Slight rise in NI abortion rate

It is illegal for a woman in NI to have an abortion except if her life is at risk.

Legal abortions carried out in Northern Ireland averaged almost two per week last year, according to the Department of Health.

Official figures released in response to an assembly question asked by SDLP MLA Pat Ramsey revealed that 92 women had pregnancy terminations in 2008.

Seventy nine women underwent the procedure in NI the previous year.

Abortion is illegal in Northern Ireland, except when the mother's life is at risk.

In May, a Department of Health report revealed that 1,173 women had travelled to England to have an abortion last year, in comparison to 1,343 for 2007.

Anti-abortion campaigners are currently mounting a legal action in an attempt to quash government guidelines on abortion in Northern Ireland which were published in March this year.

The campaigners claim the guidance issued to health professionals is misleading and legally inaccurate.