§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has concerning the total numbers of (a) legal abortion deaths, (b) other abortion deaths and (c) non-abortion maternal deaths in France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Yugoslavia, Hungary and Czechoslovakia in 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1981, 1982 and 1983; and how these figures compare with those for England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland in each of those years.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeInformation is not readily available in the exact form requested. However, information from World Health Statistics is given in the table. International comparisons are difficult because of differences in definition. Figures for 1980–1983 are classified on a different basis to those of earlier years.
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Numbers and rates per 100.000 live births of abortion deaths and non-abortion maternal deaths in selected countries for 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1981, 1982 and 1983 Year Country France Federal Republic of Germany Germany Democratic Republic Irish Republic Italy Poland Portugal Spain Sweden Yugoslavia Hungary Czechoslovakia England and Wales Scotland Northern Ireland 1965 Abortion Number 45 97 .. †1 50 16 25 .. 3 152 25 10 52 7 2 Rate 5.2 9.3 .. †1.6 5.0 2.9 11.9 .. 2.4 37.2 18.8 4.3 6.0 7.0 5.9 Non-abortion Number 234 644 .. †17 714 189 153 .. 14 332 64 70 169 31 7 Rate 27.2 61.7 .. †27.3 72.1 34.6 72.7 .. 11.4 81.4 48.1 30.2 19.6 30.8 20.7 1970 Abortion Number 50 55 .. — 45 14 †40 *17 — 79 13 3 32 — — Rate 5.9 6.8 .. — 5.0 2.6 †l7.0 *2.6 — 21.8 8.6 1.3 4.1 — — Non-abortion Number 189 375 .. 20 446 147 †88 *204 11 128 51 47 114 17 — Rate 22.3 46.2 .. 31.1 49.5 26.9 †37.5 *30.9 10.0 35.2 33.6 20.6 14.5 19.5 — 1975 Abortion Number *26 29 2 — *20 3 10 *23 — 31 9 *5 8 — — Rate *3.2 4.8 1.1 — *2.3 0.5 5.6 *3.4 — 8.0 4.6 *1.7 1.3 — — Non-abortion Number *151 209 40 5 *239 92 67 *158 2 82 43 *39 69 6 3 Rate *18.9 34.8 22.0 7.5 *27.1 14.3 37.3 *23.1 1.9 21.1 22.2 *13.4 11.4 8.8 11.5 1980 Abortion Number 11 .. .. .. .. 8 .. .. .. 15 8 .. 13 1 1 Rate 1.4 .. .. .. .. 1.2 .. .. .. 6.2 5.4 .. 2.0 1.5 3.5 Non-abortion Number 92 .. .. .. .. 73 .. .. .. 28 23 .. 57 9 1 Rate 11.5 .. .. .. .. 10.5 .. .. .. 11.6 15.5 .. 8.7 13.1 3.5 1981 Abortion Number .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 4 .. 10 1 — Rate .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2.8 .. 1.6 1.4 — Non-abortion Number .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 21 .. 47 12 1 Rate .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 14.7 .. 7.4 17.4 3.7 1982 Abortion Number .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 6 — 1 Rate .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1.0 — 3.7 Non-abortion Number .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 36 6 1 Rate .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5.8 9.1 3.7 1983 Abortion Number .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 8 2 — Rate .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1.3 5.1 — Non-abortion Number .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 46 6 4 Rate .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 7.3 9.2 14.7 * One year earlier (nearest available). † One year later (nearest available). .. Not available.