The number
of German women terminating a pregnancy has been falling over the last 10
years. The figures come days before the morning after pill becomes available
over the counter without prescription.
Deutsche Welle, 10 March 2015
According
to the German National Statistics bureau, in 2014, around 99,700 abortions
occurred Germany - some 3 percent less than the previous year, and the lowest figure
since the revision of the abortion law in 1996. A decade ago, some 129,650
pregnancy terminations were registered.
According
to the latest figures, abortion rate also dropped significantly. In 2004, it
stood 66 abortions among every 10,000 women. In 2013, this fell to 57 and,
according to preliminary figures, this figure decreased again in 2014 to 55.
Financial
dilemma
Regine
Wlassitschau, spokeswoman for the sexual advice organization Pro Familia,
believes that a combination of sex education and comprehensive counseling
services have played a part in the decline.
Many women
and couples on low incomes are still struggling to afford contraceptives,
however.
"This
is a growing problem," Wlassitschau said. Pro Familia is pushing for women
on low incomes - such as those on state benefits - to have the cost of their
contraception funded.
Over-the-counter
emergency pill
The latest
figures from Germany's statistics bureau also showed that almost three quarters
of the women who terminated a pregnancy in 2014 were between 18 and 34 years
old. About eight percent were at least 40 years old, and almost 4 percent were
under the age of 18.
Whether the
abortion numbers will continue to decline, when the morning after pill becomes available without prescription in Germany on March 15, remains to be seen.
Ninety-six
percent of the abortions recorded in 2014 were carried out according to standard
protocol with required counseling. The remaining four percent were carried out
in cases in which there was danger to the mother's life or which were the
result of criminal acts such as abuse or rape.
ksb, jr (dpa, KNA, EPD)
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