CEREDIGION has the lowest rate of abortion in Wales, according to NHS figures.

Last year, 11.9 women in every 1,000 aged 15 to 44 had an abortion.

The rate for the whole of Wales is 14.6. Ceredigion has the lowest level in the country. The highest is 17.2 in Flintshire.

The lowest rate was among women aged over 35. The highest was for women aged 25 to 29.

In total, 162 abortions were carried out in Ceredigion in 2017.

The abortion rate in Powys went up slightly last year.

There were 287 terminations carried out in the area in 2017, that’s a rate of 15.5 for every 1,000 women aged 15 to 44 compared to 13.1 in 2016.

The highest rate in Powys was among women aged 20 to 24. The lowest was for under-18s.

The abortion rate across England and Wales peaked in 2007. It has been declining in recent years but in Ceredigion it rose from 6.4 per 1,000 women of child-bearing age in 2016.

The figures show that 29 per cent of the cases were classed as repeat procedures for a woman who had a previous abortion.

One of the most significant changes across England and Wales in recent years has been a declining rate of abortion in younger women and a rising rate for women in their early 30s.

Dr Kate Guthrie of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists said: “It is very encouraging to see a continuing decrease in the abortion rate for young women under the age of 25, and in particular for teenage girls."

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