Abortion

Abortion Facts and Figures

• The total number of abortions was 198,500, compared with 193,700 in 2006, a rise of 2.5%
• At least one third of British women will have had an abortion by the time they are 45
• The abortion rate was highest at 36 per 1,000, for women age 19
• The under-16 abortion rate was 4.4 and the under-18 rate was 19.8 per 1,000 women, both higher than in 2006
• 89% of abortions were funded by the NHS; of these, just over half (57%) took place in the independent sector (like the Calthorpe Clinic) under NHS contract
• 90% of abortions were carried out at under 13 weeks’ gestation; 70% were at under 10 weeks
• Medical abortions accounted for 35% of the total (up 5% from 2006)
• Before the 7^th week of pregnancy medical abortion is more successful than surgical abortion.*

Complications

• Abortions in the UK performed in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy carry a small risk of failure to end the pregnancy, affecting between 0.23% and 1.4%
• Infection after an abortion occurs in up to 10% of all cases.*

• Excessive bleeding happens in around 1 in every 1000 abortions
• In 1 in every 100 abortions the womb is not completely emptied of its contents and the woman may need further treatment*