Sixteen lawful abortions in NI last year

There were 16 medical abortions in Northern Ireland in 2016 - the same as the year before - the Department of Health has revealed.

By The Newsroom

Published 25th Jan 2017, 10:40 BST

Updated 25th Jan 2017, 10:43 BST

The Department published the annual figures today.

The statistical bulletin presents information on the number of medical abortions and terminations of pregnancy during 2015/16. It details information on the number of terminations of pregnancy by Health and Social Care Trust, by country of residence and by age band.

The key points were;-

• There were 16 abortions in HSC hospitals during 2015/16. This is the same as the previous year.

• All of the 16 abortions last year were carried out on women normally resident in the north of Ireland.

• During 2015/16 there were nine abortions carried out on women aged 30 years and over, five on women aged 25 to 29, and two on women aged 24 and under.

Unlike the rest of the UK, abortion is only lawful in Northern Ireland where it poses a serious threat to a woman’s health.

Campaigners have repeatedly unsuccessfully tried to have the law relaxed.

Northern Ireland Department of Health