Very few abortions are performed where the mother’s life is at risk. In 2021, only two abortions were performed in England and Wales in order to save the life of the pregnant woman (ground F of the 1967 Abortion Act) or to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the mother (ground G of the 1967 Abortion Act). See Table 2 in Abortion Statistics 2021: data tables.

By contrast, in the same year in England and Wales, 99.9% of abortions that were carried out underground C, were reported as being due to a risk to the woman’s mental health.

In Scotland, no abortions were performed under either ground F or G.