Abortions at record high in England and Wales ‘driven by cost of living’

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Hannah Al-OthmanJanuary 15, 2026 at 02:59 PM

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

Government statistics revealed that abortions in England and Wales reached a record high in 2023, increasing by 11% compared to the previous year. The age-standardized abortion rate was 23.0 abortions per 1,000 residents, the highest since the Abortion Act of 1967. Abortion providers and doctors attribute this rise to the cost of living crisis and limited access to contraception. They report that economic pressures are influencing women's reproductive choices, while overstretched healthcare services make it harder to access contraception, especially in deprived communities. The data also showed an increase in abortion rates for women aged 35 and over, while the lowest rate was among under-18s.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Alison Wright 50% Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists 60% Katie Saxon 70% BPAS 80% England and Wales ×290%

Keywords

abortion rates 100% cost of living 90% contraception access 80% unplanned pregnancy 60% reproductive choices 60% women's health 50% sexual health services 50% abortion act 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.30

Source Transparency

Source

The Guardian - World News

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.40)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

England and Wales

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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abortion rates cost of living contraception access unplanned pregnancy reproductive choices women's health sexual health services abortion act

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