Abortion Statistics

(Research conducted by the Guttmacher Institute)

• Globally 42 million abortions occur per year

• About 100,000 (96,815%) of those occur in Canada

• Annual Abortion Rates link: http://abortionincanada.ca/stats/Annual%20abortion%20rates%20pdfs/Canada%20abortion%20rates,%201974-2005.pdf

The number of abortions authorized by the Government of Canada has increased phenomenally since 1970, the first year of the new abortion legislation. In that inaugural year Canada’s ten provinces and and two territories reported that centers participating in the “theraputic abortion program” performed 11 132 abortions.

Data collected by Statistics Canada report that there are consistently over 100 000 induced abortion occurring annually in Canada alone.

Ontario typically performs close to 40% of the country’s abortions.

Ontario spends about $30 million dollars of taxpayers money annually on abortion services.

Polls consistently show that a large majority of Canadians (68%) are opposed to funding abortion on demand. Sixty-three percent favour legal protection for human life before birth, while 67% favour informed consent legislation on abortion. (Leger, Nov. 2003; also see Leger, Oct. 2002; Gallup, Dec. 2001; Baseline, July 2001)

For the most recent poll and for information on all National polls go to http://www.lifecanada.org/html/resources/polling/index.html

• In Canada, for every 4 live births that occur, there is 1 abortion.***
• Approximately 300 abortions occur each day in Canada.
• Of the 445 899 pregnancies that occurred in women between the ages of 15 and 49 in 2004, 22.4% ended in abortion.***

• 36.6% of abortions (36 614 babies) occur between 4 and 9 weeks when the baby’s heart is beating, brain waves are detected and ultrasounds show them waving their arms and legs (at 7 to 9 weeks).*
• 49.5% of abortions (49 519 babies) occur at 9 to 12 weeks when the child has fingerprints, urinates in utero, squints, swallows, wrinkles his or her forehead, sleeps, wakes and exercises.*
• 9.6% of abortions (9 603 babies) occur at 13 to 16 weeks when the baby has fine hair on his or her head, is 8′ to 10′ long and can hear.*
• 4.4% occur (4 401 babies) at 16 weeks to birth when the child can be startled by a sudden noise and can survive with proper care outside of the womb.*

Abortions are most common among women in their 20′s, who account for 53% of all abortions obtained in 2004.***

Of the 61,227 abortions performed in Canadian hospitals, records were kept for only 43 731. Of the
45 016 abortions performed in clinics, records were kept for only 5 325.**

A study by the Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons of 41 039 women during the three month period after their abortions showed that these women had a more than four times higher rate of hospitalization for infections, a five times higher rate of “surgical events” and a nearly five times higher rate of hospitalization for psychiatric problems than the matching group of women who had not had abortions. (College of Physicians & Surgeons 2001)

An estimated 13 000 Canadian women need surgical intervention following their abortion each year. (American Journal of Medical Quality, 2001)

In the absence of the law in Canada, abortion on demand can be performed through out all nine months of pregnancy. Technically, a child can be killed in it’s mothers womb right up until she begins labour.

(Data on abortions in Canada is available at Statistics Canada website at www.statscan.ca)

* Percentages of babies aborted are taken from Stats Canada 2003 report.

** Statistics Canada 2001

*** Statistics Canada 2004
Note: Data for 2004 cover induced abortions performed in hospitals and clinics in provinces and territories, except those performed in Manitoba clinics, which were unavailable.