Israeli Abortion Requests Drop to New Low as Approval Rates Remain Near Universal, CBS Data Shows

Applications for pregnancy termination in Israel fell in 2024, with 6.6 requests filed for every 1,000 women of reproductive age, according to a new report from the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).

The figure represents a decline from 6.9 per 1,000 women in 2023. Authorities approved 99.8% of submitted applications. When measured against known pregnancies, the request rate stood at 7.5 per 100, continuing a decades-long downward trajectory from a peak of 15.2 per 100 in 1988.

Demographic breakdowns reveal notable variation: non-Arab Christian women recorded the highest application rate at 10.0 per 1,000, while Jewish women registered a rate of 6.8. Muslim-Arab women had among the lowest rates at 5.7 per 1,000.

In Israel, terminations require prior authorization from a Pregnancy Termination Committee. Applicants must satisfy at least one of several legal criteria. In 2024, the most frequently cited grounds for approval was pregnancy outside of marriage, accounting for 43.3% of cases. Despite this, married women constituted the majority of applicants at 51.2%, compared to 38.2% for single women.

Other leading reasons for requests included risk of physical or mental defects in the fetus and risk to the woman’s health.

Educational attainment among applicants varied by sector. The majority of Jewish applicants had less than a high school education, whereas most Arab applicants held a high school certificate or diploma.

Internationally, Israel’s termination rate remains relatively low. In 2024, there were 8.0 abortions performed per live birth, compared to a 2022 European Union average of 19.9.

While abortion access in Israel is strictly regulated, the data indicates that applications are overwhelmingly approved, overall request rates continue to decline, and national fertility levels remain robust.

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