That compares to a total of 190 abortions performed in Jersey in 2015, and is about 20 per cent lower than the number recorded a decade earlier in 2006. Teenage abortion rates also fell, according to the figures.
The data, which has been released by the States Statistics Unit, put the Island’s abortion rate at nine per 1,000 women aged 15-44 years. In 2015 that figure was ten, and in 2001 it was 15.
For the UK, the comparable figure for 2016 was 17 abortions per 1,000 women.
Legally abortions can be carried out for four reasons: if it is necessary to save the life of the mother, prevent ‘grave permanent injury’ to her physical or mental health, if there is substantial risk to the child’s physical or mental health or they can be carried out before 12 weeks if the pregnancy is deemed to be causing her distress.
