Over 8,150 terminations of pregnancy carried out in 2022

The Annual Report on the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018, shows that  8,156 medical procedures were carried out under the Act in 2022.  

In 2022, 22 procedures were carried out due to a risk to life or health under the grounds set out in section nine of the Act; four due to a risk to life or health in an emergency situation under section ten; 88 due to a fatal foetal anomaly under section 11; and 8,042 in early pregnancy under the grounds set out in section 12 of the Act.  

The data for 2022 indicate that the months with the highest number of terminations carried out were January (783 notifications), March (751) and December (752). The month with the fewest notifications was July (487).

The report also notes that the counties with the highest number of terminations recorded were Dublin (3,005), Cork (734) and Limerick (377).

The county cited in fewest notifications was Leitrim, with only 48 noting it as the county of residence of the pregnant woman. The data showed that Northern Ireland was the place of residence notified in 12 cases, while five notifications recorded the place of residence as another location outside of Ireland.

Separately in a statement today, the Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) noted that new statistics showed that a total of 85 people gave Irish addresses when accessing abortion in England and Wales in the first half of 2022. Some 98 per cent of these were more than 12 weeks pregnant and ineligible for termination services in Ireland due to legal restrictions. The vast majority of those who travelled (69 per cent) were aged in their 30s and 40s.

Commenting on the statistics, IFPA Chief Executive, Mr Niall Behan said: “These figures reaffirm that the current abortion law excludes some women, girls, and pregnant people from the Irish healthcare system.”

Mr Behan continued: “This denial of care is degrading and discriminatory. It violates the right to bodily autonomy and self-determination. No one should have to leave the country to access abortion care.”