Hong Kong abortion rate highest in the developed world, 29% of all pregnancies

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 09 Aug 2004 - 0:00 PDT

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Almost a third of all pregnancies in Hong Kong are terminated, says a the South China Morning Post.

These figures could be higher if one were to take into account the huge number of illegal abortions that take place in the country, say officials. Many illegal abortions are carried out in mainland China.

In 2001. 20,235 abortions were done, according to the South China Morning Post - the newspaper was quoting from official statistics. Out of a total of 49,144 births, the total percentage of abortions was 29.2.

Number two in the world rankings is the USA at 24.4%, then Canada at 24.3% and Australia at 23.7%.

The stigma of abortion forces many women in Hong Kong to have it done illegally. Experts say the high rate is partly due to poor sex education in Hong Kong.
v In Chinese culture to be an unmarried pregnant woman is shameful.

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