Abortions for cleft lip or palate have accelerated in recent years, Government statistics show.
Figures show that over half of these abortions in the last 15 years have taken place between 2013 and 2016.
It is currently legal in Great Britain to abort children up to birth if it is believed that the baby will be born with a disability, which can include cleft lip or palate.
Rise
In a parliamentary written answer, Health Minister Jackie Doyle-Price revealed that 39 legal abortions for cleft lip and palate took place between 2013 and 2016.
Between 2002 and 2012, 38 cleft lip or palate abortions were carried out, including one that was recorded as taking place at 24 weeks or later.
Doyle-Price was responding to a question from DUP MP Jim Shannon.
‘Crime of being disabled’
Earlier this year, disabled Peer Lord Shinkwin hit out at Britain’s abortion laws, which he described as a “licence to kill for the crime of being disabled”.
He said: “I ask what message it sends if, after birth, I’m good enough for the House of Lords but, before birth, I’m only good enough for the incinerator.”
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the 1967 Abortion Act.
Writing about the ‘shameful’ anniversary, Dr Sharon James, The Christian Institute’s Social Policy Analyst, pointed out that there have been almost 9 million abortionsin Britain since the Act was passed.
Choose life
Colin and EJ Harwood refused abortion for their daughter Shalome.
Shalome has alobar holoprosencephaly, a rare condition which hampers brain development.
The Harwoods spoke to The Christian Institute for our Choose Life series.