Northern Ireland is the only part of the United Kingdom where abortion remains presumptively unlawful 

When Westminster passed the Abortion Act in 1967 the Northern Ireland Parliament chose to retain the laws which protected children before birth. This means that Northern Ireland is the only part of the United Kingdom where abortion remains presumptively unlawful. Although the courts recognise a legal defence for a doctor who ends a pregnancy when a woman’s life is in danger, the strength of opposition from the people of Northern Ireland and their elected representatives has prevented any liberalisation of the law. Most recently, in February 2016, the Northern Ireland Assembly rejected an attempt to legalise abortion for children diagnosed with a life-limiting condition or conceived through criminal sexual activity.