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Press release – Abortion numbers record high of 252,122, group calls for urgent changes to abortion law

Press release - England & Wales abortion numbers record high, group calls for urgent changes to abortion law

PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Abortion numbers record high of 252,122, group calls for urgent changes to abortion law

23 May 2024 – Abortion statistics released by the Department of Health and Social Care this morning show the highest number of abortions ever recorded in England and Wales, with 252,122 taking place in 2022, an increase of 37,253 (17.34%) from 2021.

The figures show that: 

  • In England and Wales, there were a total of 252,122 abortions in 2022, an increase of 37,253 abortions from 2021 when there were 214,869 abortions.
    • 251,377 of these abortions were for residents of England and Wales, an increase of 37,121.
    • This represents a 17.34% increase in abortions from the previous year.
  • The statistics for 2022 also show a rise in repeat abortions from 91,313 in 2021 up to 102,689 in 2022.
    • This represents 11,376 more repeat abortions than in 2021.
    • This is a 12.46% increase from 2021.
  • 72 ‘selective termination’ procedures were performed, where a twin, triplet or more were aborted in the womb.
  • There were 3,124 disability-selective abortions in 2022
    • There were 256 late-term abortions for babies with disabilities at 24 weeks and over.
  • 760 babies with Down’s syndrome were aborted in 2022
    • There were 19 late-term abortions for babies with Down’s syndrome at 24 weeks and over.
  • There were 46 abortions where the baby had a cleft lip or cleft palate, an increase of 15% from 2021.
    • There were also 6 late-term abortions at 24 weeks and over where a baby had cleft lip or cleft palate.
    • Sadly, the figures for cleft lip and palate are likely to be higher; for example, a 2013 review by Eurocat showed 157 babies were aborted with cleft lip and palate in England and Wales between 2006 and 2010. However, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) recorded only 14 such abortions.
  • The Department of Health and Social Care also reported that the number of abortions funded by the NHS performed by private abortion providers reached a record high of 200,258. This represents a 362.85% increase since 1999 when there were 43,266 abortions performed by private providers. 

This significant rise in abortions has accompanied the second full year that at-home abortion services have been operating in England and Wales. Since home abortions were introduced, a number of significant problems have arisen. 

Polling shows large majorities of women in the UK support a number of changes to abortion laws that would have a positive impact on lowering the number of abortions. The polling shows that 70% of women want the current time limit on abortion to be lowered and 91% of women want a ban on sex-selective abortion.

Polling published in the Daily Telegraph earlier this month today shows that 71% of women support the reinstatement of in-person appointments and only 9% are in favour of the status quo. In contrast, only 16% of the public support current proposals to decriminalise abortion.

Spokesperson for Right To Life UK, Catherine Robinson, said:

“It is a national tragedy that 252,122 lives were lost to abortion in England and Wales in 2022”.

“Every one of these abortions represents a failure of our society to protect the lives of babies in the womb and a failure to offer full support to women with unplanned pregnancies”. 

“This significant rise in abortions has accompanied the second full year that abortion services outside of a clinical setting have been operating in England and Wales”.

“Only two years ago, the vote to make at-home abortions permanently available passed by just 27 votes. A large number of MPs had serious concerns about the negative impact these schemes would have on women”. 

“Since then, we have seen these concerns confirmed, with women such as Carla Foster performing at-home abortions well beyond the 24-week time limit, putting their health at serious risk. If Carla Foster had been given an in-person consultation, where her gestation could have been accurately determined, she would not have been able to access abortion pills and this tragic case would have been prevented”.

“The clear solution here is the urgent reinstatement of in-person appointments. This would prevent women’s lives from being put at risk from self-administered late-term abortions”.

“Polling shows that 71% of women support the reinstatement of in-person appointments and only 9% are in favour of the status quo”.

“Ahead of the General Election, we are calling on the next Government to urgently bring forward new protections for unborn children and increased support for women with unplanned pregnancies. Polling shows these changes are backed by the public and this would ensure we are working together as a society to reduce the tragic number of lives that are lost to abortion each year”.

ENDS