Abortions (Hansard, 21 February 1990)

§ Mr. Alton
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give a breakdown of the numbers and percentages of abortions performed on pregnancies of 18 weeks' or more gestation under the statutory grounds 2 (alone) and 3 (with or without 2) by(a) age of mother, (b) marital status, (c) numbers of previous children, (d) number of previous abortions and (e) whether performed in the public or private sectors, distinguishing in each category between residents and non-residents.

§ Mr. Freeman
The information requested is given in the table:
839W

Residents Statutory grounds Non-Residents Statutory grounds

2 (alone) 3 (with or without 2) 2 (alone) 3 (with or without 2)

Number Per cent. Number Per cent. Number Per cent. Number Per cent.

4 64 64.65 16 16.16 50 94.34 2 3.77

5 and over 24 48.98 8 16.33 27 93.10 1 3.45

Unknown 14 63.64 — — 1 100.00 — —

(d) Number of Previous Abortions

Legal terminations

0 4,460 83.21 300 5.60 2,725 98.20 33 1.19

1 755 82.15 80 8.71 418 98.12 7 1.64

2 91 77.12 13 11.02 50 100.00 — —

3 20 86.96 1 4.35 11 100.00 — —

4¹ 3 100.00 — — 3 100.00 — —

Spontaneous miscarriages

0 5,077 85.20 343 5.76 3,120 98.36 37 1.17

1 203 56.23 42 11.63 78 93.98 2 2.41

2 37 49.33 6 8.00 7 87.50 1 12.50

3 5 38.46 — — 1 100.00 — —

4¹ 7 46.67 3 20.00 1 100.00 — —

(e) Category of Premises

NHS 579 43.21 69 5.15 1 20.00 — —

Non-NHS 4,764 93.32 325 6.37 3,207 98.34 40 1.23

Non-NHS Agency 459 90.89 43 8.51 1 100.00 — —

¹ Statutory Grounds:

1. The continuance of pregnancy would involve risk to the life of the pregnant woman greater than if the pregnancy were terminated.

2. The continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk of injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman greater than if the pregnancy were terminated.

3. The continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk or injury to the physical or mental health of any existing child(ren) in the family of the pregnant woman greater than if the pregnancy were terminated.

4. There is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped.

5. To save the life of the pregnant mother.

6. To prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the child.

Note:—The notification form for abortions carried out under the Abortion Act 1967 requires information about previous abortions to the woman concerned to be recorded, distinguishing between spontaneous miscarriages and legal terminations.
Notifications having at least one previous spontaneous miscarriage and also at least one previous legal termination, and women having more than one abortion under the Act in 1988 will be counted more than once in the statistics.

§ Mr. Alton
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the numbers of abortions performed on pregnancies of 18 weeks' and more gestation under statutory grounds 2 (alone) and 3 (with or without 2) which were done by(a) prostaglandins and (b) D and E, distinguishing in each category between residents and non-residents.

§ Mr. Freeman
The information requested is shown in the table:

The number of abortions performed under the Abortion Act 1967 on pregnancies of 18 weeks and more gestation under statutory grounds 2 (alone) and 3 (with or without 2) which were performed by (a) prostaglandins and (b) D and E for residents and non-residents of England and Wales for 1988

Residents Non-residents

Ground 2 (alone)

Prostaglandins 3,063 623

D and E 501 748

Ground 3 (with or without 2)

Prostaglandins 307 23

D and E 3 3

	Residents Statutory grounds	Non-Residents Statutory grounds
	2 (alone)	3 (with or without 2)	2 (alone)	3 (with or without 2)
	Number	Per cent.	Number	Per cent.	Number	Per cent.	Number	Per cent.
4	64	64.65	16	16.16	50	94.34	2	3.77
5 and over	24	48.98	8	16.33	27	93.10	1	3.45
Unknown	14	63.64	—	—	1	100.00	—	—
(d) Number of Previous Abortions
Legal terminations
0	4,460	83.21	300	5.60	2,725	98.20	33	1.19
1	755	82.15	80	8.71	418	98.12	7	1.64
2	91	77.12	13	11.02	50	100.00	—	—
3	20	86.96	1	4.35	11	100.00	—	—
4¹	3	100.00	—	—	3	100.00	—	—
Spontaneous miscarriages
0	5,077	85.20	343	5.76	3,120	98.36	37	1.17
1	203	56.23	42	11.63	78	93.98	2	2.41
2	37	49.33	6	8.00	7	87.50	1	12.50
3	5	38.46	—	—	1	100.00	—	—
4¹	7	46.67	3	20.00	1	100.00	—	—
(e) Category of Premises
NHS	579	43.21	69	5.15	1	20.00	—	—
Non-NHS	4,764	93.32	325	6.37	3,207	98.34	40	1.23
Non-NHS Agency	459	90.89	43	8.51	1	100.00	—	—
¹ Statutory Grounds:
1. The continuance of pregnancy would involve risk to the life of the pregnant woman greater than if the pregnancy were terminated.
2. The continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk of injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman greater than if the pregnancy were terminated.
3. The continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk or injury to the physical or mental health of any existing child(ren) in the family of the pregnant woman greater than if the pregnancy were terminated.
4. There is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped.
5. To save the life of the pregnant mother.
6. To prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the child.

The number of abortions performed under the Abortion Act 1967 on pregnancies of 18 weeks and more gestation under statutory grounds 2 (alone) and 3 (with or without 2) which were performed by (a) prostaglandins and (b) D and E for residents and non-residents of England and Wales for 1988
	Residents	Non-residents
Ground 2 (alone)
Prostaglandins	3,063	623
D and E	501	748
Ground 3 (with or without 2)
Prostaglandins	307	23
D and E	3	3