In 2015 there were a total of 30.803 abortions in the Netherlands, 442 more than in 2014, according to figures from the Healthcare Inspectorate. This is the first time in years that the number of abortions increased. Since 2008 there were fewer abortions each year, ANP reports.
Another first in the new figures is that the most abortions came from the age group 25 to 30 years. Previously women aged 20 to 25 years always had the most abortions.
Minister Edith Schippers of Public Health wants to reduce the number of abortions in the Netherlands. Currently there are about 30 thousand abortions in the country per year and she finds that far too many, she said in an interview with Nederlands Dagblad, ANP reports.
This is the first time Schippers is giving an opinion on the number of abortions in the country.
Dutch abortion service Woman on Web is offering free medical abortion pills to women in Middle- and South America who are infected with the Zika virus. The women will have to go through an online consultation during which they must show that they are less than 9 weeks pregnant and send the laboratory results showing that they are infected with the virus before the pills are sent.
The introduction of the 20-week ultrasound resulted in a significant decrease of abortions in a later phase. Since 2007 the 20-week ultrasound is standard procedure, making it possible to decide a course of action in case the child has a severe birth defect.
