Abortion Statistics: Year ended December 2010

In the year ended December 2010:

• 16,630 abortions were performed in New Zealand, the lowest number since 2001 (16,410).
• The general abortion rate was 18.1 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15–44 years, down from 19.2 per 1,000 in 2009.
• Women aged 20–24 years had the highest abortion rate (33 abortions per 1,000 women aged 20–24 years).
• The median age of women having an abortion was 25 years.
• Most abortions (61 percent) were a woman's first abortion.
• 56 percent of abortions were performed before the 10th week.