More than 1,000 NI women had abortions in GB in 2018

Statistics published by the Department of Health at Stormont today show that the number has increased significantly since 2017.

In June 2017, the UK government announced it would fund abortions for Northern Ireland residents.

In 2016, when Northern Ireland women were still required to fund abortions in England and Wales privately, 724 travelled for an abortion.

In 2017, there were 443 privately funded abortons for Northern Ireland women and, 418 funded by the NHS after June 29 – a total of 861.

The following year, in 2018, the total had risen to 1,023 with the overwhelming majority – 978 – funded by the NHS.

Pro-life campaigner Bernadette Smyth, of pressure group Precious Life, said the rise in the number of Northern Ireland women seeking abortion demonstrates the need for more to be done to offer women alternatives to abortion.

Pro-choice campaigner Grainne Teggart, of human rights group Amnesty International, said the figure shows why a recent change in the law to make abortions permissible in Northern Ireland is necessary.

Mrs Smyth said: “Society in Northern Ireland is failing women in a crisis situation when all we can offer them is the death of their unborn child.

“We believe women deserve better than abortion. They deserve better resource centres and better care and support to help them in crisis pregnancies. We want to increase that provision so that no woman feels that abortion is her only option.”

She added: “When something is made more freely available, as was the case in 2017 when the British government made abortion free and easier for women in Northern Ireland, then of course we now see more abortions.”

Ms Teggart said: “This demonstrates just how necessary our new law is. Soon, those who need a termination will have their choices treated with dignity and respect at home.”

Legislation passed by MPs at Westminster decriminalised abortion in Northern Ireland in October. The UK government is now set to put a legal framework in place for abortion services before April.

Ms Teggart added: “All eyes are now on the Northern Ireland secretary of state to ensure regulations and a swift transition to services that respect rights, choice and are fully accessible.”

Meanwhile, the number of terminations of pregnancy carried out in Northern Ireland has declined, the figures show.

In the 2018/19 financial year, there were eight terminations recorded by the Department of Health. The year before, the figure was 12 and 10 years ago, in 2008/09, there were 44.

The most recent figure, for 2018/19, is the lowest since 2007/08.

Termination of pregnancy is defined by the Department of Health in Northern Ireland as “any patient who has a live pregnancy terminated for indications that are legally acceptable and medically approved”.