The number of women undergoing a late abortion has gone up 62% following the introduction of a new ultrasound scan for all pregnant women at around 20 weeks.

The figures are contained in the health inspectorate’s annual report on the abortion law.
In 2007, there were 227 hospital abortions carried out on women who were between 20 and 24 weeks pregnant. The defects picked up by the ultrasound scans include spina bifida, hydrocephalus (known as water on the brain) and a cleft jaw or palate.
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