Hungary – Between 2010 and 2015 the number of abortions in Hungary fell 22.9% but remains rather high compared to the average of Western European countries.
Experts attribute this high rate to the communist period, which oppressed countries of Central and Eastern Europe for decades. Assistant Secretary of State for the Family and Demography, Tünde Fűrész, explains in an interview with Magyar Hírlap there is one abortion for every three births in Hungary, compared with the average of an abortion for five births Western Europe.
However, the further decline of 4.1% of abortions in the first quarter of 2016 remains encouraging, suggesting indirect positive effects of the birth policy initiated by Viktor Orbán, such as aid to the family, religious education and ethics courses in the public education system.
In Hungary abortions are legal up to twelve weeks of pregnancy, or more depending on certain circumstances (medical reasons). In 2012, a turning point was reached by granting legal status to the fetus registering in the constitution.
Overall, the global abortion rate is estimated at 35 abortions annually per every 1000 women of childbearing age, down from 40 per 1000 in the 90’s, according to the report. That means about one in four pregnancies across the world ends in abortion, CBS reported.