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Abortion

Volume 462: debated on Wednesday 11 July 2007

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions were carried out at each week of gestation between 18 and 32 weeks in 2006; what the (a) age of mother, (b) residency of mother, (c) grounds for abortion, (d) marital status of mother, (e) number of previous children and (f) number of previous abortions were in each case; and how many and what percentage of those abortions were performed in the (i) public and (ii) private sector. (148108)

The available information is set out in the following tables.

Abortions by age and gestation 18 weeks and over1, residents, England and Wales, 2006.

Gestation

Age

18

19

20

21

22

23

24+

Total

Under 20

375

357

262

213

175

168

11

1,561

20 to 24

386

324

280

207

172

121

22

1,512

25 to 29

250

180

176

125

112

98

28

969

30 to 34

165

104

117

113

76

66

43

684

35+

181

146

97

96

81

57

32

690

Total

1,357

1,111

932

754

616

510

136

5,416

1 Totals are grouped where there are less than 10 (0-nine) cases, or where a presented value would reveal a total less than 10 (0-nine) when used with data already published.

Abortions by country of residence and gestation 18 weeks and over1, performed in England and Wales, 2006.

Gestation

Country of residence

18

19

20

21

22

23

24+

Total

England and Wales

1,357

1,111

932

754

616

510

136

5,416

Scotland

11

20

27

20

31

2

2

121

Republic of Ireland

56

28

37

25

15

2

2

180

Other non resident

45

35

28

25

20

2

2

189

1 Totals are grouped where there are less than 10 (0-9) cases, or where a presented value would reveal a total less than 10 (0-9) when used with data already published.

2 Suppressed value.

Abortions by grounds and gestation 18 weeks and over1, residents, England and Wales, 2006.

Gestation

Grounds

18

19

20

21

22

23

24+

Total

Section 1(1)(a) and other2

1,242

1,021

787

573

485

398

0

4,506

Section 1(1)(d)

115

90

145

181

131

112

1362

910

1 Totals are grouped where there are less than 10 (0-9) cases, or where a presented value would reveal a total less than 10 (0-9) when used with data already published.

2 abortions 24 weeks and over and carried out under sections l(l)(b), l(l)(c) and 1(4) of the Abortion Act are included in total 136.

Section l(l)(a): that the pregnancy has not exceeded its twenty-fourth 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 or any existing children of her family.

Section l(l)(b): that the termination is necessary to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman.

Section l(l)(c): that the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk to the life of the pregnant woman, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated

Section l(l)(d): 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.

Section 1(4): that the termination is immediately necessary to save the life or to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman.

Abortions by marital status and gestation 18 weeks and over1, residents, England and Wales, 2006.

Gestation

Marital status

18

19

20

21

22

23

24+

Total

Single

924

750

625

504

397

349

49

3,598

Married

177

150

154

147

117

99

66

910

Divorced, separated, widowed

34

23

14

2

11

2

2

101

Not known/not stated

222

188

139

2

91

2

2

807

Total

1,357

1,111

932

754

616

510

136

5,416

1 Totals are grouped where there are less than 10 (0-9) cases, or where a presented value would reveal a total less than 10 (0-9) when used with data already published.

2 Suppressed value.

Abortions by number of previous live or still births and gestation 18 weeks and over1, residents, England and Wales, 2006.

Gestation

Number of previous live births or stillbirths (over 24 weeks)

18

19

20

21

22

23

24+

Total

0

730

641

550

445

386

313

64

3,129

1

298

239

186

164

122

103

39

1,151

2

169

118

113

89

64

52

19

624

3 or more

160

113

83

56

44

42

14

512

Total

1,357

1,111

932

754

616

510

136

5,416

1 Totals are grouped where there are less than 10 (0 - 9) cases, or where a presented value would reveal a total less than 10 (0-9) when used with data already published.

Abortions by number of previous abortions and gestation 18 weeks and over1, residents, England and Wales, 2006.

Gestation

Number of previous abortions

18

19

20

21

22

23

24+

Total

0

961

788

657

586

471

479

23

3,965

1

305

252

220

124

117

1,129

2 or more

91

71

55

44

28

322

Total

1,357

1,111

932

754

616

510

136

5,416

1 Totals are grouped where there are less than 10 (0 - 9) cases, or where a presented value would reveal a total less than 10 (0-9) when used with data already published.

Abortions by purchaser and gestation 18 weeks and over1, residents, England and Wales, 2006.

Percentage

Gestation

Abortions by purchaser

18

19

20

21

22

23

24+

NHS

20

16

20

28

25

25

100

NHS agency

70

75

71

65

62

64

0

Private

9

9

10

7

13

11

0

Total

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

Note:

Percentages are rounded and may not add up to 100