Abortions at highest level ever in England and Wales

More abortions are taking place in England and Wales than ever before, new statistics show.

Government figures show that in 2023 – the latest figures available – abortions increased by 11 per cent on the previous year.

This took the total to an estimated 278,740, which was 26,618 higher than in 2022 and a rise of 36 per cent (73,445) in just five years.

Disability abortion

The report also stated that more than 3,200 abortions were carried out in 2023 because the unborn child was deemed to have a disability, including 735 following a diagnosis of Down’s syndrome.

While the abortion limit stands at 24 weeks for most reasons, disability remains a legal ground for abortion up to birth, and 300 such abortions took place after the usual 24-week limit, with ten of those being for children with Down’s syndrome.

Most abortions (nine in ten) took place before ten weeks, with the majority of women taking abortion pills at home, unsupervised. However, the number of surgical abortions grew for the second consecutive year.

Financial reasons

Over 80 per cent of abortions were performed by ‘independent providers’, such as MSI Reproductive Choices UK and the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), rather than the NHS.

The providers claimed the dramatic rise could be explained by the cost of living crisis, suggesting more women were having abortions for financial reasons – although this is not a legal ground under the Abortion Act.

Katie Saxon, Chief Strategic Communications Officer for abortion giant BPAS, said: “No woman should have to end a pregnancy she would otherwise have continued purely for financial reasons. Equally, no woman should become pregnant because she is unable to access the contraception she wants, when she needs it.”

She added: “There is no right number of abortions, but there is much more that the government can do to ensure women are able to make the choice that is right for themselves and for their families.”

And Dr Alison Wright, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: “This new data highlights how access to high-quality abortion care is essential for women’s health and reproductive autonomy.”

‘Harrowing’

The Christian Institute’s Head of Communications Angus Saul said the figures were “absolutely harrowing”.

“Everyone who values life across England and Wales must surely be grieved at this dramatic increase in abortions. These are not simply statistics. Each one was a unique human life, created in the image of God; and that life was snatched away before they could even take a breath.

“This suggestion that ‘There is no right number of abortions’ demonstrates that abortion providers will never be satisfied, no matter how many unborn children are killed. The right number of abortions is none.

“We desperately need to change the way society views children in the womb, so that we turn away from this culture of death and instead celebrate life.”