So-called “home abortions” are on the rise in Sweden despite overall abortion numbers declining as more and more Swedish women have their abortions performed at their own homes, rather than a clinic.
In 2021, Sweden saw around 33,700 abortions performed across the country, the lowest number of abortions since 2002, however, 75 per cent of all abortions carried out were two-stage medical abortions, the second stage of which is performed in the home of the woman getting the procedure.
Around 96 per cent of all the abortions performed last year were medical abortions and 97 per cent were performed before the 7th week of pregnancy, broadcaster SVT reports.
Home abortions, which can take place up to week ten of pregnancy, were the most numerous but just ten per cent were performed after week seven of pregnancy.
Inga-Maj Andersson, an expert at the National Board of Health and Welfare, commented on the rise of home abortions saying, “It is important that the woman gets to choose how the abortion should be served, especially with increased possibilities. It is important that there is participation, but that the abortion is also safe and that there is contact with the healthcare system.”
Sweden has one of the highest abortion rates per capita in Europe, a fact Inga-Maj Andersson attributed to the country’s access and laws regarding abortion.
“We have good access to abortion, including youth clinics and Sweden’s abortion law. It’s an asset that other countries may not have, so I think you have to see the big picture when it comes to a European perspective,” Andersson said.
Figures from the European Union statistics agency Eurostat show that countries like Germany have had years in which over 100,000 abortions were performed but Germany’s population is around eight times that of Sweden.
Some in Sweden has even pushed to allow women from other countries to travel to Sweden for abortions, with member of the Swedish Green Party calling on taxpayers to fund the abortions of women from Poland after the country passed a law banning abortions of children with disabilities.