Sexual Health
Abortions
Introduction and other relevant notes and definitions to this section.
Induced abortion is one of the most commonly performed gynaecological procedures (Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Guidelines 2004). These procedures are carried out under the terms of the Abortion Act 1967, which applies to England, Wales and Scotland. Doctors have a legal requirement to notify the Chief Medical Officer in Scotland of all terminations carried out in Scotland. The Information Services Division is responsible for the administration of abortions on behalf of the Chief Medical Officer in Scotland.
Since the Act was passed in 1967 there has been a steady increase in the number of terminations of pregnancy carried out in Scotland. The most significant growth in abortions was in the four years folowing the introduction of the Abortion Act, from 1,500 in 1967 to over 7,500 in 1971.
Notes on Interpretation
The Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology guidelines (2004) recommend that termination of pregnancy should be carried out early since this reduces the risk of physical complications. Prior to 1991, most terminations were performed surgically. In 1991 medical methods of termination were licensed for use in the United Kingdom for abortion under 10 weeks gestation. Medical methods of termination are carried out using drugs such as mifepristone with or without the addition of prostaglandin. The Abortion (Scotland) Regulations 1991 reflect this change in abortion provision and also place an upper limit of 24 weeks on abortions for most reasons. Two doctors must agree that termination of pregnancy is necessary for one of the reasons specified in the 1991 Regulations; these are classified by the letters A to E:
Non Emergency
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A - the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk to the life of the pregnant women greater than if the pregnancy were terminated.
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B - the termination is necessary to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman.
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C - the pregnancy has NOT exceeded its 24th week and that the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated, of injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman.
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D - the pregnancy has NOT exceeded its 24th week and that the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated, of injury to the physical or mental health of the existing child(ren) of the family of the pregnant woman.
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E - there is substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped.
Emergency
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F - it was necessary to save the life of the woman.
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G - it was necessary to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman.
Notes which apply to the tables and charts.
Abortions - refers to therapeutic abortions notified in accordance with the Abortion Act 1967.
Approved place - defined as in Section 1(3) of the Abortion Act 1967.
Parity - the number of preceding completed pregnancies.
Nulliparous - a woman who has no previous completed pregnancies. (Parity = 0)
Grounds for Abortion - as some notifications record more than one Statutory Ground, the numbers and percentages of Grounds exceed the total number of abortions.
Medical termination - involves termination of a pregnancy without a surgical procedure. It usually involves oral administration of a drug followed 1-3 days later by vaginal administration of another drug.
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