Germany's 2025 abortion trends show rise in medication-based procedures

In 2025, Germany recorded 106,000 terminations of pregnancy, according to figures released by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) on Tuesday. The number represents a slight decline of 0.7 percent compared to the previous year but remains above the levels seen between 2014 and 2020, when reported cases fluctuated between approximately 99,000 and 101,000 annually. The data does not allow for an assessment of the underlying causes, the office noted, particularly as there is no information on the personal reasons women cite for terminating a pregnancy under the mandatory counseling regulation.

Seven out of ten women (69 percent) who underwent a termination in 2025 were between the ages of 18 and 34, while 20 percent were aged 35 to 39. Nine percent were 40 or older, and 3 percent were under 18. Forty-four percent of the women had not previously given birth.

Ninety-six percent of the terminations reported in 2025 were performed under the counseling regulation, while medical indications or cases involving sexual offenses accounted for the remaining 4 percent.

For the first time in 2025, the majority of terminations (45 percent) were carried out using the medication Mifegyne, surpassing the vacuum aspiration method (43 percent), which had previously been the most common approach until 2024. Most procedures were performed on an outpatient basis, with around 86 percent taking place in doctors' offices or surgical centers and 12 percent in hospital outpatient departments.

Eighty percent of terminations occurred within the first eight weeks of pregnancy, while 3 percent were performed after the 12th week or later.

Compared to 2015 (99,200 cases), the number of terminations in 2025 was 6.5 percent—or 6,500 cases—higher. Trends varied by age group: declines were observed among women aged 15 to 17 (down 6.1 percent, or 200 fewer cases) and 20 to 24 (down 4.4 percent, or 900 fewer cases). In contrast, terminations increased significantly in the 30-to-34 age group (up 8.5 percent, or 1,900 more cases), the 35-to-39 group (up 27.5 percent, or 4,500 more cases), and the 40-to-44 group (up 24.1 percent, or 1,600 more cases).

Some of these shifts can be attributed to demographic changes: over the same period, the number of women aged 15 to 17 decreased by 4.0 percent, and those aged 20 to 24 declined by 4.9 percent. Meanwhile, the number of women aged 30 to 34 rose by 2.4 percent, those aged 35 to 39 increased by 14.7 percent, and those aged 40 to 44 grew by 6.6 percent.

The rate of terminations per 10,000 women remained nearly unchanged for the 15-to-17 age group (25 in both years) and saw only a slight increase for the 20-to-24 group (from 92 to 94). For women aged 30 to 34, the rate climbed from 86 to 92; for those aged 35 to 39, it rose from 67 to 75; and for the 40-to-44 group, it increased from 26 to 31.

Terminations in 2025 also occurred earlier in pregnancy compared to a decade prior. Forty-nine percent were performed within the first six weeks, up from 36 percent in 2015. Conversely, the share of terminations carried out between the seventh and eleventh weeks fell from 61 percent to 48 percent over the same period.

The use of Mifegyne for terminations has risen steadily, accounting for 45 percent of cases in 2025 compared to just 19 percent in 2015—an increase of 28,800 cases. Meanwhile, the vacuum aspiration method declined sharply, from 64 percent in 2015 to 43 percent in 2025, a reduction of 18,700 cases, according to the Federal Statistical Office.