Facts of LIFE

• Since the introduction of the Abortion Act in 1967 there have been over 4 million abortions in Britain.
• A total of about 500 abortions are performed in NHS hospitals and private abortion clinics every day.
• In 1998 there were 187,393 abortions carried out and 636,000 live births in England and Wales. Around 1 in every 4 pregnancies was terminated by an abortion.
• Only 2 abortions in 1998 were performed on the grounds that they were necessary to save the life of the mother in an emergency. 92% were performed on the grounds that if the pregnancy continued the risk of injury to the physical or mental health of the mother was greater than if the pregnancy was terminated.
• Abortions can now be performed up until birth if there is believed to be a substantial risk that the child would suffer from 'serious physical or mental abnormalities'.
• There are over 200 local LIFE groups which run 140 Counselling Centres, 40 home based counselling centres and over 40 LIFE houses in many parts of Britain.
• Every year about 350 women and their babies find a home in a LIFE house.
• In 1998 over 95,000 people came to LIFE for help.