Abortions in Northern Ireland are rising at an ever faster pace year on year, with a “shocking” rise of 28% in the latest figures, the TUV has said.

The number of abortions rose by 11.6% from 2020/21 to 2021/22, by 23.4% to 2022/23, and by 28.8% to 23/24.

According to new Department of Health figures, 92.9% of abortions in 2023-24 were initiated using medication in clinical settings. This means that approximately 2,600 pregnancies at 10 weeks or less were later completed at home. Only 198 were carried out by surgery.

The latest figures cover the period from decriminalisation in March 2020 until March 2024, during which period there have been 8,291 abortions.

placeholder image — The Campaign against RSE organised a parade to the offices of Secretary of State Chris Heaton Harris in Belfast on 2 September 2023 to protest against his imposition of compulsory education on accessing abortion on all post-primary pupils in Northern Ireland.

The number of abortions in Northern Ireland steadily increased in all age groups since it was decriminalised – under 18s, 18-34 and 35 and over.

The only exception was a slight dip in numbers for abortions for women aged over 35 in 2020/21.

The main reason given for abortions has been that the pregnancy has not exceeded 11 weeks and six days. This accounted for 96.2% of abortions in 2021 and has remained between 97-98% since.

Other recognised grounds are risks to the mental or physical health of the mother, likely serious disabilities in the child and the likelihood the child/foetus would die before, during or after birth.

Twenty one abortions have been performed after the age of viability (24 weeks) since decriminalisation, until March 2024.

Liam Gibson, spokesman for the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, said: “No one should be pleased with these statistics no matter where they stand on the abortion issue. Each abortion is the deliberate killing of an innocent child but for many women who undergo an abortion, it is one of the worst experiences of their lives.

“These figures represent a 77% increase in just four years and more than nine out of ten were cases of abortion on demand. Abortions carried out to preserve the life or health of the mother are so exceptionally rare that the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency doesn’t even record them as a separate figure.”

TUV leader Jim Allister said the figures were “deeply troubling”.

He added: “They show that the number of abortions being carried out in Northern Ireland increased by a shocking 28.8% since the previous year, with 2,792 performed in 2023/24 compared with 2,168 in 2022/23. If one goes back further the rise is even more stark. In 2020/21 the figure was 1,574 meaning there has been an increase of over 77% when compared with today’s figures.”

Academic and pro-choice campaigner Goretti Horgan said the sharp rise is reflected in wider UK figures, with the majority of women having abortions for ‘financial reasons’.

“As the number of families struggling to keep a roof over their heads and put food on the table increases, inevitably so do the number seeking abortions,” she said.

Cutting abortions requires ending the two-head cap on child benefit, slashing housing costs and making childcare widely available, she added.