Israel abortion application rates declined, with nearly all requests gaining approval, CBS reports

Israel saw a decline in abortion applications in 2024, with the Central Bureau of Statistics reporting 6.6 applications per 1,000 women of reproductive age. This rate is a decrease from 6.9 per 1,000 in 2023. Notably, 99.8% of these applications were approved, aligning with the country's eligibility criteria. The downward trend in applications has been ongoing since 1988, when the rate was more than double, standing at 15.2 per 100 known pregnancies.

Analysis of the applications revealed demographic variations. Non-Arab Christian women had the highest application rate at 10.0 per 1,000 women, followed by Jewish women at 6.8 per 1,000. Muslim-Arab women had one of the lowest rates at 5.7 per 1,000. While pregnancy outside of marriage was the most common reason cited for termination at 43.3%, married women still constituted the majority of applicants at 51.2%, compared to 38.2% for single women.

Other reasons for termination requests included risk of physical or mental defect in the fetus and risk to the woman's health. Educational background also showed some correlation, with the majority of applications from Jewish women coming from those with less than a high school education, while most Arab women applicants held a high school certificate or diploma. Compared to international figures, Israel's abortion statistics are relatively low. In 2024, 8.0 terminations were performed per live birth, a stark contrast to the 2022 European Union average of 19.9 terminations per live birth.