THE number of women from the Irish Republic who had legal abortions in Britain during the first three months of 1995 was 1,162, according to figures released yesterday by the UK Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys. The number from Northern Ireland was 433.
The Well Woman Centres gave a cautious welcome to the statistics. Ms Marie McDonnell, the acting chief executive, said the figures showed a slight decline on the first quarter of 1994.
However, she added, it would be unwise to consider this to be a trend or to become over optimistic because the official statistics indicate that the number terminating was approximately 10 per cent of Ireland's birth rate.
Also, Ms McDonnell said the statistics are considered to be conservative as they only indicate the number of Irish women who gave Irish addresses in UK
clinics.
The figures indicate the need for increased levels of education on the issue, comprehensive research and increased access to family planning services with free access to non directive pregnancy counselling, according to Ms McDonnell.
Of the 1162 abortions, 128 affected women under 20, 348 were in the 20-34 age group and 143 were performed on women of 35 and over.