The number of abortions among girls under 15 has fallen sharply.

The number of abortions among teenagers decreased significantly last year. In 2024, 65 girls under the age of 15 terminated their pregnancies, compared to 107 the previous year. This is evident from new figures from the Health and Youth Care Inspectorate (IGJ).

A total of 39,438 pregnancies were terminated in the Netherlands, roughly the same number as the previous year. This appears to have halted the sharp increase of the past two years.

The IGJ offers no explanation for the decline in the youngest group. "The law stipulates that the data cannot be used to establish correlations between figures," the inspectorate explains. This is to prevent individual women or clinics from being identified.

Between 2021 and 2023, the total number of abortions in the Netherlands increased by a quarter. Experts at the time attributed this to lower contraceptive use, especially among young women. Resistance to hormonal contraceptives like the pill or the IUD increased, partly due to concerns about side effects and misinformation on social media.

According to the Rutgers knowledge center, a lack of knowledge also plays a role. A previous study showed that four in ten women who had an abortion had not used contraception. "Knowledge is lacking and is sometimes negatively influenced by incorrect information via social media, friends, and family," the institute states.

More than half of all abortions occur in the early stages, between five and six weeks. At that stage, the procedure can still be performed with pills. The legal limit is 24 weeks, except when the mother's health is at risk or the child is not viable.

Late abortions, between 21 and 23 weeks, are rare and accounted for 1.9 percent of the total last year.

The inspectorate identifies one further point of concern: one in five women does not receive a follow-up checkup, even though guidelines indicate this should occur three to four weeks after the procedure. Clinics acknowledge that this should be monitored more closely.