Collection

Abortion statistics in England and Wales

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

Publication of Abortion statistics for England and Wales: 2022

The annual Abortion statistics for England and Wales: 2022 has been provisionally delayed from 22 June 2023 until May 2024. This is due to a backlog in the HSA4 form processing, which the publication is based on.

To ensure statistics and data on abortion in England and Wales are published on a timely basis we published an ad hoc publication covering January to June 2022 on 24 August 2023.

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.

Tell us what you think

We would welcome views on ‘Abortion statistics for England and Wales’. Fill in our feedback form or email us at abortion.statistics@dhsc.gov.uk.  

Feedback received will contribute to future development of these statistics.

Contact the abortion statistics team

Email abortion.statistics@dhsc.gov.uk.

Documents

Published 11 July 2013
Last updated 2 January 2024 + show all updates
  1. Amended the provisional publication date for 'Abortion statistics for England and Wales: 2022' to May 2024.

  2. Updated to add 'Complications from abortions in England, 2017 to 2021' and to extend the delay in publication of 'Abortion Statistics for England and Wales: 2022' to April 2024.

  3. Added 'Abortion statistics: England and Wales, January to June 2022'.

  4. Added announcement on delay of 'Abortion Statistics for England and Wales: 2022'. Added feedback form for views on abortion statistics for England and Wales.

  5. Added abortion statistics for 2021 to collection.

  6. Added abortion statistics for 2020 to collection.

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

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

  9. Added 2016 abortion statistics.

  10. First published.