Figures released Thursday by the Department of Health indicate that as many as 84 children underwent abortions every week in Wales and England in 2007. The figures also showed that three out of these 84 kids were below 14 years of age.
The Department of Health said the number of abortions among under-14s went from 135 in 2006 to 163 in 2007, an increase of 21 percent. There was also a 10 percent rise among girls under the age of 16, to 4,376 abortions.
By the end of 2007, abortion rates in England and Wales saw a 2.5 percent rise, settling at 198,499 abortions a year. There were a further 7,100 abortions to women not resident in England or Wales.
Experts expressed concern about the rising trend despite improvements in contraception, family planning services and sex education. The highest abortion rate was for women aged 19, at 36 per 1,000, the Department said.
In May, legislation to cut down the upper limit for abortion from 24 weeks to 22 weeks failed in the House of Commons.
