Abortion time limits
A briefing paper from the BMA
May 2005
England and Wales
Table 7 Number of abortions for residents of England and Wales by age of woman 1994-2003
| Under 15 |
15 | 16-19 | 20-24 | 25-29 | 30-34 | 35-39 | 40-44 | 45 and over |
|
| 1994 | 1,080 | 2,166 | 25,223 | 44,871 | 38,081 | 25,507 | 14,156 | 5,008 | 440 |
| 1995 | 946 | 2,324 | 24,945 | 43,394 | 37,254 | 25,759 | 14,352 | 4,868 | 457 |
| 1996 | 1,098 | 2,547 | 28,790 | 46,356 | 39,311 | 28,228 | 16,118 | 5,027 | 428 |
| 1997 | 1,020 | 2,414 | 29,947 | 44,960 | 40,159 | 28,892 | 16,858 | 5,413 | 482 |
| 1998 | 1,103 | 2,656 | 33,236 | 45,766 | 40,366 | 30,449 | 18,174 | 5,576 | 511 |
| 1999 | 1,066 | 2,537 | 32,807 | 45,004 | 38,492 | 29,139 | 18,341 | 5,755 | 502 |
| 2000 | 1,048 | 2,700 | 33,218 | 47,099 | 37,852 | 28,735 | 18,589 | 5,794 | 459 |
| 2001 | 1,066 | 2,592 | 33,431 | 48,267 | 36,506 | 28,782 | 19,146 | 6,094 | 456 |
| 2002 | 1,075 | 2,658 | 32,985 | 48,359 | 35,795 | 28,503 | 19,450 | 6,531 | 457 |
| 2003 | 1,171 | 2,796 | 34,247 | 51,124 | 36,018 | 28,749 | 19,868 | 7,032 | 500 |
Fig. 7a
Fig. 7b As percent of total
Table 8 Number of abortions for residents of England and Wales by legal grounds for termination 1994-2003
| A alone or with B, C or D | B alone or with C or D | C alone | D alone or with C | E alone or with A, B, C or D | F or G | |
| 1994 | 146 | 3,194 | 137,029 | 14,373 | 1,796 | 1 |
| 1995 | 126 | 2,387 | 136,928 | 13,051 | 1,823 | 0 |
| 1996 | 128 | 2,443 | 151,550 | 11,863 | 1,929 | 3 |
| 1997 | 117 | 1,981 | 155,164 | 11,026 | 1,853 | 4 |
| 1998 | 106 | 2,030 | 162,701 | 11,202 | 1,830 | 2 |
| 1999 | 94 | 1,836 | 159,444 | 10,513 | 1,813 | 1 |
| 2000 | 134 | 1,644 | 162,358 | 9,570 | 1,833 | 3 |
| 2001 | 61 | 1,572 | 164,306 | 8,703 | 1,722 | 0 |
| 2002 | 116 | 1,769 | 165,063 | 7,089 | 1,894 | 1 |
| 2003 | 137 | 2,218 | 171,039 | 6,247 | 1,941 | 0 |
B the termination is necessary to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman (no time limit)
C the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated, of injury to the physical or mental health of the woman (24 weeks)
D the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated, of injury to the physical or mental health of any existing children of the family of the woman (24 weeks)
E there is a substantial risk that the child would suffer from such physical and mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped (no limit)
F or G in an emergency situation to save the life of the pregnant woman or to prevent grave permanent injury to her physical or mental health.
Fig. 8a As percent of whole
Scotland
Table 9 Number of abortions performed in Scotland, by age of woman, 1994-2003
| Under 16 | 16-19 | 20-24 | 25-29 | 30-34 | 35-39 | 40+ | |
| 1994 | 293 | 2,312 | 3,486 | 2,431 | 1,648 | 877 | 345 |
| 1995 | 312 | 2,169 | 3,399 | 2,438 | 1,609 | 887 | 329 |
| 1996 | 323 | 2,362 | 3,571 | 2,603 | 1,801 | 960 | 358 |
| 1997 | 289 | 2,431 | 3,444 | 2,651 | 1,854 | 1,093 | 347 |
| 1998 | 286 | 2,707 | 3,426 | 2,749 | 1,807 | 1,149 | 361 |
| 1999 | 251 | 2,635 | 3,354 | 2,554 | 1,810 | 1,180 | 384 |
| 2000 | 274 | 2,610 | 3,355 | 2,403 | 1,769 | 1,177 | 409 |
| 2001 | 276 | 2,722 | 3,462 | 2,322 | 1,818 | 1,127 | 401 |
| 2002 | 271 | 2,633 | 3,419 | 2,157 | 1,728 | 1,156 | 407 |
| 2003p | 313 | 2,772 | 3,654 | 2,223 | 1,712 | 1,107 | 436 |
p = provisional
Fig. 9a
Fig. 9b As percent of total
Table 10 Number of abortions performed in Scotland, by legal grounds for termination, 1994-2003
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | |
| 1994 | 6 | 41 | 10,862 | 538 | 142 | 0 | 0 |
| 1995 | 7 | 35 | 10,840 | 580 | 139 | 0 | 1 |
| 1996 | 4 | 38 | 11,713 | 171 | 166 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 | 10 | 27 | 11,868 | 148 | 148 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 | 7 | 26 | 12,245 | 165 | 169 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 | 8 | 20 | 11,936 | 133 | 146 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 | 5 | 70 | 11,671 | 139 | 154 | 2 | 0 |
| 2001 | 6 | 14 | 11,868 | 126 | 141 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | 3 | 30 | 11,370 | 240 | 144 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003p | 4 | 13 | 11,745 | 293 | 172 | 0 | 0 |
As some notifications record more than one Statutory Ground, the numbers of Grounds exceed the total number of abortions.
p Provisional
A the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk to the life of the pregnant woman greater than if the pregnancy were terminated (no time limit)
B the termination is necessary to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman (no time limit)
C the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated, of injury to the physical or mental health of the woman (24 weeks)
D the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated, of injury to the physical or mental health of any existing children of the family of the woman (24 weeks)
E there is a substantial risk that the child would suffer from such physical and mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped (no limit)
F or G in an emergency situation to save the life of the pregnant woman or to prevent grave permanent injury to her physical or mental health.
Fig. 10 As percent of total
