ISSUES
: Abortion
Chapter 1: Abortion facts
2
Statutory grounds for abortion
The majority of abortions (98%) in
2014 were under ground C. The
proportion of ground C abortions
has risen steadily since 1997, with a
corresponding reduction in ground
D cases.
3,099 abortions (2%) were under
ground E, risk that the child would
be born handicapped. Congenital
malformations were reported for
46% of cases under ground E and
chromosomal abnormalities in 37%.
Down’s syndrome (21% of all ground
E cases) was the most commonly
reported chromosomal abnormality.
Ground F or G abortions are rare.
Location and funding
Treatment for the termination of
pregnancy can only be carried out
in an NHS hospital, NHS agencies
(approved independent sector
places under NHS contract) and
approved places in the private
sector. After 24 weeks, terminations
can only be performed in an NHS
hospital.
32% of abortions in 2014 were
performed in NHS hospitals and
67% in NHS agencies, totalling 98%
of abortions. The remaining 2%were
privately funded. The proportion
performed under NHS contract has
been rising steadily since the early
1990s while the proportion of NHS
hospital and private abortions has
been falling.
Method of abortion
Different methods exist to terminate
a pregnancy, depending on the
duration of gestation and personal
circumstances of women involved.
The main medical method involves
the use of the abortifacient drug
Mifegyne (Mifepristone, also known
as RU486). The main surgical
methods are vacuum aspiration
(recommended at up to 15 weeks
gestation) and dilatation and
evacuation (D&E) (recommended
where gestation is greater than 15
weeks).
Medical abortions accounted for
51% of the total in 2014. There has
been a continuing upward trend in
medical abortions since 1991 when
Mifegyne was licensed for use in
the UK. The proportion of medical
abortions has more than doubled in
the last five years.
Surgical abortions accounted for
49% of the total in 2014 and vacuum
aspiration was used for 44% of
these surgical abortions in 2014 and
D&E alone in 4% of cases.
Repeat abortions
37% of women undergoing
abortions in 2014 had one or more
previous abortions. The proportion
has risen over the last decade from
32% in 2004.
Amongwomenwho had experienced
a previous abortion 27% were under
25 and 46% were over 25.
Older women were more likely to
have had a previous abortion: 47%
of those aged 30–34 compared with
7% of those aged under 18.
Figures for Scotland
There were 11,475 abortions
performed in Scotland in 2014, the
lowest reported since 1995.
The rate of terminations is highest
among women aged 20–24 (18.9 per
1,000 women) and those aged 25–29
(15.1 per 1,000 women). Lower rates
are seen in women aged 35–39 (6.7
per 1,000 women) and in women
aged over 40 (2.3 per 1,000 women).
For the first time between 2005 and
2014 the rate of terminations in the
25–29 age group in 2014 surpassed
those in the 16–19 age group.
There is a clear link between abortion
rate and levels of deprivation. The
rate is 14.2 per 1,000 women in
areas of high deprivation, compared
to 8.2 per 1,000 women for the least
deprived areas in Scotland.
The proportion of early terminations
has been rising steadily in the last five
years, with 80.5% of all terminations
performed at less than ten weeks
in 2014, compared to 76.1% in
2010. Only 0.5% of abortions were
performed at 18 weeks or more.
The vast majority (98.5%) of
terminations are undertaken under
ground C.
15 March 2016
Ö
The above information is
reprinted with kind permission
from the Department of Health.
Please visit researchbriefings.
parliament.uk
for
further
information.
© House of Commons Library 2016
0
5
10
15
20
Abortion rates (crude rates per 1,000 women) in under 18s,
England and Wales (residents) 2004 to 2014
Source: Department of Health Abortion Statistics, England and Wales, 2014, Table 3b
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
17.8 17.8 18.2
19.8
18.9
17.6
16.5
15.0
12.8
11.7
11.1
Year
Abortion rate
