The number of prisoners in England having an abortion fell by 75% in two years, sparking fears that the detention system is failing to provide proper healthcare.
Only seven women held in an English prison had an abortion in 2021, compared with 28 in 2019, according to data obtained by openDemocracy under the Freedom of Information Act.
The number of abortions among the general public rose by almost 7,000 over the same time period – reaching a record high of 214,869 in 2021 – and there have been similar numbers of pregnancies in prisons in England each year since 2019.
