUTS 2 regions - monthly data 358.44 Number (2025)
- R&D personnel by sector of performance and region — R&D Personnel 739,816 Persons (2017)
- Victims in road accidents by NUTS 2 region 1,860 Number (2016)
- Stock of vehicles by category and NUTS 2 region 36.71 million Number (2018)
- Deaths (total) by NUTS 3 region 614,313 Number (2018)
- Establishments, bedrooms and bed-places in tourist accommodation, by 84,580 Number (2016)
- Deaths by age, sex and NUTS 2 region 614,313 Number (2018)
Frequently asked questions
- What is legally induced abortions by mother's age in United Kingdom?
- Legally induced abortions by mother's age in United Kingdom was 197,659 Number in 2016, according to Eurostat.
- What is the highest legally induced abortions by mother's age recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 212,277 Number in 2007.
- What is the lowest legally induced abortions by mother's age recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 23,600 Number in 1968.
- How does United Kingdom rank for legally induced abortions by mother's age?
- United Kingdom ranks 5th out of 49 countries with data for 2016.
- Is legally induced abortions by mother's age rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Legally induced abortions by mother's age. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 47 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat).