According this report, the Institut national d’études démographiques recently published a study showing that more and more French women are using contraception, but that the number of abortions remain stable. The study explains this phenomenon by saying that those women who use contraception are more determined to control their fertility, so that when an unwanted pregnancy happens, they are more likely to abort.
It only makes sense. As it is, about half the women who head to the abortion clinic were using contraception at the time. Their contraception did not stop the unwanted pregnancy. It deepened their belief that they cannot get pregnant-- which is an illusion. There is always a risk of getting pregnant, even with contraception.
It also said that 40% of French women would have an abortion in their lifetime.
I suspect that this was a statistical extrapolation. I'm a little suspicious of those. I've heard the same numbers quoted for the US and Canada.
