Abortions in Finland rise for third consecutive year

The number of abortions in Finland increased for the third year in a row in 2023, according to a new report by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).

Last year, over 9,000 pregnancy terminations were performed in the country, marking a nearly 4% rise from the previous year. The upward trend began in 2022, reversing a long-term decline observed throughout the 2010s.

Repeat abortions are also on the rise. THL data shows that more than one in three terminations in 2023 involved individuals who had undergone at least one previous abortion. Nearly 10% of those who terminated a pregnancy last year had done so within the past two years.

The exact reasons behind the recent increase remain unclear. THL notes that multiple factors may contribute to the trend.