Collection

Abortion statistics in England and Wales

Data sets and publications relating to abortion statistics for England and Wales.

From:
Office for Health Improvement and Disparities and Department of Health and Social Care
Published
11 July 2013
Last updated
21 June 2022 — See all updates

In England and Wales, within the terms of the Abortion Act 1967, only a registered practitioner can terminate a pregnancy. Practitioners carrying out an abortion must complete an abortion notification form (HSA4) and submit it to the Chief Medical Officer.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has a responsibility to monitor the Abortion Act and produce abortion statistics. It has processes in place to check the abortion notification forms and to publish the subsequent data.

Using abortion statistics

With approval from the Chief Medical Officer, the abortion statistics are used for research.

DHSC publishes:

Abortion statistics before 2011

Abortion statistics on this site start at 2011. Statistics for previous years are available on the National Archives website.

Contact the abortion statistics team

Email: abortion.statistics@dhsc.gov.uk

Documents

Published 11 July 2013
Last updated 21 June 2022 + show all updates

  1. Added abortion statistics for 2021 to collection.

  2. Added abortion statistics for 2020 to collection.

  3. Added abortion statistics for 2018 to collection and updated email address for the abortion statistics team to abortion.statistics@dhsc.gov.uk.

  4. Added 'Abortion statistics for England and Wales: 2017' to collection.

  5. Added 2016 abortion statistics.

  6. First published.

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