Pro-life campaigners fear that the government roll-out of a new Down's syndrome test will lead to a rise in abortions.

The Don't Screen Us Out group said it was "likely" more babies diagnosed with Down's syndrome will be aborted following the Department of Health's to roll the new prenatal test out across health boards in England. 

The expansion of the 'cell-free DNA' test follows a recent investigation by The Sunday Times which found a 30% drop in the number of babies born with Down's syndrome in NHS hospitals that have piloted the new form of screening.

"When this test is rolled out across the country, we can expect to see this situation replicated elsewhere," said Don't Screen Us Out spokesperson, Lynn Murray.

"Such outcomes are likely to have a profoundly negative impact on the Down's syndrome community."

At present, nine in ten parents of a baby with a Down's syndrome diagnosis choose to abort.

Don't Screen Us Out said it feared the new test would exacerbate the "culture of informally eugenic, anti-disabled discrimination" in prenatal screening. 

The group is calling on the Government to halt the implementation of the new test and instead introduce reforms to support people with Down's syndrome and their families.

It also wants an urgent inquiry into the impact of the new test on the numbers of babies born with Down's syndrome.

"There are still no guidelines to support women who choose to continue their pregnancies after finding that their baby has Down's syndrome," said Ms Murray. 

"We need the right reforms to turn things around and ensure that the tenets of diversity and inclusivity extend to screening conversations in the NHS."