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Scotland abortion numbers fourth-highest ever on record, as Sturgeon to host abortion campaigners’ summit

Abortion statistics released by Public Health Scotland show that the number of abortions carried out in Scotland in 2021 were the fourth-highest number on record.

The release of the abortion statistics follows the Scottish Government’s announcement that it will be making ‘DIY’ home abortion permanently available without completing an in-depth evaluation of the safety of home abortion schemes – which they were due to report back on in autumn 2022 – and despite only 17% of respondents to a national consultation supporting making ‘DIY’ home abortion permanent. 

Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has also recently committed to chairing a summit, run by abortion campaigners, on making it a criminal offence to offer support to women outside abortion clinics.

Official figures showed there were 13,758 abortions carried out in 2021 – the second-highest total since 2008 and a decrease of 138 from 2020, when there were 13,896 abortions.

5,374 (39%) abortions were repeat abortions in 2021, up from 5,056 (36%) in 2020.

184 disability-selective abortions were performed in 2021.

Spokesperson for Right To Life UK, Catherine Robinson said: “It is a great tragedy that 13,758 lives were lost to abortion in Scotland last year”.

“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 follows the Scottish Government’s announcing that it will be making ‘DIY’ home abortion permanently available without completing an in-depth evaluation of the safety of home abortion schemes, which they were due to report back on in autumn 2022, and despite only 17% of respondents to a national consultation supporting making ‘DIY’ home abortion permanent”. 

“Thousands of women will be put at risk by the Scottish Government’s decision. It appears that the Scottish Government has announced the decision without completing the safety review, following pressure from abortion campaigners. It’s disgraceful for the Scottish Government to put women at risk to appease abortion campaigners”.

“We are calling on the Scottish Government to urgently bring forward sensible new restrictions and increased support for women with unplanned pregnancies. This would ensure we were working together as a society to reduce the tragic number of abortions that happen each year”.

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Dear reader,

Thanks to the support from people like you, in 2025, we have grown to 250,000 supporters, reached over 100 million views online, helped bring the Leadbeater assisted suicide Bill within just 12 votes of defeat and fought major proposals to introduce abortion up to birth.

However, the challenges we face are far from over.

FIVE MAJOR BATTLES

In 2026, we will be facing five major battles:

  1. Assisted suicide at Westminster – the Leadbeater Bill
    With this session of the UK Parliament at Westminster expected to continue well into 2026, there are many more months of this battle to fight. There is growing momentum in the House of Lords against the dangerous Leadbeater assisted suicide Bill, but well-funded groups such as Dignity in Dying have poured millions into lobbying, and we must sustain the pressure so this Bill never becomes law.
  2. Assisted suicide in Scotland – the McArthur Bill
    We are expecting to face the final Stage 3 vote on the Scottish McArthur assisted suicide Bill early in the new year. If just seven MSPs switch from voting for to against the Bill, it will be defeated. This is a battle that can be won, but the assisted suicide lobby is working intensely to stop that from happening.
  3. Assisted suicide in Wales – the Senedd vote
    In January, we are expecting the Welsh Senedd to vote on whether they will allow the Leadbeater assisted suicide Bill to be rolled out in Wales. Dignity in Dying and their allies are already putting a big focus on winning this vote. This is going to be another decisive and major battle.
  4. Abortion up to birth at Westminster
    We are going to face major battles over the Antoniazzi abortion up to birth amendment as it moves through the House of Lords. Baroness Monckton has tabled an amendment to overturn this change, and other Peers have proposed changes that would protect more babies from having their lives ended in late-term home abortions.
  5. Abortion up to birth in Scotland
    In Scotland, moves are underway to attempt to introduce an even more extreme abortion law there. An “expert group” undertaking a review of abortion law in Scotland has recommended that the Scottish Government scrap the current 24-week time limit – and abortion be available on social grounds right up to birth. It is expected that the Scottish Government will bring forward final proposals as a Government Bill next year.

If these major threats from our opposition are successful, it would be a disaster. Thousands of lives would be lost.

WE CAN ONLY DEFEAT THESE FIVE MAJOR THREATS WITH YOUR HELP

Work fighting both the abortion and assisted suicide lobbies in 2025 has substantially drained our limited resources.

To cover this gap and ensure we effectively fight these battles in the year ahead, our goal is to raise at least £198,750 by midnight this Sunday, 7 December 2025.

With a number of these battles due to begin within weeks, we need funds in place now so we can move immediately.

£198,750 is the minimum we need; anything extra lets us do even more.

If you are able, please give as generously as you can today. Every donation, large or small, will make a real difference. Plus, if you are a UK taxpayer, Gift Aid adds 25p to every £1 you donate at no extra cost to you.

Will you donate now to help protect vulnerable lives from these five major threats?

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Help stop three major anti-life threats.

Help fight the next phase of our battles against major assisted suicide and abortion up to birth threats.

URGENT
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to protect vulnerable lives

Help stop three major anti-life threats.

Help fight the five major battles we will face in 2026.