Cost of living linked to rise in abortions

The high cost of living in Auckland could be a factor in the rising rate of abortions for millennials, the abortion supervisory committee head says.

An annual report by the committee has shown the rates of abortion are increasing for Aucklanders aged between 25 and 35 for the first time in 12 years.

The report stated there had been an increase in the number of abortions in Auckland, likely due to population growth, although population growth in Dunedin and Otago did not increase the rates in those areas.

Abortion supervisory committee chairwoman Linda Holloway, however, believed the rise was not due to population growth but rather social impacts on those living in the area.

‘‘Environmental factors and social issues are what we believe is behind the rise – it’s wrong to speculate, but I believe housing or the lack of it is having an effect,’’ she said.

Usually, Holloway said, those in the 25 to 35 age bracket were beginning to establish families but the financial stress on Aucklanders was making that harder.

The increase in abortion rates was not a surprise, she said.

‘‘In terms of rates in the previous few years, we were getting about as low as we could get, and the rise is not over all age groups and areas.’’

While there were more abortions being performed in Auckland, Holloway said there was still an access issue for many in the area.

‘‘Getting access to first trimester abortions in Auckland is still an issue and they’re all done around the central city.’’

Holloway would like to see clinics set up both in south Auckland and on the North Shore.

The report showed of the people who had abortions, 60 per cent had not used contraception, 22 per cent had used condoms and 9 per cent the combined pill.

In October, the Law Commission proposed the Government treat abortion as a health issue rather than a criminal one.