The Divergent Rates of Induced Abortion among Young Women in Finland and Denmark

Authors

• Lisbeth B. Knudsen
• Mika Gissler

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23979/fypr.44993

Keywords:

induced abortion, young women, Denmark, Finland, unintended pregnancies

Abstract

In 2000, the rate of induced abortion among teenagers was lower in Denmark than in
Finland for the .first time in ten years, while the abortion rate for 20-24-year-old
women was lower, but increasing in Finland and decreasing in Denmark. Based on
published datafor 1973-2000, an analysis was made of whether the increasing abortion
rates in Finland rejlect an increasing occurrence of unintended pregnancies or
whether there is a lower propensity to give birth ifpregnant.
The .findings show that the most recent increase is related both to increasing rates of
pregnancies and a lower propensity to choose to give birth ifpregnant, while the low
abortion rates in the mid-l 990s were characterized by both a decreasing rate of pregnancies
and a higher propensity to give birth. Possible explanations can be found in
both the reduction of the sex education programs in schools in Finland and changed
living conditions for families with children.