On Sunday, a sombre milestone was observed – 57 years since the Abortion Act was implemented in the UK in 1968.
In the decades that have followed, abortion procedures have claimed the lives of an estimated 10,741,486 unborn children nationwide.
According to the latest figures, the current abortion rate results in the death of one baby approximately every couple of minutes – equating to 31 lives terminated each hour.
New data shows that abortion numbers are at peak levels.
In England and Wales, 252,122 abortions were recorded in 2022, the highest figure to date.
Scotland also documented 18,207 terminations in 2023, while Northern Ireland saw a 23.53% rise in abortions, reaching 2,168 cases by the end of March 2023.
The tremendous surge in abortion rates in England and Wales has coincided with the commencement of ‘DIY’ home abortion services, launched in March 2020.
These services have been associated with a range of concerning issues since their implementation.
Official statistics from the Department of Health and Social Care confirm that abortions in England and Wales rose by 37,253 in 2022 compared to 2021. This represents the largest annual increase on record.
Catherine Robinson, spokesperson for Right To Life UK, expressed concern over the trends, stating: “The UK’s abortion law is failing both women and unborn babies. It is a national tragedy that 10,741,486 lives have been lost since the 1967 Abortion Act came into effect, each one a unique and valuable human being who was denied the right to life.
“Every one of these abortions represents a collective failure of our society to protect the lives of babies in the womb and a failure to offer full support to women with unplanned pregnancies.”
Public opinion also appears to lean toward greater protections for unborn babies and enhanced assistance for mothers navigating unplanned pregnancies.
Surveys show that only 1% of the public support making abortion available until the point of delivery, while 70% of women favour decreasing the abortion time limit to 20 weeks’ gestation.
Robinson urged people to mark this anniversary not only with reflection but with action: “While we may pause to commemorate this tragedy, this day also serves as a call to action for people around the country to renew their efforts to do everything they can to help ensure more lives are saved from abortion in the future.”
She encouraged citizens to contact MPs to advocate for stronger protections for unborn children, volunteer at pregnancy support centres, and participate in broader pro-life initiatives: “By being proactive and taking action, every single one of us can be part of building a pro-life nation where we protect and defend the right to life of every human being from conception to natural death.”
