INTRODUCTION
This page shows statistics about abortion including most common reasons.
Charts
1. Reasons Women Seek Abortions in USA
2. Top 10 Countries for Abortion Rate per 1000 Women Per Year
3. Abortion Rate per 1000 Women Per Year by Country
The above graph shows the most common reasons for abortion in the USA. These may differ from other societies with different cultures and living standards though the most common reason of not being financially prepared is likely the most common reason in most places. The reasons given in the chart above don’t add up to 100% because many women give multiple reasons. The 2nd most common reason is that they don’t think it’s the right time for another child and the 3rd most common is partner related issues.
Vietnam has the highest abortion rate per 1000 women per year followed by two African countries, Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. The top 10 countries for abortion are all “non-western” countries despite abortion rights and cultural acceptance being more associated with western countries. The main reason for the lack of western countries on this list is their relatively low pregnancy rates due to contraceptive use. Although the top country, Vietnam, does not have a particularly high pregnancy rate so the high abortion rate is more due cultural acceptance of abortion in society.
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3. Abortion Rate per 1000 Women Per Year by Country
This map highlights the global variation in abortion rates per 1,000 women, and one of the most striking features is just how uneven the distribution is across regions.
Greenland stands out as an extreme outlier, with by far the highest rate. This is partly due to its small population—meaning relatively small changes can produce very high per capita figures—and also the different age range used (17–64 rather than the typical 15–49), which makes comparisons less direct.
More broadly, higher rates tend to appear in parts of Latin America, Africa, and some areas of Asia. This does not necessarily mean more pregnancies overall, but often reflects higher levels of unintended pregnancies, which are closely linked to limited access to contraception and family planning. Globally, around 61% of unintended pregnancies end in abortion, showing how strongly the two are connected.
In contrast, Western Europe and some developed regions tend to have lower rates. This is largely due to better access to contraception and reproductive healthcare, which reduces unintended pregnancies in the first place.
Finally, the grey areas on the map are important—they highlight how incomplete global data still is. In many countries, especially where abortion is restricted or stigmatized, rates are likely underreported, meaning the true global picture may differ from what is shown.
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