Britain records highest number of abortions in history

The number of abortions in Great Britain has reached a record high in history. Photo: Getty/iStock

Abortions in the United Kingdom have reached a record level – approximately 299 thousand procedures in 2023, reported the UK Department of Health. As Christiantoday writes, this fact has become a reason for public discussion about the boundaries of what is permissible and the protection of unborn life.

According to official statistics, over 278 thousand abortions were performed in England and Wales alone, which is 10.5% more than the previous year. In Scotland, the number of cases was 18.2 thousand, and in Northern Ireland – about 2.6 thousand. Experts noted that such high figures have never been recorded since the adoption of the Abortion Act of 1967.

Representatives of the Both Lives UK movement reported that an average of 760 abortions are performed daily in the country, that is, one every two minutes.

Activists state that a two-year delay in publishing the data has led to "significant information gaps" and warn that the lack of clarity raises concerns about transparency and broader implications for society.

In addition, new statistical data shows that there is an increase in the number of abortions performed for children with disabilities. Overall, 3,205 abortions were performed during the year due to the birth of children with disabilities, which is 2.6% more than in 2022. Ten late-term abortions (24 weeks and more) were related to the birth of children with Down syndrome, and 300 late-term abortions – to the birth of children with other types of disabilities.

Lynn Murray, a public activist, criticized this practice as discriminatory. She emphasized that about 90% of children who are prenatally diagnosed with Down syndrome in England and Wales are subjected to abortion, which raises concerns about the purpose of prenatal screening and current British abortion legislation, which allows termination of pregnancy due to disability.

Public organizations in the United Kingdom are calling for a national discussion about modern legislation, which, according to activists, no longer reflects the views of the majority of citizens. According to polls, more than 60% of women support limiting the terms of pregnancy termination and returning to in-person medical consultations before the procedure.

As the UOJ reported, over 10 thousand Christians took to streets in an anti-abortion march in London. The participants then advocated for preserving traditional family ethics and for special support for women who find themselves in difficult life circumstances.

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