NI abortion figures rise for third year in a row

The number of abortions in Northern Ireland has risen year-on-year  since the law was dramatically liberalised in 2020.

Latest statistics from the Department of Health show that there were 1,574 abortions in 2020-21, 1,757 in 2021-22, 2,168 in 2022-23, and 2,792 in 2023-24.

In 2019, Westminster forced a liberal abortion regime on the Province, which became law the following year. In 2022, the Secretary of State commissioned an expansion of abortion services across the Province.

‘Shocking’

As in previous years, the vast majority of abortions in 2023/24 were performed prior to 10 weeks’ gestation, the limit at which women can legally take an abortion pill at home.

During the latest reporting period, 25 babies deemed to be “seriously disabled” were aborted. Unborn children diagnosed with conditions such as Down’s syndrome, cleft palate or club foot may be aborted after the 24-week limit that applies in most other cases.

TUV leader Jim Allister described the figures as “deeply troubling”. He said: “They show that the number of abortions being carried out in Northern Ireland increased by a shocking 28.8 per cent since the previous year”.

He added: “In 2020-21 the figure was 1,574 meaning there has been an increase of over 77 per cent when compared with today’s figures.”

Censorship zones

In 2023, Northern Ireland implemented nationwide censorship zones banning prayer and offers of help to pregnant women outside abortion centres.

All five Health and Social Care Trusts have zones criminalising anyone who hands out pro-life literature or speaks to anyone about abortion within a 100-250m radius of an abortion clinic or hospital.