In 2021, there were 214,869 abortions reported in England and Wales in 2021, the highest since records began.
The largest increases in abortion rates by age are among women aged 30 to 34 which have increased from 17.2 per 1,000 in 2011 to 22.1 per 1,000 in 2021.
57% of those undergoing an abortion in 2021 were already mothers, and 65% were in a relationship.
The abortion rate for women aged under 18 has continued to decrease (from 15.0 in 2011 to 6.9 in 2020 and further decreased to 6.4 per 1,000 in 2021).
The largest increases in abortion rates by age are among women aged 30 to 34 which have increased from 17.2 per 1,000 in 2011 to 22.1 per 1,000 in 2021.
Commenting on the statistics, Clare Murphy, Chief Executive of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, BPAS, said:
The pandemic, and the policies adopted by the government in response, have had a clear impact on women’s pregnancy choices. Faced with economic uncertainty and job insecurity, women and their partners have been making sometimes tough decisions around continuing or ending a pregnancy. While there is no right number of abortions, we know that there is much more the government can do to ensure that women are able to make the decisions that are right for them when faced with an unplanned pregnancy.”
