EGN NEWS DESK
The variety of abortions in Scotland final yr reached a file excessive, prompting requires the “pressing” reinstatement of in-person consultations earlier than each abortion.
New statistics launched by Public Health Scotland confirmed that there have been 18,207 abortions in 2023, a rise of 9.63% on the earlier yr.
The figures additionally confirmed a 29.2% improve since 2022 in abortions amongst women aged 15 and youthful, and a 35% improve in late-term abortions at 21 weeks gestation or later. Over a 3rd of abortions (39.92%) final yr have been repeat abortions.
There was a 4% improve within the variety of abortions of infants with a incapacity, from 274 in 2022 to 285 in 2023. Of these, 49 infants had Down’s syndrome.
Right to Life UK has attributed the will increase to the introduction of at-home abortions in the course of the pandemic, when the regulation was modified to permit each abortion tablets to be taken at residence after an e-consultation.
Spokesperson for Right To Life UK, Catherine Robinson, mentioned that self-administered abortions have been placing girls’s well being in danger.
“It is a superb tragedy that 18,207 lives have been misplaced to abortion in Scotland final yr, the very best quantity on file,” she mentioned.
“Every one in every of these abortions represents a failure of our society to guard the lives of infants within the womb and a failure to supply full assist to girls with unplanned pregnancies.”
She mentioned that the reinstatement of in-person appointments would shield girls and forestall tragedies just like the case of Carla Foster who aborted her child between 32 and 34 weeks after acquiring tablets for an at-home abortion effectively past the authorized 10 week restrict.
“Polling exhibits that 71% of ladies assist the reinstatement of in-person appointments and solely 9% are in favour of the established order,” mentioned Robinson.
“We are calling on the Scottish Government to urgently reinstate in-person session for residence abortions.”
