This claim is accurate. In 2018, 1.8% of all abortions in Great Britain took place at gestations of 20 weeks and over; 1.7% of all abortions in England and Wales took place at gestations of 20 to 24 weeks.
Are 2% of pregnancy terminations between 20 and 24 weeks?
On 12 November 2019, Naomi Long, leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland, during a BBC programme stated: “About 2% of terminations take place in that period between 20 and 24 weeks.”
Number of abortions
According to figures from the Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC), in 2018 there were 205,295 abortions carried out in England and Wales, and 13,286 abortions carried out in Scotland, totalling 218,581. (The 4,687 non-resident abortions in England and Wales, 22% (1,031) represent women who travelled from Northern Ireland.)
Number of abortions by gestation period
The DHSC policy is that women who are legally entitled to an abortion should have access to the procedure as soon as possible. The number of legal abortions by gestation (weeks) in Great Britain in 2018 are the following:
| Gestation | Abortions |
| 3-9 weeks | 175,246 |
| 10-12 weeks | 23,730 |
| 13-19 weeks | 15,642 |
| 20 weeks and over | 3,962 |
| Total | 218,580 |
Abortions at gestation at 20 weeks and over (3,962) represents 1.8% of total abortions in Great Britain (218,580).
Specifically, in England and Wales the number of abortions in 2018 between 20 and 24 weeks was 3,399:
| Gestation week | Abortions |
| 20 | 833 |
| 21 | 913 |
| 22 | 808 |
| 23 | 759 |
| 24 | 86 |
| Total | 3,399 |
In England and Wales, abortions at gestation at 20 to 24 weeks (3,399) represents 1.7% of total resident abortions in England and Wales (200,608).
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