Abortion statistics reveal government agenda for more abortions 27th July 2005 - The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) is warning that government policies on teenage pregnancy and sexual health are leading to increases in the abortion rate, following the release of statistics for abortions in England&Wales in 2004. Anthony Ozimic, SPUC political secretary, commented: "There were 185,400 abortions in England&Wales in 2004, a rise of 3,800 from 2003. This figure represents an appalling increase in unborn lives destroyed, and women hurt by abortion, and an obstinate refusal by the government to admit the effects of its policies. The figures represent a sharp rise in abortions before the 10th week of pregnancy, particularly in chemical abortions using RU486. Politicians and commentators must recognise that the government's approach of promoting early abortion is increasing the overall number of abortions. In this situation, the suggestion of changing the law to reduce the much smaller number of late social abortions is a distraction. "It is policy, not legislation, that the government should change. It should stop its ruthless attempt to rush women as quickly as possible through the abortion mill, in its frenzy to cut waiting times. It should end its policy of promoting secret abortions on teenagers without telling their parents, and it should stop the counter-productive sex-education programmes that the pro-abortion lobby promotes widely."