Abortion (Hansard, 14 May 2003)

§ Baroness Masham of Ilton
asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the statistically most likely condition for an abortion in the latest year for which figures are available in terms of:

(a) the marital status of the woman;

(b) the age of the woman;

(c) the gestation of the pregnancy;

(d) the number of previous children born by the woman;

(e) the number of previous abortions undergone by the woman; and

(f) the legal grounds under which the abortion was performed. [HL2604]
Baroness Andrews: The number of abortions, by most likely condition, performed on residents of England and Wales in 2001 are shown in the following table:

Condition Most likely condition(Statistical MODE) Number Percentage of total

Total Number of abortions 176,364 100

a Marital Status Single 124,930 71

b Age Group 20–24 years 48,267 27

c Gestation Group 9–12 weeks 79,368 45

d Previous Children No previous children 92,824 53

e Previous Abortions No previous abortions 122,129 69

f Legal Grounds Ground C^* 171,041 97

^*Includes Ground C (that the pregnancy has not exceeded its 24th week and that the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated, of injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman) alone and in combination with other grounds.

§ Baroness Cox
asked Her Majesty's Government:
What was the number of abortions in the years 1966; 1968; 1969: 1970; 1980; 1990 and 2000 [HL2605]

§ Baroness Andrews:
Data are shown in the following table:

Numbers of abortions under the Abortion Act 1967, as amended, England & Wales

Year Residents of England and Wales Non-residents

1966 Non None

1968^* 22,332 1,309

1969 49,829 4,990

1970 75,962 10,603

1980 128,927 31,976

1990 173,900 13,012

2000 175,542 9,833

^*eight months data only as legislation did not come into effect until 27 April 1968.

39WA

§ Baroness Cox
asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many late abortions were performed in each of the last ten years for which figures are available in pregnancies of:

(a) 24 weeks;

(b) 25 weeks;

(c) 26 weeks;

(d) 27 weeks;

(e) 28 weeks;

(f) Over 28 weeks; and

Numbers of late abortions in England and Wales, residents and non-residents, by gestation 1991–2001

Gestation in weeks

Total late abortions 24¹ 25 26 27 28 over 28

1991 60^* 18 17 9 6 10

1992 60 18 6 5 5 26

1993 74 21 13 9 7 24

1994 94 23 21 9 13 28

1995 74 13 13 5 11 32

1996 107 31 21 9 11 35

1997 74 10 22 6 4 32

1998 88 11 14 10 13 8 32

1999 116 25 23 13 7 12 36

2000 126 23 21 15 11 12 44

2001 130 25 21 9 16 11 48

Footnotes
^*Includes eight abortions that were performed in the first part of the year before the Abortion Act was amended by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990.
¹Figures for 1991 to 1997 are of abortions performed at 25 weeks 0 days gestation or more; figures from 1998 onwards are of abortions performed at more than 24 weeks 0 days gestation. Prior to 1998, data on terminations performed at gestations of up to 24 weeks 6 days were included in the 23–24 gestation band. The data for terminations performed at 24 weeks 1 day or more cannot be separately identified within this, and are therefore not available.

§ Baroness Cox
asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will give a breakdown by regional health authority of the number of abortions performed in the latest two years for which figures are available in pregnancies of—

(a) 24 weeks;

(b) 25 weeks;

(c) 26 weeks;

(d) 27 weeks;

(e) 28 weeks;

(f) over 28 weeks;
whether they will indicate the grounds upon which those abortions were performed; and, whether they will indicate where appropriate the nature of any

Abortions performed at over 24-weeks gestation, England and Wales residents, 2000 and 2001: ICD 10 classification of conditions cited for abortions under Section 1(1)(d) of the Act.

2000 2001

Q00–Q89 Congenital malformations

anencephaly Q00 3 2

microcephaly Q02 0 2

congenital hydrocephalus Q03 17 4

other malformations of the brain Q04 7 12

spina bifida Q05 8 7

cardiovascular system Q20–Q28 8 15

40WA
whether they will indicate the numbers and percentages of those abortions which were performed on legal grounds. [HL2609]

§ Baroness Andrews:
The following table shows numbers of abortions performed at more than 24 weeks 0 days gestation for the years 1991 to 2001.
A pregnancy may be terminated only if two registered medical practitioners are of the opinion, formed in good faith, that an abortion is justified within the terms of the Abortion Act 1967, as amended. All of the abortions (100 per cent) shown in the table were legally performed under the grounds set out in the Act.
possible handicap from which the baby might have been suffering. [HL2610]

§ Baroness Andrews:
We do not publish regional data on abortions performed under Section 1(1)(d) of the Abortion Act, as amended (that 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). This is because of the small numbers involved which might lead to identification of individual cases. We have therefore set out the data in the following separate tables. The first table shows the number of conditions cited for abortions performed under Section 1(1)(d) of the Act and the second shows all abortions performed under Sections 1(1)(b), 1(1)(c) and 1(1)(d) beyond 24-weeks gestation in 2000 and 2001.
41WA

Abortions performed at over 24-weeks gestation, England and Wales residents, 2000 and 2001: ICD 10 classification of conditions cited for abortions under Section 1(1) (d) of the Act.

2000 2001

respiratory system Q30–Q34 0 3

cleft lip and cleft palate Q35–Q37 0 1

other malformations of the digestive system Q38–Q45 3 0

urinary system Q60–Q64 8 4

musculoskeletal system Q65–Q79 4 6

other Q82–Q89 1 7

Q90–Q99 Chromosomal abnormalities

Down's Syndrome Q90 5 11

Edward's Syndrome Q91.3 5 9

Patau's Syndrome Q91.7 4 1

Not elsewhere classified Q92–Q99 6 3

Other conditions

Fetus affected by maternal complications P01–P04 1 0

Fetal disorders related to gestation and growth P05–P08 8 7

Fetus affected by congenital infectious disease P35–P39 2 1

Haemolytic disease of fetus and newborn P832–P833 1 0

Hydrops fetalis not due to haemolytic disease P83.2–P83.3 2 5

Family history of inheritable disorder Z80–Z84 1 0

Total 94 100

Late abortions by gestation, residents only, by region, England, 2000 and 2001

Gestation in weeks

2000 24⁽¹⁾ 25 26 27 28 over 28 Total

Northern & Yorkshire 1 4 0 1 3 4 13

Trent 2 0 1 0 1 1 5

West Midlands 1 1 0 1 1 2 6

North-West 1 0 0 1 0 0 2

Eastern 4 3 2 2 1 6 18

London 8 8 5 0 3 9 33

South-East 4 3 5 2 0 3 17

South-West 1 0 0 1 0 1 3

Wales 0 1 0 0 0 1 2

2001

Northern & Yorkshire 3 5 1 3 1 4 18

Trent 0 4 0 0 0 0 4

West Midlands 1 2 1 0 1 2 7

North-West 0 0 0 0 0 3 4

Eastern 4 2 1 0 2 4 13

London 12 6 4 6 3 4 36

South-East 1 2 0 3 1 7 15

South-West 3 0 0 1 0 1 5

Wales 0 0 0 1 0 2 3

⁽¹⁾Footnote
Figures are of abortions under Section 1(1)(d) performed at more than 24 weeks 0 days gestation.

§ Baroness Masham of Ilton
asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they are taking steps to reduce the number of abortions in the United Kingdom. [HL2635]

§ Baroness Andrews:
In England we are taking a number of steps through the Sexual Health and HIV Strategy and the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy to reduce the rate of unintended pregnancy, which should lead to a reduction in the number of abortions. We are working to improve access to contraceptive services and the range of methods of contraception that are available; for example, the National Institute for 42WA Clinical Excellence is preparing clinical guidelines for the National Health Service on the effective and appropriate use of long-acting reversible contraception. We are also working with the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) to improve sex and relationships education (SRE). The DfES has issued guidance on SRE against which schools are required to develop their policies and the delivery of SRE is now covered within Ofsted inspections.
In November 2002 we launched the "Sex Lottery" campaign with an investment of £4 million over two years. The campaign is aimed at 18 to 30 year-olds, and promotes messages around safer sex and the use of 43WA condoms. Although the campaign focuses on the prevention of infection, condoms when used correctly are highly effective in preventing pregnancy.
Policy on sexual health including reducing unintended pregnancies is devolved to the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly. The Abortion Act 1967, as amended, does not apply to Northern Ireland where it is not legal to carry out a therapeutic termination of pregnancy, other than to save the life of the mother or to prevent serious damage to her physical or mental health.

	Condition	Most likely condition(Statistical MODE)	Number	Percentage of total
	Total Number of abortions		176,364	100
a	Marital Status	Single	124,930	71
b	Age Group	20–24 years	48,267	27
c	Gestation Group	9–12 weeks	79,368	45
d	Previous Children	No previous children	92,824	53
e	Previous Abortions	No previous abortions	122,129	69
f	Legal Grounds	Ground C^*	171,041	97
^*Includes Ground C (that the pregnancy has not exceeded its 24th week and that the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated, of injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman) alone and in combination with other grounds.

Numbers of abortions under the Abortion Act 1967, as amended, England & Wales
Year	Residents of England and Wales	Non-residents
1966	Non	None
1968^*	22,332	1,309
1969	49,829	4,990
1970	75,962	10,603
1980	128,927	31,976
1990	173,900	13,012
2000	175,542	9,833
^*eight months data only as legislation did not come into effect until 27 April 1968.

Numbers of late abortions in England and Wales, residents and non-residents, by gestation 1991–2001
		Gestation in weeks
	Total late abortions	24¹	25	26	27	28	over 28
1991	60^*		18	17	9	6	10
1992	60		18	6	5	5	26
1993	74		21	13	9	7	24
1994	94		23	21	9	13	28
1995	74		13	13	5	11	32
1996	107		31	21	9	11	35
1997	74		10	22	6	4	32
1998	88	11	14	10	13	8	32
1999	116	25	23	13	7	12	36
2000	126	23	21	15	11	12	44
2001	130	25	21	9	16	11	48

Abortions performed at over 24-weeks gestation, England and Wales residents, 2000 and 2001: ICD 10 classification of conditions cited for abortions under Section 1(1)(d) of the Act.
			2000	2001
Q00–Q89	Congenital malformations
	anencephaly	Q00	3	2
	microcephaly	Q02	0	2
	congenital hydrocephalus	Q03	17	4
	other malformations of the brain	Q04	7	12
	spina bifida	Q05	8	7
	cardiovascular system	Q20–Q28	8	15

Late abortions by gestation, residents only, by region, England, 2000 and 2001
	Gestation in weeks
2000	24⁽¹⁾	25	26	27	28	over 28	Total
Northern & Yorkshire	1	4	0	1	3	4	13
Trent	2	0	1	0	1	1	5
West Midlands	1	1	0	1	1	2	6
North-West	1	0	0	1	0	0	2
Eastern	4	3	2	2	1	6	18
London	8	8	5	0	3	9	33
South-East	4	3	5	2	0	3	17
South-West	1	0	0	1	0	1	3
Wales	0	1	0	0	0	1	2
2001
Northern & Yorkshire	3	5	1	3	1	4	18
Trent	0	4	0	0	0	0	4
West Midlands	1	2	1	0	1	2	7
North-West	0	0	0	0	0	3	4
Eastern	4	2	1	0	2	4	13
London	12	6	4	6	3	4	36
South-East	1	2	0	3	1	7	15
South-West	3	0	0	1	0	1	5
Wales	0	0	0	1	0	2	3