Statistics

Both Lives Matter | Statistics
 

 

As a result of our unique law and culture, we estimate that there are over 100,000 people alive today because Northern Ireland did not enact the 1967 Abortion Act. Mothers, sisters, dads and brothers, friends, nephews and cousins. This is social justice. If like us you are pro-women, pro-life, pro-community, this is a cause to champion and celebrate. You can read the report in full here.

Our claim was subsequently investigated and upheld by the ASA. All complaints against us; that our estimate was misleading, inaccurate and offensive were dismissed. You can read here how Both Lives Matter and the Advertising Standards Authority arrived at this important conclusion. 

1969 / 5.2
(Age-standardised abortion rate per 1,000 women aged 15-44 (2013 ESP),
England and Wales, 1969 to 2013.)
2013 / 15.9

The UK

Northern Ireland

England and Wales

Around 40 to 50 million abortions are carried out each year around the world

Since the 1967 Act, there have been over 8 million abortions in England and Wales.
That's more than the population of the island of Ireland.

In 2015 there were 697,852 live births and 185,824 abortions
So for every three children born, one was aborted.

By the age of 45, one in three women will have had an abortion.

In the last ten years, out of almost two million abortions, only four were recorded as for the purposes of 'to save the life of the mother'.
Overwhelmingly, most abortions are for reasons of social/personal convenience.

In 2014 in Northern Ireland there were approximately 50 abortions.
Even if you add the 800 women who travelled to Great Britain to have an abortion and account for the use of illegal online abortion pills, the NI abortion rate per capita is still seven times lower than the abortion rate of the UK.


  1. The World Health Organisation estimates that there are around 40 to 50 million abortions carried out each year around the world.
  2. In the UK, since the 1967 Act, there have been over 8 million abortions in England and Wales. That's more than the population of the island of Ireland.
  3. In 2019, in England and Wales there were 640,370 live births* and 207,384 abortions**, so for every three children born, one was aborted.
  4. By the age of 45, one in three women in England and Wales will have had an abortion.
  5. Over 98 per cent of abortions are for reasons of social/personal convenience. Less than 1 per cent of abortions are for a risk to the life, or a grave permanent risk to the physical or mental health of the woman.
  6. In 2019 abortion was decriminalised in Northern Ireland. Before the law change, even if you added the 800 women who travelled to Great Britain to have an abortion and accounted for the use of illegal online abortion pills, the NI abortion rate per capita was still seven times lower than the abortion rate of the UK.

* https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/bulletins/birthsummarytablesenglandandwales/2019#:~:text=The%20number%20of%20live%20births,except%202000%2C%202001%20and%202002.

** https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/891405/abortion-statistics-commentary-2019.pdf