Abortions hit a record high

ABORTIONS reached a record high of 214,256 last year – with more than half taking place at home.

Official figures yesterday showed the total in England and Wales was up 2 per cent on 2020. The rate was highest among women aged 22. For the first time, the most common procedure was for pregnant women to take pills for early medical abortion at home without having to go to hospital or a clinic first – dubbed ‘DIY abortions’ by pro-life groups.

This method was allowed for the first time in 2020 and now accounts for 52 per cent of all abortions. Catherine Robinson, of Right To Life UK, called on ministers ‘to urgently bring forward new protections for unborn children and increased support for women with unplanned pregnancies’.