On 25th September 2024, the DREES (Directorate for Research, Studies, Evaluation and Statistics) issued its yearly report on abortions which, apart from the increase in the number of abortions, shows that:
- The main indicators are rising.
- The geographical disparities in the abortion rate are very clear.
- Abortions outside medical establishments are increasing steeply.
- The number of abortion practitioners has increased notably.
I – All the main indicators are rising
In 2023, 243,623 abortions were recorded in France, i.e. 8,600 more than in 2022. This represents an increase of +3.7% over and above the +8% in 2021, which is indicative of a slight slowing of the rate of increase. Among those abortions, 79% were conducted medicinally, compared with 78% in 2022.
Other than the overall number of abortions in France, the other indicators such as the abortion ratio and the abortion rate are increasing and reaching historic record heights when considering their evolution since 1990.
The abortion ratio, which measures the ratio between the number of abortions and the number of live births, is experiencing a strong increase: +9.7%. This increase reflects both the rise in abortions and the fall in the number of births. In 2023, 678,000 babies were born in France i.e. 6.6 % less than in 2022 and almost 20 % less than in 2010, the year of the last peak in births. (Source INSEE)
Rate of abortion per French département in 2023
The abortion rate, i.e. the number of abortions per 1000 women, was found to be 16.8 abortions per 1000 women, compared with 16.2 in 2022.
II – THE GEOGRAPHICAL DISPARITIES IN THE ABORTION RATE ARE VERY CLEAR
The rate of abortion is very different from one département to another with the rate varying from the minimum in Mayenne, where the rate was 9.9 abortions per 1000 women, to more than double in the Alpes Maritimes where the rate was 23.7 abortions per 1000 women.
These differences were stable from one year to the next. However, the increase was more marked in some départements. For example, in Haute Saône and Hautes Pyrénées (+18%), in Cantal (+15%), Aisne (+13%), Orne (+12%), Lot, Haute Corse and Ardèche (+13%), Allier and Cher (+11%), the increase in the abortion rate exceeded 10%.
III – ABORTIONS OUTSIDE MEDICAL ESTABLISHMENTS ARE INCREASING STEEPLY
In 2023, 100,532 IVG abortions were conducted outside medical establishments. This is an increase of +11.5% compared with 2022 and of 32% compared with the 76,280 in 2021. These abortions outside medical establishments now represent 41% of the total number of abortions recorded in 2023.
The abortions conducted outside medical establishments were distributed as follows:
- 11,488 in health centres or sexual health centres,
- 89,044 in town practices.
The figures per département indicate considerable territorial variations. For example, in Haute Vienne and Sarthe, these abortions represent respectively 3.7% and 5% of the total. Conversely, in Hautes Alpes and Alpes Maritimes, they represent respectively 71.4% and 64.8%.
The practice of remote consultations is also feeding this increase.
- On-line abortion practitioners (by remote consultation) represent at least 8% of practitioners i.e. 254 practitioners.
- Applying that figure to the number of abortions leads to a minimum estimation of 19,490 women choosing abortion through remote consultation without ever meeting a doctor face to face.
IV – THE NUMBER OF ABORTION PRACTITIONERS HAS INCREASED NOTABLY
The practice of medicinal abortions was authorised in town practices in 2005, then, in 2009, in health centres and sexual health centres. They represent some 52 % of the total of medicinal abortions. The practitioners conducting abortions in town practices can be:
- midwives: 1,183 midwives conducted 41,000 abortions in 2023 i.e. 693 more than in 2022. These 41,000 abortions represent 47% of the abortions conducted in towns.
- general practitioners: 888 GPs conducted 22,500 abortions, i.e. 154 more than in 2022.
- medical/obstetric gynaecologists: 860 conducted 24,000 abortions.
- These figures indicate that the number of practitioners conducting abortions has considerably increased by some 35% between 2020 when they were 2,356 and 2023 when they are now 3,170 conducting abortions. Midwives account for some 85% (693) of this increase.
The increase in the number of abortions and of all the markers which measure abortions, combined with the increased number of practitioners shows that access to abortion far from being hindered is on the contrary ever more readily available. Unfortunately, there is a lack of indicators and data which would allow a more detailed analysis of abortions in France. The increasing figures year on year should alert the public authorities and drive them to undertake a true study of the causes and consequences of abortions in France.
