Institute for Health and Welfare (THL): Register of Induced Abortions
Keywords
induced abortions
abortion
reproductive health
Classifications
Age classification
Ages 15-49 (women)
Classification by sex
female
Geographical classification
Municipality, sub-region, region, area for the regional state administrative agency, major region, Mainland Finland/Åland, hospital district, university hospital special responsibility area, whole country
Data content
The indicator gives the number of induced abortions per thousand women aged 15 - 49. Population figures refer to mean population. Induced abortion refers to an artificially induced termination of pregnancy which does not comply with the definition of a birth and in which there is no indication of intrauterine foetal death before the termination.
Interpretation
Restrictions
Individual level data in the Register of Induced Abortions and Sterilisations are confidential. For the sake of privacy protection, no municipality level data of Register of Induced Abortions with less than five cases are published.
Since 1987, the register has been on the STAKES database (THL since 1.1.2009). With regard to the data by age group, it should be noted that from 1994 onwards age data in the register refer to the age of the patient on the day of the procedure, whereas the data for preceding years refers to the age at the end of the year.
In accordance with current legislation (Act on Induced Abortion 239/1970, Decree on Induced Abortion 359/1970 and Act on Sterilisation 283/1970; and Sterilisation Decree 427/1985), the physician performing the procedure is required to report the case to the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) within one month using a specific data collection form approved by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. The data are stored in the Register on Induced Abortions, a statutory register maintained by THL pursuant to the Act on National Personal Records Kept under the Health Care System (556/1989) and to section 6 of the relevant Decree (774/1989).
