Number of abortions in Scotland rises to record high in 2024

The number of abortions preformed in Scotland increased last year – though this “greater demand in services” could be behind a drop in procedures carried out at an early stage of pregnancy.

There were a total of 18,710 terminations carried out in 2024 – a rise of 3% (468) from the previous year’s total of 18,242.

Campaigners at Right to Life UK insisted it was a “great tragedy” that abortions had reached the “highest number of record”.

While the 3% increase in terminations was lower than the 10% rise in such procedures in 2023, Public Health Scotland, which published the data, said overall this was part of a “sustained and substantial increase in demand for termination services”.

It pointed out the average number of terminations carried out in Scotland had increased by 50% between 2015 and 2024.

Meanwhile, the 2024 figures showed a drop in the number of women ending a pregnancy before nine weeks’ gestation, with this falling from 84% of abortions in 2021 to 79% in 2024.

“Greater demand on services may be a contributing factor in this,” the Public Health Scotland report said.

The latest figures also showed a decrease in termination rates in the wealthiest parts of Scotland, meaning that “as a result inequalities in termination rates by deprivation have increased”.

In the least deprived parts of Scotland, 12.2 women per 1,000 females aged 15 to 44 had an abortion in 2024 – but in the most deprived areas the rate was around double that at 24.5.

NHS Tayside had the highest termination rate in Scotland, with 21.1 women per 1,000 aged 15 to 44 having an abortion in 2024.

It was one of three NHS board areas that had a termination rate above the Scottish average of 17.6 per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44 – with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde having a rate of 18.3 and NHS Lanarkshire recording a rate of 20.9.

The data also showed that in the last year termination rates increased in nine of the 11 mainland NHS boards, with the rate in NHS Borders going from 14.4 to 17.7 per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44 while NHS Fife increased from 14.8 to 16.9.

Over the last 10 years, rates increased in all NHS board areas. In NHS Borders the rate more than doubled over the decade, going from 7.9 to 17.7 per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44, while in NHS Lanarkshire it almost doubled, with the rate rising from 10.8 to 20.9 terminations per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44.

In all but one of the last 10 years NHS Tayside had the highest termination rate of all NHS boards – with the exception being in 2023, when this was recorded in NHS Lanarkshire.

In almost three-fifths (57%) of cases in 2024 women took both drugs needed for a medical abortion at home, with only 3% of terminations involving surgeries.

More than a quarter (27%) of abortions last year involved women aged between 20 and 24, with just under a quarter (24%) in the 25 to 29 age group.

Meanwhile, 119 abortions – 0.6% of all such procedures – involved girls under the age of 16.

Public Health Scotland said over the last decade there had been a “shift” towards more older women ending pregnancies.

It noted: “Looking back 10 years to 2015, 46% of all terminations were to those under 25 years and 54% were to those aged 25 and over.

“By 2024, this had changed to 39% and 61% respectively, suggesting a shift from younger to older age groups utilising termination services.”

Catherine Robinson, of Right to Life UK, said: “It is a great tragedy that 18,710 lives were lost to abortion in Scotland last year, the highest number on record.

“Every one of these abortions represents a failure of our society to protect the lives of babies in the womb and a failure to offer full support to women with unplanned pregnancies.”

Women’s health minister Jenni Minto said the Scottish Government would “continue to work closely with NHS boards to continue to help improve access to abortion services for those who wish to have a termination”.

The minister said: “The Scottish Government notes the continued increase in the demand for abortion services and we are working to understand this increase and to take steps to address the issues behind it.

“It is right that women should continue to able to access these essential services in a timely, safe and equitable manner.”