England & Wales

• 1967: abortion is allowed (Abortion Act dated 17 October)
• 1990: Human Fertilization and Embryology Act (24 April)
• 2022: The temporary measures, put in place in March 2020 to allow women in Wales to take both abortion medications at home, were made permanent from 24 February 2022.
• 2022: On 30 March 2022, Parliament voted in favour of an amendment to the Health and Care Bill, making the temporary approval allowing home use of both pills for early medical abortions permanent in England and Wales. These provisions will supersede the arrangements made permanent in Wales in February 2022.

Source: IPPF European Network - Updated January 2012 (http://www.ippfen.org/), Department of Health (http://www.dh.gov.uk/), https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/abortion-statistics-for-england-and-wales-2021/abortion-statistics-england-and-wales-2021#key-points-in-2021

Source: IPPF European Network - Updated January 2012 (http://www.ippfen.org/), Department of Health (http://www.dh.gov.uk/)

Legal conditions

• Two registered medical practitioners must certify that the required medical grounds have been met.

Source:

• IPPF European Network – http://www.ippfen.org/
• Department of Health – http://www.dh.gov.uk/

Source: IPPF European Network - Updated January 2012 (https://www.ippfen.org/), Department of Health (http://www.dh.gov.uk/), https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/abortion-statistics-for-england-and-wales-2021/abortion-statistics-england-and-wales-2021

Mandatory pre-abortion examinations

• None

Involved healthcare professionals

• Surgical abortion: obstetrician/gynaecologist (OB/GYN) or another physician.
• Medical abortion: OB/GYN, another physician, midwife or nurse under physician supervision.

Source:

Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/abortion-statistics-for-england-and-wales-2021

Residents of England and Wales

In 2021, among women who had induced abortion:

• 99% lived in England or Wales
• 43% had at least 1 previous induced abortion
• 57% had at least 1 child.

Source:

• National statistics, Department of Health (Abortion Statistics, England and Wales: 2021); https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/abortion-statistics-for-england-and-wales-2021/abortion-statistics-england-and-wales-2021

Source: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/bulletins/birthsummarytablesenglandandwales/2021

Women age at first birth

• 30.7 years of age (2020)

Contraception during abortion process

• Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC) prescribed during abortion process is placed in abortion facilities: not always chosen by women and so may go to GP or SRH service after.
• IUDs and implants can be inserted at any interval – limitation is appointment availability and regional variation in policies

Source:

• https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths

Source:

• IPPF European Network – Updated January 2012 (http://www.ippfen.org/)
• Department of Health (http://www.dh.gov.uk/)
• British Pregnancy Advisory Service (https://www.bpas.org/abortion-care/considering-abortion/prices/)