More than 170 women from Northern Ireland travelled to England and Wales for abortion

More than 170 women travelled from Northern Ireland to England and Wales for an abortion in 2022, new figures reveal.

It also marked a slight increase in the number of terminations compared to the previous year.

The statistics, released by the UK government, show there were a total of 172 women travelling to England and Wales for a termination in 2022 - up from 161 in 2021.

But the Office for Health Improvements and Disparities report states that current levels “remain substantially lower than the peak of 1,855 Northern Ireland resident abortions in 1990, and also lower than 10 years ago, in 2012, when there were 905 abortions”.

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The report shows there were 251,377 abortions for women resident in England and Wales carried out in 2022 – an increase of 17% compared to 2021.

It marked the highest number of procedures carried out since the Abortion Act was introduced in England and Wales in 1967.

There were 745 abortions carried out on women who reside in other parts of the UK in 2022 - an increase from 613 in 2021.

Most non-residents came from the Republic (27%), Scotland (24%) and Northern Ireland (23%).

The figures show though that the number is significantly lower than previous years.

In 2018, there were 4,687 abortions, down to 2,135 in 2019, 943 in 2020 and 613 in 2021.

The report states that the decreases may be explained by the Covid-19 pandemic as well as fewer people travelling from both Northern Ireland and the Republic “due to access and legislative changes in their respective countries”.

In October 2019 abortion was decriminalised and became lawful in Northern Ireland.

But pro-choice group, Alliance for Choice, said the figures show individuals who should receive care under UN anti-discrimination recommendations, including six under-16s, still had to travel due to a lack of provision in the north.

It said there is a “high number of people at a very early gestation who had to travel for care, 50 people under nine weeks”.

It added it was “likely due to under resourced services collapsing in some Trusts because of a lack of commissioning”.

Alliance for Choice also said “while services have improved since 2022 we know too many still have to travel, and that the regulations have not been fully implemented over five years on from decriminalisation”.

Danielle Roberts from the group said: “While there has been a significant drop in the numbers travelling since the law changed, anyone having to travel for care that should be locally available is too many.

“Thanks to conscientious providers hundreds of women and pregnant people have been able to access care, but the regulations are not fully implemented with only limited surgical provision.

“Telemedicine, as available elsewhere in these islands, would also address many of the barriers.”