More than 13,500 abortions performed in Scotland last year

More than 13,500 abortions were carried out last year in Scotland, according to Public Health Scotland figures.

It is the second highest total on record and the most abortions since 2008.

More than half of the 13,583 procedures involved mothers in their twenties.

Increase

Scotland’s abortion rate also saw a significant increase, with 13.2 per thousand women aged 15 to 44 aborting their unborn children. This is up from 11.4 per thousand five years ago.

The figures remain higher in England and Wales, at 18.6 per 1000 in the same age group.

Public Health Scotland also revealed that 581 of the abortions were for women over 40, a record number for this age group.

Overturning protections

In June, the Republic of Ireland reported that over 6,600 abortions were carried out last year, after the overturning of its strong pro-life laws in 2018.

In the same month, Westminster forced liberal abortion laws on Northern Ireland.

The laws effectively permit abortions to take place up to 24 weeks for any reason, and up to birth if the baby is deemed to have a severely life-limiting condition, or a ‘severe’ disability.