Number of abortions hits record high in England and Wales

The number of abortions in England and Wales reached a record high of 277,970 in 2023, an 11% increase from 2022. Charities attribute this rise to economic pressures, the high cost of living, and limited access to sexual health services. Most abortions occur early in pregnancy, with 89% performed between two and nine weeks and the majority using pills. Surgical abortions also saw an increase.

Dr. Alison Wright noted that economic factors and difficult access to contraception influence women's decisions, particularly in lower-income areas. Katie Saxon emphasized that financial reasons should not force women to terminate pregnancies. Right To Life UK called the situation a "national tragedy."

The abortion statistics for England and Wales 2024 publication has been delayed due to several "operational issues," including "issues associated with moving to a new data processing system and an increase in the number of paper abortion notification forms to process."