Record High Abortions in the UK for 2023
The latest statistics released by the government reveal that the number of abortions in the UK has reached a new peak in 2023. Specifically, there will be 277,970 abortions in England and Wales, marking the highest figure since the legalization of abortion in 1967.
This represents an 11% increase compared to the previous year, which equates to an additional 26,593 abortions.
Rates are also notably high, with approximately 23 abortions for every 1,000 women aged 15 to 44. It’s interesting to see that, across all age groups, abortion rates are rising, particularly among younger women. For example, rates for those under 18 rose from 6.4 per 1,000 women in 2021 to 7.8 in 2023.
Additionally, there has been a noticeable increase in abortions among women over the age of 35, which has grown from 7.1 per 1,000 women in 2013 to 12.3 per 1,000 in 2023. Notably, the highest rate observed in 2023 was among women between the ages of 20 and 24, with 39.4 per 1,000.
The increase in abortion numbers seems to correlate with the rising use of home abortion pills. These pills gained popularity during the COVID-19 lockdown and were formalized in law in 2022 by the Conservative government led by Boris Johnson.
According to the Ministry of Health, home medication abortions comprised 72% of the total, amounting to 200,745 abortions—an uptick of 48,340 from the previous year.
Many attribute the rise in abortions to the ongoing cost of living crisis in the UK. Katie Saxon from BPAS has indicated that these figures provide vital context for understanding the escalation in abortion rates, particularly in light of economic pressures.
She stated, “No woman should have to terminate a pregnancy she might have chosen to continue due to financial constraints. Similarly, access to contraceptives is crucial.” Saxon also highlighted ongoing challenges women face, such as lengthy wait times for contraceptive appointments and difficulties in obtaining repeat prescriptions, which limits the available options. Emergency contraception remains an option, but it is not utilized to its full potential.
