Over 196,000 able-bodied lives terminated in 2007

Social Policy charity CARE has expressed concern at the abortion figures published this morning.

The total number of abortions for the year was 198,500, compared with 193,700 in 2006, a rise of 2.5%. Of these just 1 % (1900) were carried out because of a risk that the child would be born handicapped.

Commenting on the figures, Dan Boucher, director of parliamentary affairs, said: 'England and Wales already have very high abortion rates when compared with the rest of Europe. Rather than moving in the right direction our abortion rates are actually getting worse. There is a clear need for the introduction of tighter regulation in tandem with non- legislative preventative strategies.'

Nola Leach, head of public affairs, continued: 'These figures are not just a tragedy because they represent the loss of 198,500 lives - over 196,000 of which would have been born able bodied - but also because they relate to growing problems for the women themselves many of whom suffer from post abortion trauma and have to seek counselling. These issues must be addressed.'