Number of Women Giving Irish Addresses at UK Abortion Clinics Decreases for Tenth Year in a Row According to Department of Health UK
The HSE Sexual Health & Crisis Pregnancy Programme (formerly the Crisis Pregnancy Agency) today commented on figures issued by the UK Department of Health which show that there has been a further decrease in the number of women giving Irish addresses at UK abortion clinics. This is the tenth successive year that a decrease has been recorded.
Since 2001 (the year the Crisis Pregnancy Agency was established), the number of women giving Irish addresses at UK abortion clinics has decreased from 6,673 to 4,149 in 2011.
Speaking today, Dr Stephanie O’ Keeffe, Director of the HSE Sexual Health & Crisis Pregnancy Programme said: “Since the establishment of the HSE Sexual Health & Crisis Pregnancy Programme we have seen a sustained decline in the number of women giving Irish addresses at abortion clinics in the UK and in the Netherlands. Survey data published by the HSE CPP earlier this month also showed higher levels of condoms and contraceptive use among young adults with 80% stating they use contraception every time they have sex”.
Dr O’Keeffe added: “It is important that we are not complacent and that we ensure that all women are aware that post-abortion medical check-ups and post-abortion counselling is available free of charge to women on their return to Ireland. A list of services is available on abortionaftercare.ie”
No of women giving Irish addresses at UK abortion clinics Rate per thousand women 15-44 years
(UK)
2001 6,673 7.5
2002 6,522 7.2
2003 6,320 6.9
2004 6,217 6.7
2005 5,585 5.9
2006 5,042 5.2
2007 4,686 4.7
2008 4,600 4.5
2009 4,422 4.4
2010 4,402 4.4
2011 4,149 4.1
Since 2001, the abortion rate of women giving Irish addresses at abortion clinics in the UK has declined from 7.5 per 1,000 women aged 15-44 to 4.1 per 1,000 women aged 15-44 in 2011.
The HSE CPP gathers statistics to examine the patterns of women travelling from Ireland to countries other than the UK for abortion procedures. The Netherlands has emerged as the only other jurisdiction to which women from Ireland are travelling for abortion procedures in significant numbers. The 2011 figures are not yet available. Preliminary indications suggest that numbers are low and decreasing. The number of women travelling from Ireland to clinics in the Netherlands was 42 in 2005, 461 in 2006, 451 in 2007, 351 in 2008, 134 in 2009 and 31 in 2010.
ENDS
For more information contact:
HSE National Press Office
01 6352840
press@hse.ie
Notes to Editors:
1. It is important to note that the anonymity of the women giving Irish addresses is protected – it is only the numbers of women giving Irish addresses that are recorded in the statistics from the UK Department of Health.
2. The Sexual Health & Crisis Pregnancy Programme has developed a monitoring system to examine the number of women giving Irish addresses at abortion clinics in jurisdictions other than the UK. It continues to monitor data from elsewhere in Europe. The numbers remain low with few women reported to have travelled to other countries. New survey data collected by the Programme and published earlier this month shows that of all women living in Ireland who have experienced an abortion, 94% of them stated that they travelled to the UK for the procedure.
3. The HSE Sexual Health & Crisis Pregnancy Programme (formerly the Crisis Pregnancy Agency) is tasked with developing and implementing a national strategy to achieve the following core objectives:
i. To reduce the number of crisis pregnancies by the provision of information, advice and contraceptive services.
ii. To reduce the number of women with crisis pregnancies who opt for abortion by offering services and supports which make other options more attractive.
iii. To provide counselling services, medical services and such other health services for the purpose of providing support, after crisis pregnancy as may be deemed appropriate by the Sexual Health & Crisis Pregnancy Programme.
4. Abortion Aftercare Services
For information about free post-abortion medical and counselling services funded by the Sexual Health & Crisis Pregnancy Programme, members of the public can visit abortionaftercare.ie or freetext AFTERCARE to 50444.
