the standard contraceptive?

It was said fairly recently that abortion is becoming a new contraceptive.

From figures released by the Department of Health recently, it seems that with the number of "repeat" abortions it is becoming the standard contraceptive for some.

In 2008 there were 5,218 repeat abortions among girls under 20 in England and a further 15,029 among those aged 20 -24. In the teenage group about 12% were second or further abortions. The total number of abortions in the UK in 2007 was 220,000, which makes us the most abortion indulgent country in Europe, having overtaken France with 210,000.

Also in 2008 65,000 women who had already had an abortion went through a second, third or further abortion, which is more than one third of all women having an abortion in 2008. (In London there is one repeat abortion for every 11 conceptions.)

This despite available advice, a range of contraceptives and increased sex education in schools. (In 2008 there were 40,000 under-18 conceptions).

Apart from the long-term effects there may be from easy sex or from abortion, which can lead to mental problems, there are other concerns.

There is a very large drain on the resources of the NHS, which ought to be used elsewhere rather than on this "self-inflicted" problem.

There seems to be a perverse correlation - the more contraceptive availability, the greater the number of abortions.

Routine abortion on demand seems to make girls less careful. This may explain why AIDS seemed to be making something of a resurgence recently.