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Demand for abortions surges as contraception services shrink and cost of living rises

BMJ 2023; 380 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.p237 (Published 31 January 2023) Cite this as: BMJ 2023;380:p237
  1. Jacqui Thornton
  1. London

Abortion providers are seeing unprecedented levels of demand so far this year because of a lack of access to good quality contraception and the economic downturn sparking concerns over the affordability of raising a child.

MSI Reproductive Choices UK treated 47% more people in the first two weeks of 2023 than over the same period in 2022 and completed 51% more phone consultations, which are the first step to a treatment pathway.

It has increased the number of surgical abortion appointments by 38% to cope with demand at its 60 clinics in England and Wales and increased the number of telemedicine appointments by 60%. It could not provide The BMJ with absolute numbers, but said that between April 2021 and March 2022 it provided nearly 60 000 abortions.

Director Jonathan Lord, who is also an NHS consultant gynaecologist and co-chair of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists’ abortion taskforce, said all providers are reporting they are busier than previously.

He said that the rise was being driven by “the economic downturn, the cost of living …

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