British Pro-Life Group Saddened New Figures Show Teen Abortions Up in Wales
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
August 25, 2010
London, England (LifeNews.com) — The British pro-life group SPUC is saddened to learn that the proportion of recorded teenage pregnancies which end in registered abortions has increased in Wales. More than half of teenage conceptions in Wales end in abortion, new figures show.
The figures show just under 60 percent of girls under 16 who become pregnant now have an abortion and 48 percent of girls under 18 do. That’s a rise from the 50 percent and 40 percent figures from one year ago for each category.
A spokeswoman from Marie Stopes International, the British abortion business, admitted, “No method of contraception is 100% effective," but the Assembly Government will soon push its Sexual Health and Wellbeing Action Plan for Wales 2010-2015 even though abortion rates are rising with the promotion of birth control.
Paul Tully, SPUC’s general secretary, told Wales Online yesterday that the teen abortion rate in Wales "increased substantially in the past 5 years."
"We are deeply concerned that this reflects the pressures that young mothers face. We urgently need a change of policy on the part of the government and the medical profession to support all expectant mothers and their babies – abortion kills babies and hurts women," he said.
"These figures make a mockery of abortion law, which requires every abortion to be authorized by two doctors on medical grounds. In reality, there is no genuine medical indication in the vast majority of cases," he said.
The new figures show teens and women in their 20s have more abortions than older women as 11.4% of pregnancies among 30 to 34-year-olds end in abortion. Overall, 20.5% of pregnancies in Wales end in an abortion.
Tully added, "The figures also challenge the idea that women are freely deciding to have abortions. Teenage girls have been targeted by pro-abortion policies in recent years. Teenage girls are under increasing pressure firstly to become sexually active despite lacking the usual support needed to bear a child, and secondly to undergo abortions rather than give birth."
He continued, "These young women and their babies have been the fodder of the Blair-era teenage pregnancy strategy, with its failed target to reduce under-18 pregnancies by 50% over the past ten years. Those who are socially disadvantaged are especially vulnerable to pressure to submit to abortion. Our experience suggests that many women undergo abortions reluctantly, and many deeply regret the loss of their baby – though not all can express their sorrow."
The data are processed and issued by the ONS, but the source of the data is not stated and SPUC believes the new figures come from the Department of Health or the Teenage Pregnancy Unit.
"These bodies reflect and implement pro-abortion government policies relating to abortion, and data should be read in light of this," SPUC notes.
Related web sites:
SPUC – https://www.spuc.org.uk
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