Abortions linked to Down syndrome rise by over three-quarters since '21

Scotland has experienced a significant rise in abortions involving Down syndrome diagnoses, according to government data. The figures indicate an 82% increase since 2021, with 60 fetuses diagnosed with Down syndrome being aborted in 2024, compared to 33 such cases in 2021. This represents a further increase of 15% from the previous year.

Lynn Murray from the advocacy group Don’t Screen Us Out attributes this rise to the introduction of non-invasive prenatal tests (NIPT), which have simplified the detection of Down syndrome. Murray, whose daughter has Down syndrome, expressed concern about how common these abortions remain despite increased awareness efforts by advocacy groups.

She stated: “It is deeply concerning that despite the leaps that advocacy groups have made in raising awareness in support of people with Down’s syndrome, abortion in the case of Down’s syndrome is still so commonplace and widespread in the UK.”

Murray also called for a government inquiry into how NIPT affects termination rates for Down syndrome diagnoses. She urged legislative reforms to prevent abortions based on disability up to birth under current laws.

The statistics reveal that there were 280 abortions on grounds of disability in Scotland in 2024, marking a 26% increase from 2021. Under the UK's Abortion Act of 1967, most abortions after the 24th week are illegal unless specific conditions like disability are met.

Since 2021, Heidi Crowter has challenged this law as discriminatory but lost her case at both the High Court and Court of Appeal.

Overall abortion numbers reached record levels in Scotland during 2024, with an increase from 18,242 to 18,710 procedures. Consequently, the abortion rate rose from 17.5 per thousand women aged between 15 and 44 years old to 17.9 per thousand.

Additionally, buffer zones around clinics were introduced through new legislation—the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Scotland Act—prohibiting any form of influence regarding abortion decisions within these areas.

In February, Rose Docherty became notable for being arrested due to breaching such buffer zones when she held up a sign outside an abortion facility expressing her views against coercion related crimes while offering conversation if desired by passersby.

Simon Caldwell reports for OSV News from Liverpool.