Mr. Amess:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions on the grounds of rectifiable disabilities have occurred after 24 weeks' gestation in each of the last 15 years. [247738]
Dawn Primarolo:
The number of abortions that are performed at 24 weeks’ gestation and over by principal medical condition if performed under Section l(l)(d) of the Abortion Act 1967 are in the following tables. Abortions performed under this section are those where there is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped. Medical conditions recorded under Section l(l)(d) are coded using the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD) (10(th) edition) published by the World Health Organisation.
Data have been provided for years 1995 onwards. Prior to 1995, diagnoses were taken from the 9(th) edition of the ICD and would not allow comparison due to the differences in coding.
Principal medical condition for abortions performed under Section 1(1)(d) of the Abortion Act, 1967, over 24 weeks gestation residents( 1) , England and Wales, 1995 to 2002
Number
ICD-10 Code( 2)
Condition
1995( 1)
1996( 1)
1997( 1)
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
Total ground E alone or with any other
74
103
74
73
89
94
100
114
Q00-Q89
Congenital malformations total
49
74
57
59
61
59
63
79
Q00-Q07
the nervous system total
30
43
31
26
36
35
27
42
Q00
anencephaly
3
1
1
1
2
3
2
2
Q01
encephalocele
2
3
0
1
1
0
0
1
Q02
microcephaly
5
3
1
1
5
0
2
1
Q03
hydrocephalus
13
20
15
8
5
17
4
9
Q04
other malformations of the brain
5
8
8
7
7
7
12
15
Q05
spina bifida
1
8
3
4
6
8
7
6
Q06-Q07
other
1
0
3
4
10
0
0
8
Q10-Q89
other congenital malformations total
19
31
26
33
25
24
36
37
Q10-Q18
the eye, ear, face and neck
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Q20-Q28
the cardiovascular system
2
6
7
13
10
8
15
13
Q30-Q34
the respiratory system
1
1
0
0
1
0
3
4
Q35-Q37
cleft lip and cleft palate
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
Q38-Q45
other malformations of the digestive system
0
0
0
0
1
3
0
1
20 Jan 2009 : Column 1349W
20 Jan 2009 : Column 1350W
Q50-Q56
the genital organs
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Q60-Q64
the urinary system
7
6
7
7
6
8
4
4
Q65-Q79
the musculoskeletal system
4
9
8
9
2
4
6
10
Q80-Q85
the skin, breast integument phakomatoses
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Q86-Q89
other
5
9
4
4
5
1
7
4
Q90-Q99
Chromosomal abnormalities total
19
20
12
10
17
20
24
25
Q90
Down’s syndrome
7
8
5
4
4
5
11
7
Q910-Q913
Edwards’ syndrome
6
4
5
1
2
5
9
6
Q914-Q917
Patau’s syndrome
1
3
1
2
4
4
1
1
Q92-Q99
other
5
5
1
3
7
6
3
11
Other conditions total
6
9
5
4
11
15
13
10
P00-P04
fetus affected by maternal factors
0
0
0
0
2
1
0
1
P05-P08
fetal disorders related to gestation and growth
1
5
3
1
4
8
7
2
P35-P39
fetus affected by congenital infectious disease
1
1
1
1
0
2
1
0
P55
haemolytic disease of fetus and newborn
1
1
0
0
2
1
0
4
P832-P833
hydrop fetalis not due to haemolytic disease
3
1
1
2
1
2
5
0
O30
multiple gestation
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
O42
premature rupture of membranes
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Z20-Z22
exposure to communicable disease
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Z245
need for immunisation against rubella
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Z80-Z84
family history of heritable disorder
0
0
0
0
2
1
0
3
(1) Figures for 1995, 1996 and 1997 include 12, 10 and 10 cases respectively for non residents of England and Wales. It is not possible to provide resident-only figures for disease categories for this year for reasons of confidentiality. (2) ICD-10 codes are taken from the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (Tenth Revision) published by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
