Data on regional availability and accessibility of abortion providers in Germany

Abstract

Since 2003, the number of facilities reporting abortions to the Federal Statistical Office has decreased by 46% from 2050 to 1092 in 2021. In the last 5 years, the decrease slowed down. The media report that there is a shortage of physicians willing to perform abortions in some regions of Germany. Reduced availability and accessibility of providers are barriers to access that can negatively impact the health and well-being of abortion seekers. To date, there is no scientific evidence on regional differences in access to abortion in Germany. The article answers the following questions: What data are available in Germany regarding the availability and accessibility of abortion providers? How informative is this data? To what extent do the data show regional differences in availability and accessibility? We conclude that the available data are not sufficient to adequately describe regional variations in the provision of abortion care services. Nevertheless, they give clear indications of differences regarding provider density, provider workload and spatial accessibility, especially between the northern and eastern states on the one hand and the southern and western states on the other. We describe needs and policy recommendations for adequate data collection.