OLDER WOMEN FUEL A RISE IN ABORTIONS
THE number of females who have abortions has hit a record high - and older women are largely responsible.
New figures from the Department for Health and Social Care reveal 200,608 women and girls from England and Wales had a legal termination in 2018.
That works out as 18 in every 1,000
women.
Both the number and rate are record highs.
Modern figures back as far as 2008 when 195,296 female residents had a termination.
It was at its lowest in 2014 (184,571) and has risen in each successive year.
The picture is, however, more complex than the totals might suggest. In particular, there are very different trends among different age groups.
The number of terminations has been falling among girls aged under 16, between 16 and 17, and between 18 and 19. At the same time, a record number of women aged between 25 and 29, 30 and 34 and 35 and older are having abortion.
There were 50,403 abortions among women aged between 25 and 29.
For women aged between 30 and 34 the number was 39,332 and it was 34,380 in women aged 35 and older.
A spokesperson from Marie Stopes UK said: “These figures come at the same time as we are hearing stories from women that they have become pregnant while trying to access effective contraception.
“Today, more than 8 million women of reproductive age live in an area where the council has reduced funding for sexual and reproductive health services, leading to the closure of clinics and longer waiting lists.
“When women do manage to find a service, they may be denied the full range of contraception, including some of the most effective methods. “Overall, abortion rates are increasing among older women, while rates for younger women are falling.