Young women in deprived areas in Britain are less likely to have an abortion

Women under the age of 18 who live in more deprived areas of Britain have higher rates of conception than women in wealthier areas but are less likely to opt for an abortion, a report published this week says.

The study investigated the relation between abortion and wider social factors in women aged 17 years or less. It was based on research that included national data on geographical variations in rates of conception and abortion and in-depth interviews with 103 young women.

The results showed that between 1999 and 2001 in England and Wales, 44% of conceptions among women aged 15 to …