Jan. 25 2011
Source Page: UK’s policy position on safe and unsafe abortion in developing countries. Practice Paper. 15 p.Found: UK’s policy position on safe and unsafe abortion in developing countries. Practice Paper. 15 p.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure statistics on abortion complications are accurately collected and analysed to develop policies to improve women's health.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department’s comparison of statistics on abortion complications in England, using data from the Abortion Notification System, compared to data on hospital admissions for abortion complications from Hospital Episode Statistics for the years 2017 to 2021, found that women under 20 years old had the lowest complication rates of any age group.
Abortion continues to be a very safe procedure for which major complications are rare at all gestations. However, it is known that the risk of complications increases at higher gestations. The Department works closely with NHS England, the Care Quality Commission, and abortion providers to ensure that abortions are provided safely, in accordance with the legal framework set by the Abortion Act 1967.
It is a legal requirement under the 1967 Abortion Act that the Chief Medical Officer must be notified of all abortions within 14 days of the procedure. The Department provides the HSA4 abortion notification form for this purpose. HSA4 forms record known complications, up until the time of the patient’s discharge from the abortion service.
To consider the completeness of abortion complications data submitted via abortion notifications, the Department committed to publishing a one-time analysis comparing data from the Department’s Abortion Notification System and the Hospital Episode Statistics. This was published in November 2023. The Department is inviting views on abortion statistics for England and Wales, including the future publication of abortion complications data, via an online user engagement survey and via email. We welcome responses from abortion providers and all interested parties on this matter.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address complication rates identified in the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities statistics published 23 November 2023 (1) for women under 20 in home and clinical settings, and (2) for those who had abortions after more than ten weeks gestation in a clinical setting.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department’s comparison of statistics on abortion complications in England, using data from the Abortion Notification System, compared to data on hospital admissions for abortion complications from Hospital Episode Statistics for the years 2017 to 2021, found that women under 20 years old had the lowest complication rates of any age group.
Abortion continues to be a very safe procedure for which major complications are rare at all gestations. However, it is known that the risk of complications increases at higher gestations. The Department works closely with NHS England, the Care Quality Commission, and abortion providers to ensure that abortions are provided safely, in accordance with the legal framework set by the Abortion Act 1967.
It is a legal requirement under the 1967 Abortion Act that the Chief Medical Officer must be notified of all abortions within 14 days of the procedure. The Department provides the HSA4 abortion notification form for this purpose. HSA4 forms record known complications, up until the time of the patient’s discharge from the abortion service.
To consider the completeness of abortion complications data submitted via abortion notifications, the Department committed to publishing a one-time analysis comparing data from the Department’s Abortion Notification System and the Hospital Episode Statistics. This was published in November 2023. The Department is inviting views on abortion statistics for England and Wales, including the future publication of abortion complications data, via an online user engagement survey and via email. We welcome responses from abortion providers and all interested parties on this matter.
Dec. 12 2011
Source Page: Young people in London: abortion and repeat abortion. Research report. 82 p.Found: Young people in London: abortion and repeat abortion. Research report. 82 p.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when she plans to publish the abortion rates data for (a) 2021/22 and (b) 2022/23.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
Abortion statistics for England and Wales for 2021, and from January to June for 2022, have been published on the GOV.UK website, and are available respectively at the following links:
Full 12-month abortion statistics for 2022 are provisionally scheduled to be published in May 2024. The date of the publication of abortion statistics for 2023 will be announced in due course.
Jun. 05 2008
Source Page: Abortion statistics, England and Wales 2006. Statistical Bulletin 2007/01.Found: Abortion statistics, England and Wales 2006. Statistical Bulletin 2007/01.
May. 27 2009
Source Page: Abortion statistics, England and Wales 2008. Statistical Bulletin. 36 p.Found: Abortion statistics, England and Wales 2008. Statistical Bulletin. 36 p.
Correspondence Mar. 15 2024
Committee: Health, Social Care and Sport CommitteeFound: Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill Letter from COPFS to the HSCS Convener concerning
Dec. 11 2023
Source Page: Abortion clinic safe access zones: non-statutory guidanceFound: Abortion clinic safe access zones: non-statutory guidance
Jun. 19 2008
Source Page: Abortion statistics, England and Wales 2007. Statistical Bulletin 2008/01. 34 p.Found: Abortion statistics, England and Wales 2007. Statistical Bulletin 2008/01. 34 p.