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May 23, 2024 · The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has published abortion statistics annually since 2002. These are available in the Abortion statistics for England and Wales collection.
- Introduction
- Data Quality
- Statistical Methods Used in This Publication
- Further Information
This report is a supplementary document to the main commentary section of the Abortion Statistics publication which presents statistics on abortions carried out in England and Wales in 2020. This document provides more detail on those statistics and is intended to give the legal context as well as a technical guide to the concepts and methodology u...
2.1 Validation
DHSC uses a thorough process for inspecting and recording the information received on the HSA4 forms in order to monitor compliance with the legislation and the extent to which best practice guidance from DHSC is followed. Selected forms are scrutinised by a medical practitioner who may request further detail from the patient's medical record via the terminating doctor. Further details of the checks that are made on the data are available on the GOV.UK web site.
2.2 Data collection
Not all the information collected on form HSA4 is necessary for statistical purposes and some of the information that is used to monitor the Abortion Act is not stored electronically other than on scanned images of the forms. The scanned images of the forms are part of the system for processing the forms and they are kept for a minimum of three years. There is an example HSA4form on GOV.UK which outlines what information is collected, The following information is not stored in the statistical...
2.3 Derived fields
Some of the data used in the tables are derived variables. More detail about these calculations is shown below: 1. reported Date of Termination is from the date of the surgical treatment or, for medical abortions, the date of misoprostol or other medical agent. If a feticide is used, this date takes priority. Under the temporary approval of both medications at home for early medical abortions the date misoprostol had been supplied is used 2. age at Termination is taken from Reported Date of T...
3.1 Population estimates used for rates of abortion
Abortion rates are calculated using the conventional age range for women in their child-bearing years, 15 to 44. Abortion rates per 1,000 women for 2020 at a national level and at CCGlevel were calculated using the mid-2019 population estimates for England, Wales, England and Wales, Clinical Commissioning Groups and Locality Office, as published at 24th June 2020. Rates for earlier years were calculated using the latest population estimates available at the time the relevant annual reports we...
3.2 Deriving age standardised rates of abortion
Age standardised rates allow comparison between populations which may contain different proportions of people of different ages. The European Standard Population (ESP) is a widely used artificial population structure for the calculation of directly age standardised rates. The replacement of the ESP first used in 1976 with an updated version published in 2013 means that figures using the 1976 and 2013 ESPs are not comparable. Information about this change in methods can be found on the ONS web...
3.3 Confidence intervals
The figures recorded in this report are the outcome of a stochastic process – that is, they are influenced by chance or random processes such as fertilisation. Each recorded figure is only one of a range of results that could have occurred under the same circumstances if those random processes had led to different outcomes. It is often the underlying circumstances or process that is of interest and the actual value observed gives only an imprecise estimate of this 'underlying risk'. For examp...
4.1 Enquiries
Enquiries about the data or requests for further information should be addressed to: Email: abortion.statistics@dhsc.gov.uk Extracts from this publication may be reproduced provided a reference to the source is given.
4.2 Useful links
This bulletin for 2020, and previous bulletins for 2011-2019 can be found on the GOV.UK website Previous bulletins for 2002 to 2011, can be found on the DHSC website. Data for 1991 to 2001 can be sent by email on request. Information about previous disclosure control protocol published on 9 June 2015 Information on abortions carried out in Scotland Information about the release of abortion statistics in Scotland Facts and figures about abortion in the European Region Information on the incide...
Jun 10, 2021 · This report sets out and comments on abortion statistics in England and Wales for 2020 and provides an update to the abortion statistics during the coronavirus pandemic: January to June...
In 2017 the BMA agreed policy that abortion should be regulated in the same way as other medical treatments. This policy states that abortion: i) should be decriminalised in respect of health professionals administering abortions within the context of their clinical practice;
Apr 28, 2022 · First, supporters believe banning abortion will deter it. Second, they hope bans will send a message about abortion—specifically, that abortion is immoral. And third, they expect bans to be competently implemented and enforced.
Aug 10, 2021 · As a result of the pandemic, the governments in England, Scotland and Wales temporarily relaxed abortion rules in March 2020. This means that, in every part of the UK except for Northern Ireland,...
Apr 16, 2024 · What is the current law on abortion for the UK? Proposals to modernise UK abortion law are expected to be discussed in parliament soon and our extensive research says this would improve the lives of both women and healthcare professionals.
