Most Irish women who went to UK for abortion did so due to physical or mental health injury riskThe law came into effect on December 20th of that year, meaning that abortion is permitted in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and in later cases where the woman’s life or health is at risk, or in cases of fatal foetal abnormality.
Of these women who travelled in 2022, 63 per cent travelled under what is called “ground C”, which allows for abortions due to physical or mental health concerns up to 24 weeks. In Ireland, abortion is permitted in these circumstances but only up to 12 weeks. The proportion of abortions performed under ground E – a substantial risk that, if the child were born, it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped – decreased from 50 per cent in 2021 to 37 per cent in 2022.
According to the Department, almost all of the abortions carried out under ground C were reported as being performed because of a risk to the woman’s mental health.