Historical abortion statistics, United Kingdom

Abortion statistics and other data--Johnston`s Archive

Historical abortion statistics, United Kingdom

compiled by Wm. Robert Johnston
last updated 3 July 2022

Definition of table data (see notes after table for additional information):

Live births.
Abortions, reported includes legal reported induced abortions.
Abortions (AWR) are combined reported and estimated abortion occurrences from the Abortion Worldwide Report and working papers.
Abortions, residents, in country only includes reported abortions obtained within the country by residents only.
Abortions, residents, obtained abroad includes reported abortions by country residents obtained in other countries.
Abortions, residents, total includes reported abortions by residents, obtained both within the country and abroad.
Fetal deaths generally includes fetal deaths or stillbirths of at least 20 weeks` gestation.
Miscarriages generally includes spontaneous fetal losses/ abortions, fetal deaths, or stillbirths, regardless of gestation period.
Abortion ratio is abortions per 1000 live births.
Abortion % is abortions as percentage of pregnancies (excluding fetal deaths/miscarriages).
Abortion rate, residents is abortions by residency per 1000 women of childbearing age.
Abortion rate, occurrences (AWR) is abortion occurrences from Abortion Worldwide Report figures per 1000 women ages 15-39.

United Kingdom regional level data also available here.

year	live births	abortions, reported	abortions (AWR)	abortions, residents, in country only	abortions, residents, obtained abroad	abortions, residents, total	abortions, occurrences by non-residents	abortions, illegal	fetal deaths	abortion ratio		abortion %		abortion rate, residents	abortion rate, occurences (AWR)
year	live births	abortions, reported	abortions (AWR)	abortions, residents, in country only	abortions, residents, obtained abroad	abortions, residents, total	abortions, occurrences by non-residents	abortions, illegal	fetal deaths	residents, in/out of country	all in country	residents, in/out of country	all in country	abortion rate, residents	abortion rate, occurences (AWR)
1930			80					80
1931			80					80
1932			80					80
1933			80					80
1934			80					80
1935			160					160
1936			160					160
1937			160					160
1938			160					160
1939			160					160
1940			110					110
1941			171					171
1942			344					344
1943			461					461
1944			649					649
1945			464					464
1946			220					220
1947			220					220
1948	905,182		220					220
1949	855,298		220					220
1950	818,421		240					240
1951	796,645		240					240
1952	792,917		240					240
1953	804,269		240					240
1954	794,769		240					240
1955	789,315		160					160
1956	825,137		160					160
1957	851,466		160					160
1958	870,497	13,730	13,730	(1,570)		1,570		160		1.8	15.8	0.18	1.55
1959	878,561	14,060	14,060	(1,880)		1,880		160		2.1	16.0	0.21	1.58
1960	918,286	14,000	14,000	(2,040)		2,040		30	18,800	2.2	15.2	0.22	1.50
1961	944,365	14,300	14,300	(14,300)		14,300		23		15.1	15.1	1.49	1.49
1962	975,635	16,800	16,800	(16,800)		16,800		29		17.2	17.2	1.69	1.69
1963	990,160	16,600	16,600	(16,600)		16,600		21		16.8	16.8	1.65	1.65
1964	1,014,672	18,300	18,300	(18,300)		18,300		24		18.0	18.0	1.77	1.77
1965	997,275	19,500	19,500	(19,500)		19,500		21	16,300	19.6	19.6	1.92	1.92
1966	979,587	21,400	21,400	(21,400)		21,400		30		21.8	21.8	2.14	2.14
1967	961,800	27,200	27,200	(27,200)		27,200				28.3	28.3	2.75	2.75
1968	947,231	25,195	25,207	23,991		23,991	1,187	22		25.3	26.6	2.47	2.59
1969	920,256	58,375	58,632	53,643		53,643	4,707	257		58.3	63.4	5.51	5.96
1970	903,907	91,900	92,013	81,600		81,600	10,294	212	12,000	90.3	101.7	8.28	9.23
1971	901,648	133,110	133,190	102,047		102,047	31,035	80	11,516	113.2	147.6	10.17	12.86
1972	833,984	167,493	167,555	117,758		117,758	49,712	62	10,286	141.2	200.8	12.37	16.72
1973	779,545	174,691	174,727	120,160		120,160	54,510	36	9,198	154.1	224.1	13.36	18.31
1974	737,138	170,508	170,508	119,123		119,123	51,378		8,399	161.6	231.3	13.91	18.79
1975	697,518	147,029	147,029	115,678		115,678	31,313		7,400	165.8	210.8	14.23	17.41
1976	675,526	136,892	136,892	111,118		111,118	25,669		6,616	164.5	202.6	14.13	16.85
1977	655,439	140,338	140,338	111,935		111,935	28,246		6,268	170.8	214.1	14.59	17.64
1978	686,897	149,100	149,009	121,484		121,484	27,425		5,875	176.9	217.1	15.03	17.83
1979	734,544	157,530	157,530	130,755		130,755	26,689		5,846	178.0	214.5	15.11	17.66
1980	753,267	168,808	168,808	139,548		139,548	29,232		5,502	185.3	224.1	15.63	18.31
1981	730,712	171,487	171,487	139,999		139,999	31,460		4,883	191.6	234.7	16.08	19.01
1982	718,999	171,470	171,470	139,354		139,354	32,084		4,512	193.8	238.5	16.24	19.26
1983	721,238	170,620	170,620	138,081		138,081	32,526		4,214	191.4	236.6	16.07	19.13
1984	729,401	179,148	179,148	147,840		147,840	31,294		4,183	202.7	245.6	16.85	19.72
1985	750,520	181,062	181,062	152,640		152,640	28,407		4,189	203.4	241.2	16.90	19.44
1986	754,805	181,914	181,914	159,705		159,705	22,192		4,059	211.6	241.0	17.46	19.42
1987	775,405	183,736	183,736	168,128		168,128	15,597		3,932	216.8	237.0	17.82	19.16
1988	787,303	193,926	193,926	181,075		181,075	12,834		3,876	230.0	246.3	18.70	19.76
1989	777,036	194,183	194,183	183,258		183,258	10,907		3,688	235.8	249.9	19.08	19.99
1990	798,364	197,131	197,131	186,737		186,737	10,373		3,720	233.9	246.9	18.96	19.80		19.15
1991	792,269	190,590	190,590	180,909		180,909	9,659		3,746	228.3	240.6	18.59	19.39		18.46
1992	780,799	182,887	182,887	173,659		173,659	9,201		3,424	222.4	234.2	18.19	18.98		17.79
1993	761,526	179,790	179,790	170,975		170,975	8,798		4,392	224.5	236.1	18.34	19.10		17.57
1994	750,480	178,268	178,268	169,951		169,951	8,296		4,347	226.5	237.5	18.46	19.19		17.45
1995	731,882	174,781	174,781	167,285		167,285	7,484		4,141	228.6	238.8	18.60	19.28		17.09
1996	733,163	189,558	189,558	181,860		181,860	7,677		4,073	248.0	258.5	19.87	20.54		18.54
1997	725,620	191,934	191,934	184,205		184,205	7,707		3,889	253.9	264.5	20.25	20.92		18.82
1998	716,888	199,958	199,958	192,358		192,358	7,573		3,890	268.3	278.9	21.16	21.81		19.67
1999	699,976	195,501	195,501	187,702		187,702	7,776		3,723	268.2	279.3	21.15	21.83		19.27
2000	679,029	197,443	197,443	189,462		189,462	7,960		3,594	279.0	290.8	21.82	22.53		19.49
2001	669,123	198,478	198,478	190,462		190,462	7,996		3,572	284.6	296.6	22.16	22.88		19.63
2002	668,777	197,322	197,322	189,567		189,567	7,725		3,772	283.5	295.0	22.09	22.78		19.58
2003	689,867	203,032	203,032	195,599		195,599	7,394		3,989	283.5	294.3	22.09	22.74		20.21
2004	715,996	207,040	207,040	199,851		199,851	7,148		3,962	279.1	289.2	21.82	22.43		20.62
2005	722,549	207,097	207,097	200,594		200,594	6,463		3,864	277.6	286.6	21.73	22.28		20.62
2006	748,563	214,431	214,431	208,616		208,616	5,779		3,987	278.7	286.5	21.79	22.27		21.34
2007	772,245	219,454	219,454	214,030		214,030	5,379		4,027	277.2	284.2	21.70	22.13		21.82
2008	794,383	216,133	216,133	210,705		210,705	5,392		4,057	265.2	272.1	20.96	21.39		21.51
2009	790,204	208,930	208,930	203,648		203,648	5,244		4,124	257.7	264.4	20.49	20.91		20.84
2010	807,271	209,132	209,132	203,932		203,932	5,180		4,110	252.6	259.1	20.17	20.58		20.90
2011	807,776	208,678	208,678	203,741		203,741	4,911		4,201	252.2	258.3	20.14	20.53		20.90
2012	812,970	203,595	203,595	198,827		198,827	4,733		3,938	244.6	250.4	19.65	20.03		20.25
2013	782,089	202,786	202,786	198,273		198,273	4,485			253.5	259.3	20.22	20.59		20.07
2014	776,352	201,896	201,896	197,359		197,359	4,522		3,563	254.2	260.1	20.27	20.64		19.81
2015	777,167	203,183	203,183	198,984		198,984	4,183		3,434	256.0	261.4	20.38	20.73		19.74
2016	774,841	202,551	202,551	198,640		198,640	3,905		3,377	256.4	261.4	20.41	20.72		19.52
2017	754,754	210,091	210,091	206,497		206,497	3,580		3,157	273.6	278.4	21.48	21.77		20.10
2018	731,217	218,661	218,661	215,186		215,186	3,463		2,926	294.3	299.0	22.74	23.02		20.75
2019	712,550	223,151	223,151	222,195	67	222,262	942			311.9	313.2	23.78	23.85		20.99
2020	683,180	224,819	224,819	224,365	36	224,401	449			328.5	329.1	24.73	24.76		20.98
2021		228,627	228,627	228,317		228,317	302								21.20
year	live births	abortions, reported	abortions (AWR)	abortions, residents, in country only	abortions, residents, obtained abroad	abortions, residents, total	abortions, occurrences by non-residents	abortions, illegal	fetal deaths	abortion ratio		abortion %		abortion rate, residents	abortion rate, occurences (AWR)
year	live births	abortions, reported	abortions (AWR)	abortions, residents, in country only	abortions, residents, obtained abroad	abortions, residents, total	abortions, occurrences by non-residents	abortions, illegal	fetal deaths	residents, in/out of country	all in country	residents, in/out of country	all in country	abortion rate, residents	abortion rate, occurences (AWR)

Notes:

Parenthetical figures are estimates, some of which are derived from reported data.
Abortion ratios, percentages, and rates may be based on a mix of data from different sources and thus may not represent a consistent time series.

Sources:

Brookes, Barbara, 1988, Abortion in England 1900-1967, Croom Helm (London, UK).
Callahan, Daniel, 1970, Abortion: Law, Choice and Morality, Macmillan Co. (New York, NY).
Council of Europe, 2004, "United Kingdom, Table 2: Births, deaths and legal abortions," in Recent Demographic Developments in Europe: Demographic Yearbook 2003, on line at COE [http://www.coe.int/t/e/social_cohesion/population/UKTAB2.xls].
Department of Health, 27 July 2005, "Abortion Statistics: Legal abortions carried out under the 1967 Abortion Act in England and Wales, 2004," Department of Health, on line [http://www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/11/75/74/04117574.pdf].
Department of Health, 30 Oct. 2003, "Abortion Statistics: Legal abortions carried out under the 1967 Abortion Act in England and Wales, 2002," Department of Health, on line [http://www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/08/00/59/04080059.PDF].
Department of Health, 4 July 2006, "Abortion Statistics: Legal abortions carried out under the 1967 Abortion Act in England and Wales, 2005," Department of Health, on line [http://www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/13/68/59/04136859.pdf].
Department of Health, Aug. 2004, "Abortion Statistics: Legal abortions carried out under the 1967 Abortion Act in England and Wales, 2003," Department of Health, on line [http://www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/11/66/26/04116626.pdf].
Department of Health, 2013, "Abortion Statistics, England and Wales: 2012," Gov.UK, on line [https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/211790/2012_Abortion_Statistics.pdf].
Johnston, Wm. Robert, July 2014, "United Kingdom abortions by area," working paper, see "United Kingdom abortions by region," Johnston's Archive, on line [http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/policy/abortion/index.html#UK].
Office for National Statistics, 1992, "Abortion Statistics: Legal abortions carried out under the 1967 Abortion Act in England and Wales, 1991," National Statistics, on line [http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_health/AB18_1991/ab18_1991.pdf].
Office for National Statistics, 1993, "Abortion Statistics: Legal abortions carried out under the 1967 Abortion Act in England and Wales, 1992," National Statistics, on line [http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_health/AB19_1992/ab19_1992.pdf].
Office for National Statistics, 1994, "Abortion Statistics: Legal abortions carried out under the 1967 Abortion Act in England and Wales, 1993," National Statistics, on line [http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_health/AB20_1993/ab20_1993.pdf].
Office for National Statistics, 1995, "Abortion Statistics: Legal abortions carried out under the 1967 Abortion Act in England and Wales, 1994," National Statistics, on line [http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_health/AB21_1994/ab21_1994.pdf].
Office for National Statistics, 1996, "Abortion Statistics: Legal abortions carried out under the 1967 Abortion Act in England and Wales, 1995," National Statistics, on line [http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_health/AB22_1995/ab22_1995.pdf].
Office for National Statistics, 1997, "Abortion Statistics: Legal abortions carried out under the 1967 Abortion Act in England and Wales, 1996," National Statistics, on line [http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_health/AB23_1996/ab23_1996.pdf].
Office for National Statistics, 1998, "Abortion Statistics: Legal abortions carried out under the 1967 Abortion Act in England and Wales, 1997," National Statistics, on line [http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_health/AB24_1997/ab24_1997.pdf].
Office for National Statistics, 1999, "Abortion Statistics: Legal abortions carried out under the 1967 Abortion Act in England and Wales, 1998," National Statistics, on line [http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_health/AB25_1998/ab25_1998.pdf].
Office for National Statistics, 2000, "Abortion Statistics: Legal abortions carried out under the 1967 Abortion Act in England and Wales, 1999," National Statistics, on line [http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_health/AB26_1999/ab26_1999.pdf].
Office for National Statistics, 2001, "Abortion Statistics: Legal abortions carried out under the 1967 Abortion Act in England and Wales, 2000," National Statistics, on line [http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_health/AB27/AB_No27_V1.pdf].
Office for National Statistics, 2002, "Abortion Statistics: Legal abortions carried out under the 1967 Abortion Act in England and Wales, 2001," National Statistics, on line [http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_health/AB28_2001/AB28_2001.pdf].
Potts, Malcolm, Peter Diggory, and John Peel, 1977, Abortion, Cambridge Univ. Press (Cambridge, UK).
Tietze, Christopher, ed., 1981, Induced Abortion: A World Review 1981, Population Council (New York, NY).
U.K. Parliament, 2 April 1978, "Abortion," HANSARD 1803-2005, on line [http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/written_answers/1978/apr/21/abortion#S5CV0948P0-06970].
U.K. Parliament, 30 Nov. 1987, "Abortion," HANSARD 1803-2005, on line [http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/written_answers/1987/nov/30/abortion].
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2000, "Table 5. Live births by age of mother, sex and urban/rural residence: 1948-1997," in United Nations Demographic Yearbook 1948-1997: Historical Supplement, United Nations (New York, NY), on line at United Nations Statistics Division [http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/DYBHist/HistTab05.pdf].
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2005, "Table 13. Legally induced abortions: 1994-2003," in United Nations Demographic Yearbook 2003, United Nations (New York, NY), on line at United Nations Statistics Division [http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/DYB2003/Table13.pdf].
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2006, "Table 13. Legally induced abortions: 1995-2004," in United Nations Demographic Yearbook 2004, United Nations (New York, NY), on line at United Nations Statistics Division [http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/DYB2004/Table13.pdf].
World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, Aug. 2012, "European health for all database (HFA-DB)," World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, on line [http://data.euro.who.int/hfadb/].
World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, July 2013, "European health for all database (HFA-DB)," World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, on line [http://data.euro.who.int/hfadb/].
Statistics Estonia, 2014, "Number of live births," Statistics Estonia, on line [http://www.stat.ee/29946].
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2014, "Table 12. Late foetal deaths and late foetal death ratios, by urban/rural residence: 2009-2013," in United Nations Demographic Yearbook 2013, United Nations (New York, NY), on line at United Nations Statistics Division [http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/dyb2013/Table12.pdf].
Johnston, Wm. Robert, Sept. 2014, "United Kingdom abortions by area," working paper, see "United Kingdom abortions by region," Johnston's Archive, on line [http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/policy/abortion/index.html#UK].
Department of Health, June 2015, "Abortion Statistics, England and Wales: 2014, complete tables," Gov.UK, on line [https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/433457/2014_complete_tables.xlsx].
Department of Health, June 2015, "Abortion Statistics, England and Wales: 2014," Gov.UK, on line [https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/433437/2014_Commentary__5_.pdf].
Johnston, Wm. Robert, April 2016, "United Kingdom abortions by area," working paper, see "United Kingdom abortions by region," Johnston's Archive, on line [http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/policy/abortion/index.html#UK].

© 2000-2021, 2022 by Wm. Robert Johnston.
Last modified 3 July 2022.
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