A record 278,740 abortions were carried out in England and Wales in 2023, according to new figures released today by the UK’s Department of Health and Social Care. The total marks an 11% increase on the previous year, with 26,618 more abortions than in 2022.
Among the most concerning elements of the report are the numbers relating to disability-selective abortions. A total of 735 abortions involved babies diagnosed with Down syndrome, a 7.3% rise compared to 2019. The data also recorded 300 abortions at 24 weeks or later on grounds of disability, ten of which involved babies with Down syndrome.
The report also confirmed that 235 women from the Republic of Ireland travelled to England and Wales for abortions in 2023. Of these, 130 were carried out under Ground E – the legal provision for disability – either alone or in combination with another ground. Notably, 50 of these abortions followed a diagnosis of Down syndrome.
Responding to the figures, Pro Life Campaign spokesperson Eilís Mulroy described the numbers as “startling” and said they reflect a troubling cultural shift in attitudes toward disability and prenatal diagnosis. “It suggests that women are being advised that abortion is a normal response to news that an unborn child may have Down syndrome or another disability.”
Ms Mulroy also drew attention to Ireland’s domestic figures, noting that 10,852 abortions took place in Ireland in 2024, marking a dramatic rise since the introduction of abortion legislation in 2019. Although the number of Irish women travelling abroad for abortions has fallen, the inclusion of 235 such cases in UK data – particularly the high proportion involving disability – was described as “extremely sad”.
She reiterated the Pro Life Campaign’s call for greater support for families facing a diagnosis of disability. “A genuinely compassionate society should be offering practical help and meaningful support, not suggesting ending a life as the default response,” Ms Mulroy said. “Every child, regardless of ability, deserves the chance to live, and every mother deserves support — not a system that encourages ending lives.”
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