§ Lord Alton of Liverpoolasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many abortions have been performed each year since 1990 under Section 1(1)(d) of the Abortion Act 1967; and how many of these abortions have been performed after 24 weeks' gestation; and [HL208]
Whether medical practitioners performing abortions under Section 1(1)(d) of the Abortion Act 1967 are legally obliged to specify the nature of the physical or mental abnormalities giving rise in their judgment to serious handicap when reporting such abortions to the Department of Health. [HL209]
§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathThe information requested is set out in the table.
Any medical practitioner performing a termination of pregnancy under any grounds set out in the Abortion Act is legally required to notify the Chief Medical Officer on form HSA4. For abortions performed under Section 1(1)(d) practitioners are required to provide details of any foetal abnormalities diagnosed, together with method of diagnosis used, and any other reasons of termination; for example, a condition in a pregnant woman causing a suspected condition in a foetus.
Legal Abortions—numbers performed on residents of England and Wales under Section 1(1) (d) of the Abortion Act 1967, as amended Year Total Over 24 weeks gestation1 1990 1,601 21 1991 1,721 58 1992 1,811 53 1993 1,941 61 1994 1,805 81 1995 1,828 63 1996 1,929 85 1997 1,853 66 1998 1,830 73 1999 1,813 89 2000 1,833 94 2001 1,722 100 1 Figures for 1990 to 1997 are of abortions performed at 25 weeks 0 days gestation or more and may include a very small number of abortions performed under sections other than l(l)(d); figures from 1998 onwards are of abortions under Section 1(1)(d) performed at 24 weeks 0 days gestation or more. Source
Statistics Division 3G, Department of Health.