Abortion rate jump linked to cost of living crisis. Abortions in England and Wales reached a record high of 251,377 in 2022, a 17% increase from the previous year, according to the Department of Health and Social Care. Women in the most deprived regions were twice as likely to terminate pregnancies than those in less deprived areas, with financial pressures cited as a key factor. Research by Pregnant Then Screwed found 87% of parents said high childcare costs deterred them from having more children.
