Being denied an abortion can cause women to develop chronic health problems
Sarah Young
1 / 2
Abortions reach all-time high of 200,000 in England and Wales
The number of abortions carried out in England and Wales has reached a record high of more than 20,000 in a year – with older women and mothers behind the rise.Data published by the Department of Health and Social Care shows there were 200,608 abortions for women resident in England and Wales in 2018 - up four per cent on the 192,900 the previous year.A further 4,687 abortions were carried out on non-residents - up slightly on the year before.The data shows 1,053 women travelled from Northern Ireland to England or Wales in 2018 for an abortion – an increase of 192 women from the year before.In Northern Ireland, there is a ban on abortions in almost all cases, even rape or incest. Abortion is only permitted when there is a risk to the life of the mother or a serious risk to her physical or mental health. Imogen Stephens, of UK abortion provider Marie Stopes, noted the figures come at the same time as they hear stories from women that they have become pregnant while trying to access effective contraception. She said: “Today, more than eight million women of reproductive age live in an area where the council has reduced funding for sexual and reproductive health services, leading to the closure of clinics and longer waiting lists. When women do manage to find a service, they may be denied the full range of contraception, including some of the most effective methods.”The medical director noted that overall abortion rates are increasing among older women, while rates for younger women are falling. This demonstrates women need access to good contraception services across their reproductive lifetimes, from the point at which they become sexually active right through to their menopause, she added. She added: “It is shameful that in 2018, more than 1,000 women from Northern Ireland are still being forced to travel to England to access abortion care, including those who have become pregnant as a result of rape or incest or whose foetus has no chance of survival outside of the womb.” Grainne Teggart, Amnesty International’s Northern Ireland campaign manager, said it was unsurprising the number of women who travelled from Northern Ireland to England or Wales for an abortion had risen. She said: “The ongoing near-total ban on abortion doesn’t stop women needing or seeking abortions, it just forces them to board planes to access the healthcare. Women should be treated with respect and dignity and given the right to make choices about their own body at home.“These statistics do not capture the many women unable to travel for an abortion – including those in an abusive relationship and those without confirmed immigration status – nor do they reflect those forced to access abortion pills online and risking prosecution in doing so.”There has been a sharp rise over the last decade in the proportion of abortions to women who are already mothers.In 2018, 56 per cent of abortions (111,633) were to women who had had one or more previous pregnancies that resulted in a live or stillbirth, up five per cent on the 106,550 the previous year.Just under half of abortions in 2008 were to women who had already had one or more previous births.Overall abortion rates have increased in the last decade for all women over the age of 25. The rates for women aged 30 to 34 increased from 15.6 per 1,000 women in 2008 to 19.9 in 2018.Among those aged 35 and over, they have risen from 6.7 per 1,000 women in 2008 to 9.2 per 1,000 women in 2018.The data also showed there were 1,267 abortions to girls aged under 16 (0.6 per cent of the total) in 2018. Of these, 363 were to girls aged under 15 (0.2 per cent of the total).Overall, the abortion rate among under-18s has been falling for a decade.Nine out of 10 abortions were carried out under 13 weeks’ gestation, with 80 per cent under 10 weeks – a figure that has remained constant over the last decade. Some two per cent of abortions were on grounds of serious disability.Clare Murphy, of British Pregnancy Advisory Service, the UK’s largest abortion provider, said the reasons for the increase in abortions for older women in England and Wales are complex.She said: “Accessible contraceptive services are often focused on the needs of younger women and women over the age of 25 can, in particular, find themselves excluded from schemes providing free, pharmacy access to emergency contraception.“As so many women in the UK rely on pills and condoms as their main methods of contraception, it is vital that there is swift access to emergency options when those methods fail or a pill is missed.”She said greater access to services was also needed for women who are already mothers – noting that unplanned pregnancy in the year after birth is not uncommon, particularly among women who are breastfeeding.“However, it is also possible that over the longer term couples are making different decisions about family size and the number of children they can afford and feel able to properly care for,” she added. “The two-child benefit cap was designed to influence reproductive decision-making and we are certainly aware of cases where that has been a factor in a woman’s decision to end a third, unplanned pregnancy.”
Women who are denied access to an abortion are likely to develop long-term health problems, new research suggests.
The study, conducted by the University of California, found that women whose requests were denied reported higher rates of chronic pain in the five years after seeking an abortion than those who were granted terminations in their first or second trimester.
The researchers tracked the self-reported physical health of around 900 women who sought abortions across the US between 2008 and 2010.
This included women who were close to or slightly beyond the gestational limit for performing abortions – which differs by region in the US – as well as those who received first and second trimester abortions.
In all, 328 women had a first-trimester abortion, 383 had a second-trimester abortion and 163 were turned away.
Each participant provided information about their pain, chronic conditions and overall health when the study began, and twice a year for the next five years.
When the study first started, 20 per cent of women who had a first-trimester abortion described their pre-pregnancy health as "fair or poor".
In comparison, 17.5 per cent of those who had a second-trimester abortion and about 18 per cent of those who were turned away said the same.
After the five years of follow-up, about 20 per cent of women who had an abortion at either stage of pregnancy reported "fair or poor" health.
However, among women who were denied an abortion and went on to give birth, the percentage of those who said their health was "fair or poor" rose to 27 per cent.
According to the researchers, women who went on to give birth reported higher rates of chronic conditions including headaches, joint pain, asthma and high cholesterol.
Meanwhile, two of the women who were denied terminations died from maternal causes, which Lauren Ralph, the study co-author, said “could have been avoided had these women had access to the health care they had sought”.
“Our study demonstrates that having an abortion is not detrimental to women’s health, but being denied access to a wanted one likely is,” Ralph told Timemagazine.
Beyond complications involved with pregnancy and birth, such as excessive bleeding, gestational diabetes and gestational hypertension, Ralph added that the financial implications and stress that may come as a result of being denied an abortion could also negatively impact a woman’s health.
Over the last few months, Louisiana, Georgia, Arkansas, Mississippi, Ohio and Alabama have all passed so-called “heartbeart bills” which place restrictions on the gestation time and circumstances in which a woman can obtain an abortion.
You can find out more about which countries have the strictest abortion laws here.
Our goal is to create a safe and engaging place for users to connect over interests and passions. In order to improve our community experience, we are temporarily suspending article commenting
Victoria Beckham has taken to Instagram to share the books she’s been loving, and it turns out that best-selling author Matt Haig is one of her favourites. RELATED: Cruz Beckham pays tribute to mum Victoria with sentimental outfit SHOP: 19 best books to read on holiday: Top reads for summer 2022 The 48-year-old shared a snap of the Sunday Times Bestseller, How to Stop Time , as she reached out for more book recommendations with the caption: “I really enjoyed this book!! I just finished The Midni
The Men in Trees actress crashed into a home in Mar Vista, Los Angeles over the weekend, reportedly causing a fire at the property. Heche, 53, was taken to hospital and is being treated for burns. "Anne is currently in stable condition. Her family and friends ask for your thoughts and prayers and to respect her privacy during this difficult time.". Police officials are still investigating the accident. Reacting to the news, Heche's ex-boyfriend Thomas Jane told DailyMail.com that she is "expected to pull through"
Kim Kardashian is reportedly not getting back together with ex-husband Kanye West after splitting from comedian Pete Davdison after nine months of dating.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry share a passion for healthy living, regularly being spotted at the polo together, as well as enjoying hikes. SEE: Prince Harry's major physical change since US move – did you spot it? The Duke and Duchess share another hobby, though – and it might not be what you expect from a royal couple! The parents of two both love boxing – with Harry speaking about his love of the sport on Bryony Gordon's Mad World podcast. WATCH: Prince Harry talks about work-from-home life "
The actress, singer, and songwriter will receive the Virtuoso Award at the awards show on 13 August. Hollywood Critics Association founder Scott Menzel said in a statement of Mandy's eligibility for the award: “Mandy Moore has transformed from a pop superstar to an actress to a director… Moore's talent is undeniable, and her work on This Is Us solidifies that as she was able to combine all of her talents within this final chapter...”, Scott Menzel / Statement. Dulcé Sloan will host the 13 August ceremony - a night dedicated to broadcast and cable related awards.
Getting your period is never fun, but it is especially not fun in the summer. Every single person with a uterus has a tale of woe or two, from ruined white bikini pants to an unwelcome tampon-shaped pool floaty moment. For many of us, it has meant a whole week stuck shoreline, waiting for Auntie Flo to do her thing. Now, not to sound like one of those cheesy tampon ads, but those days are over. Introducing period swimwear from WUKA – one-pieces and bikini bottoms made with water-repellent outer
Beyoncé's new album, Renaissance, which came a whopping six years after her last solo album, Lemonade, was full of surprises and instantly viral lyrics. MORE: Kelly Rowland stops fans in their tracks with a special gown ahead of an exciting night out One fellow singer especially surprised by the album is the singer's very own Destiny's Child bandmate, Kelly Rowland, who is mentioned in none other than the Break My Soul remix, which features the one and only Madonna. Upon listening to the song, t
As Little Mix announced their hiatus, all eyes (and ears) were on their solo endeavours. Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall were quick to announce record company signings with new music in the pipeline, but Perrie Edwards's camp had remained relatively tight-lipped about what we can expect from the star.
Michael Strahan may have a busy career and hectic family life but he also makes time for a very special woman in his life. The GMA presenter - who has four children - has been quietly dating model, Kayla Quick, for several years and it appears they are still going strong. MORE: Michael Strahan leaves GMA viewers stunned with unexpected photo While he keeps their romance mostly away from social media, the gorgeous 32-year-old recently made an appearance on Michael's Instagram leaving fans eager t
Janette Manrara is soon to be one busy lady as the new series of Strictly Come Dancing comes closer, so does the new series of It Takes Two. DISCOVER: Inside Janette Manrara and Strictly's Aljaz Skorjanec's three wildly different weddings But before her schedule gets filled up, she took some time to relax in her garden at her stunning London home, and she stunned in an impossibly short mini-dress. As she sunned herself in the August heat, her husband, Aljaz Skorjanec filmed her curled up in a be
Mandy Moore will be honoured at the Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards after Emmys snub. The actress, singer, and songwriter will receive the Virtuoso Award at the awards show on 13 August. The ceremony will be held over two nights at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in California. Hollywood Critics Association founder Scott Menzel said in a statement on Mandy’s eligibility for the award, “Over the past two decades, Mandy Moore has transformed from a pop superstar to an actress to a director… Moore
You know if there’s a southwesterly blowing when you’re standing at South Stack. The promontory at the west end of Anglesey, Britain’s fifth largest island, pokes into the Irish Sea as if to taunt onshore winds. Other landmasses – Scotland, Ireland, the Pembrokeshire peninsula – provide a buffer when the weather comes from different compass points; but there’s no protection when Atlantic winds whip in from the southwest. Below me, rocky cliffs are being pounded by the swell, with every impact se
Shun the sun-burned bird in the box at your local supermarket. For superior chicken that packs as much of a flavoursome punch as it chock-full of protein, build your own rotisserie in your back garden, with chef Ross Clarke.
If you're a busy person with real-world responsibilities and love going to the gym, then the DOMs of a long week on all fronts are likely an old, if unbearable at times, friend. Ease the aches with these pieces of fitness tech and equipment, to improve your recovery and keep your primed for everything the day throws at you.
The world was shocked and saddened to hear that Dame Olivia Newton-John had passed away on Monday aged 73 following her 30-year-long journey with breast cancer. MORE: John Travolta 'too raw to talk' following Olivia Newton-John's death The actress, who was considered an icon by many, enjoyed huge success throughout her career and many well-known faces have been paying tribute to her, including her on-screen love interest and close friend of many years, John Travolta, who noted her "incredible im