Statistics
In 2006 the number of abortions in England and Wales recorded by the Department of Health was 193,700, up from 186,400 in 2005:
87% of abortions in 2006 were funded by the NHS
89% of abortions took place before the 13th week
68% of abortions took place before the 10th week
1% of abortions took place because the child would be severely handicapped
80% of women who had an abortion in 2006 were single
23% of under 25's who had an abortion in 2006 had a previous abortion
19 was the largest age group for women who had an abortion in 2006 (35 out of every 1000)
The number of abortions performed on non-residents fell from 7900 in 2005 to 7,400 in 2006
In Scotland the number of abortions in 2006 rose to 13,081, up from 12,603 in 2005
A Brief History of Abortion in the UK*
The Ellenborough Act (1803) made abortion punishable by death if it was carried out after ‘quickening' (the medieval term for movement in the womb) which is usually at 16-20 weeks.
The Ellenborough Act was amended in 1837 to remove the 'before and after quickening' distinction.
The Offences Against The Person Act (1861) made abortion - even for medical reasons - a criminal act that could result in prison terms ranging from three years to life.
The Infant Life Preservation Act (1929) made abortion legal only to protect the life of the mother and set 28 weeks as the legal limit to carry out a termination.
The Birkett Committee (1939) recommended clarification that doctors could abort to save a womans life.
The Abortion Act (1967), a private members bill sponsored by Liberal MP (now Lord) David Steel. The law took the power to decide to abort from the doctor and gave it to the woman and came into affect in April 1968. The 1967 act only applies to England, Scotland and Wales NOT Northern Ireland.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act (1990) amended the 28 week upper limit and reduced it to 24 weeks where it has remained ever since.
*Facts courtesy of Abortion Rights, Education for Choice and Society for the Protection of Unborn Children