The general abortion rate fell to 14.2 per 1,000 women in 2015, down from 14.4 per 1,000 women in 2014, according to figures released today by Statistics New Zealand (SNZ).

SNZ says this is the lowest rate in more than 20 years. The lower abortion rate indicates that the size and/or age structure of the population drove the small increase in the number of abortions, rather than a greater proportion of women having abortions.

There were 13,155 induced abortions in New Zealand in 2015, steady on the 13,137 in 2014.

SNZ notes that many women having an abortion already have children. In 2015, 57 per cent of women having an abortion had already had one or more previous live births, compared with 49 per cent in 2006. SNZ says this reflects a drop in the proportion of young women having abortions.

• Read the Statistics New Zealand media release
• Read our position statement on abortion