Collection

Abortion statistics in England and Wales

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

Published 11 July 2013
Last updated 13 June 2019 — see all updates

• From: Department of Health and Social Care

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:

• information on who uses abortion statistics and how they use them
• a guide for academic researchers who want to use abortion statistics
• information on the codes used in processing information from the HSA4 forms

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

1. Abortion statistics for England and Wales: 2019
   • 22 July 2020
   • National Statistics
2. Abortion statistics for England and Wales: 2018
   • 5 March 2020
   • National Statistics
3. Abortion statistics for England and Wales: 2017
   • 13 June 2019
   • National Statistics
4. Abortion statistics for England and Wales: 2016
   • 13 October 2017
   • National Statistics
5. Abortion statistics for England and Wales: 2015
   • 1 June 2016
   • National Statistics
6. Abortion statistics, England and Wales: 2015
   • 1 June 2016
   • Statistical data set
7. Report on abortion statistics in England and Wales for 2014
   • 9 June 2015
   • National Statistics
8. Abortion statistics, England and Wales: 2014
   • 9 June 2015
   • Statistical data set
9. Reporting of abortions with fetal abnormalities 2013
   • 9 June 2015
   • Research and analysis
10. Abortion notification forms for England and Wales
    • 3 July 2020
    • Form
11. Report on abortion statistics in England and Wales for 2013
    • 12 June 2014
    • National Statistics
12. Abortion statistics, England and Wales: 2013
    • 12 June 2014
    • Statistical data set
13. Report on abortion statistics in England and Wales for 2012
    • 11 July 2013
    • National Statistics
14. Abortion statistics, England and Wales: 2012
    • 11 July 2013
    • Statistical data set
15. Report on abortion statistics in England and Wales for 2011
    • 29 May 2012
    • National Statistics
16. Abortion statistics, England and Wales: 2011
    • 29 May 2012
    • Statistical data set

Published 11 July 2013
Last updated 13 June 2019 + show all updates

1. 13 June 2019

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

2. 7 June 2018

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

3. 12 June 2017

   Added 2016 abortion statistics.

4. 11 July 2013

   First published.