More than 3,500 of the women who had an abortion in Scotland last year had had a previous termination of pregnancy and 372 were girls aged under 16, figures released by the Scottish government have revealed.They were among a total of 13,703 terminations carried out in 2007, 540 more than the previous year and a record - a figure described by the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland as “deeply disheartening” and proof that society had failed Scotland's unborn children and women.
One MSP claimed last night that it was evidence that abortion was now being used as a form of contraception.
The increase in abortions in Scotland last year was, according to official statisticians, consistent with the pattern seen in recent years.
The figures also revealed that the abortion rate in Scotland was highest in deprived areas, where the rate was 17.4 per 1,000 women, almost double the rate of 9.6 per 1,000 for the least deprived areas of the country.
The overwhelming majority (99.3 per cent) of terminations were carried out in NHS premises and the rate was highest in the 16 to 19 age group at 24.9 per 1,000 women.
Early terminations were also continuing to rise, with more than two thirds (69 per cent) performed at less than ten weeks in 2007. This compares with 55.8 per cent in 1992, when medical terminations were introduced. The use of medical methods continued to rise, with 62 per cent of all abortions performed medically compared with 16 per cent in 1992.
More than two thirds (68 per cent) of abortions at less than 10 weeks were performed medically, with 32 per cent carried out surgically.
The rate of abortions was highest in the NHS Tayside region at 17.1 per 1,000 women (aged 15-44), while the island health board areas (Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles) had the lowest rates at 6.1 per 1,000.
A spokesman for the Most Rev Mario Conti, the Archbishop of Glasgow, said: “It is deeply disheartening to see the abortion figures continue to rise and rise, year after year.
“One abortion is one too many but 13,703 is beyond the imagination. These statistics are an ever-present sign that society has failed both Scotland's unborn children and women.”
Ross Finnie, the Liberal Democrat health spokesman, said that while it was important that abortion remained available under the legal framework of the NHS, he was concerned at the clear link between deprivation and increased abortion rates. “It is clear that if the Scottish government wants to reduce the number of abortions, it must focus its efforts on addressing the root causes of deprivation.”
Mary Scanlon, the Scottish Tory health spokeswoman, said that there should be no attempt to lecture those women who had undergone the traumatic process of abortion. “But the rising number of abortions is a serious cause of concern,” she said, “particularly in tandem with the revelation that more than a quarter of women having abortions in 2007 had a previous termination as well.
“This is an emotive topic with feelings running strong on all sides of the debate. Whatever your stance on this issue, there was a general consensus that abortion should not be used as a form of contraception. Sadly it appears that for some women this could be the case.”
MPs rejected moves last week to lower the 24-week limit on abortions.
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