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Abortion Numbers in England and Wales Break Records Again

By Hilary White

LONDON, June 19, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Abortions are at record numbers again in Britain, with a 4 percent rise and ever younger girls having "terminations" instead of giving birth. Statistics released today show that 205,598 British children were killed before birth in 2007, up from 201,173 in England and Wales during 2006.

The number of abortions among young girls also jumped significantly, with 13-to-15 year olds aborting at 4.4 per thousand, and under-18s aborting at a rate of 19.8 per thousand.

These statistics mean that nearly one-quarter of pregnancies in England and Wales end in abortion.

Meanwhile, pro-abortion MPs are pushing for still greater relaxation of the rules, to allow midwives and nurses to abort children and to abolish the requirement for two doctors to sign for permission. Changes to the Abortion Act 1967 could be pushed through as amendments to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill. A few weeks ago, MPs voted down efforts to reduce the legal gestational age limit for abortion from its current 24 weeks to 20 or less.

The Telegraph quoted Ian Lucas, co-ordinator of the Passion 4 Life campaign, a project of the All-Party Parliamentary Pro-life Group, saying, "If there is any more liberalisation of the law it is likely the numbers will go up again, which would be a complete tragedy."

John Smeaton, the national director of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children said, "The figures reflect the Department of Health's policy of performing an abortion as quickly as possible on any woman enquiring."

Smeaton said that the Department of Health puts pressure on doctors who are reluctant to refer for abortion, creating a "conveyor belt" effect where women are simply processed through upon request.

"Many GPs," he said, "would refuse to refer women for abortions on medical grounds, or for religious or conscientious reasons. The DH brooks none of these objections, but insists that every woman who enquires about abortion is immediately referred for abortion."

"There is no counselling routinely offered, and the DH has targets for rushing women through the abortion mill against the clock. Health trusts which miss the target and don't kill enough babies quickly enough are liable to be penalised."

"Abortion is more than a social malaise. It is a grave abuse of human rights. It harms women and kills children."

Read related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:

Nearly 200,000 Abortions a Year "Not a Problem" for UK's Biggest Abortion Advocate
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/apr/08040203.html

UK Committee Recommends RU-486 and Scrapping Two Doctor Requirement for Abortion
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/oct/07103107.html

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