Following a proposal from the Christian Democratic Party (KrF), the Parliament had decided to launch a pilot project to provide free contraceptives to young women aged 19-24 years. In 2009, the proposal scheme was implemented as a pilot project in Tromsø and Hamar. As a result fewer and fewer pregnant women had an abortion, according to Norwegian daily, Aftenposten. In these cities abortion rate went down from 27 per 1,000 to 15 per 1,000. Helsedirektoratet now believe that the offer should be national.
Krf had also proposed to extend the offer of free contraception to women aged between 19 and 24 three years ago. Member of Parliement from KrF, Kjell Ingolf Ropstad said it is good that the Directorate of Health now recommend the same thing, and they hope the health minister listens to the suggestion.
– Abortion rates in Norway are disturbingly high, between 15,000 and 16,000 a year, and most abortions occur among women aged 20-24 years. When we could potentially reduce the number of abortions by over 2,000 each year through this initiative, it is a good investment for society, says Ropstad.
