Abortions at record high in England and Wales ‘driven by cost of living’ | Abortion

Rising costs of living and lack of access to contraception have led to a further rise in abortion rates in England and Wales, providers and doctors have said.

Government statistics released Thursday show that abortions increased by 11% in 2023 compared to the previous year.

The age-standardized abortion rate for women was 23.0 abortions per 1,000 population, the highest rate since the abortion law was introduced in 1967.

“These numbers reflect the first full year of abortion care during the cost of living crisis, providing critical context for understanding rising abortion rates,” said Katie Saxon, manager of strategic communications at BPAS, one of the nation’s largest abortion providers.

“No woman should be forced to terminate a pregnancy that she otherwise would have continued solely for financial reasons. Likewise, no woman should become pregnant because she does not have access to the contraception she wants, when she needs it.”

She added: “There are not enough abortions, but the Government can do much more to ensure that women are able to make the choice that is right for themselves and their families.

“Women continue to tell us about long waits for contraceptive appointments, difficulty obtaining repeat prescriptions, and the limited choice of methods available to them. Emergency contraception also remains an important but underutilized backup option.”

Dr Alison Wright, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said: “This new data highlights how access to high-quality abortion care is essential for women’s health and reproductive autonomy.

“It is likely that a range of factors are driving the rise in abortion rates in recent years. Economic pressure and the rising cost of living are shaping women’s reproductive choices, with many choosing to delay or start smaller families.

“At the same time, overburdened general practice and sexual health services make it more difficult for many women – particularly in more deprived communities – to access contraception when they need it, increasing the risk of unplanned pregnancy.

Data shows that the abortion rate among women aged 35 and over has continued to increase, from 7.1 per 1,000 women in 2013 to 12.3 per 1,000 women in 2023. The lowest rate is among those under 18, at 7.8, and abortions are most common among women aged 20 to 24.

Over the past decade, the percentage of abortions performed at the lowest stage of gestation, up to nine weeks, has increased from 79% to 89%, while terminations of pregnancies performed between 10 and 19 weeks have seen a downward trend.

The number of abortions performed beyond 20 weeks, for which strict conditions must be met, such as a fatal fetal anomaly or a risk to the mother’s life, remained stable between 1% and 2%.

Since the Covid pandemic, when legislation was introduced allowing abortion medications to be sent through the post, home abortions accounted for 72% of all terminations of pregnancies in 2023.

Over the same period, the number of abortions by all other methods has generally declined, with the two mandatory in-clinic pills now the least common method of terminating a pregnancy.

“This data also provides further evidence of the positive impact of early home medical abortion, which allowed women to end their pregnancies as early as possible,” Saxon said. “One in three women will have an abortion in their lifetime, and services must continue to evolve in line with best clinical practice. »

Wright added: “Taking both medications at home remains the most common method of abortion, indicating that the telemedicine route is working as intended by allowing women to access safe, regulated care sooner.

“Telemedicine removes practical barriers for women who might otherwise struggle to attend in-person appointments, including those in rural areas, women with disabilities, and those experiencing coercion or abuse. »