The Scottish government is being urged to increase support for expectant mothers following a record number of abortions.
The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) made the call after analysing the latest figures from Public Health Scotland, which showed a record high of 18,783 abortions in the country last year.
SPUC compared the number with mortality data from National Records of Scotland to argue that if unborn children were included in the figures, abortion would represent the largest single cause of death in the country.
By comparison, the organisation pointed to figures showing that there were 16,486 cancer deaths in Scotland last year, while ischaemic heart disease was responsible for 7,000 deaths and dementia for 6,612.
Michael Robinson, general secretary of SPUC, said: “If we recognise human life from its earliest stages, the statistics reveal a stark reality: abortion is the number one cause of death in Scotland today.”
He said the figures should prompt an “urgent reassessment of our public health priorities and a renewed commitment to protecting vulnerable lives”.
The total number of abortions in Scotland in 2025 was over 55 per cent higher than a decade earlier in 2015, when 12,082 abortions were recorded. In 2019, the last year of data before the pandemic, there were 13,583.
The increase has followed a relaxation of abortion regulations during the pandemic that allowed women to take both abortion pills at home following a telephone or online consultation.
In light of the latest abortion figures, SPUC said the Scottish government should provide “comprehensive support for expectant mothers”, including greater practical and financial assistance.
As part of its ‘5 Asks’ campaign, the organisation is calling for the Scottish Child Payment to be extended to pregnant women. It also wants specific legislation making it a criminal offence to coerce a woman into having an abortion.
The call comes amid continuing debate over Scotland's abortion laws. The Scottish government has been consulting on possible changes to the law, including the decriminalisation of abortion and changes to the existing legal framework governing abortions before and after 24 weeks.
The Free Church of Scotland has raised concerns about the proposals, including decriminalisation, the removal of safeguards before 24 weeks, the potential weakening of the existing 24-week limit, and protections for conscientious objection.
In its response to the consultation, the Church stressed the need for “compassionate support for women facing crisis pregnancies, protection from coercion and abuse, and practical care for those experiencing difficult circumstances”.
