Amid rising abortion rates in Scotland, the Catholic Church has highlighted the urgent need for comprehensive support systems for pregnant women, especially those with disabilities. This call for compassion follows Public Health Scotland’s recent data, showcasing a significant increase in abortion numbers.
According to the latest statistics, Scotland witnessed 18,783 abortions last year, marking a 55% surge from the 12,135 procedures reported in 2016. This increase is significant, given that it is not due to population growth, as the abortion rate per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44 escalated from 11.9 in 2016 to 17.6 in 2025.
Additionally, 2025 saw 277 disability-selective abortions, up 61% from 2018. Notably, there was also a 50% rise in abortions between the 18th and 20th weeks of pregnancy, just below the legal limit of 24 weeks.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Scotland emphasizes the need for a compassionate approach to those experiencing challenging pregnancies.
Bishop John Keenan, President of the Conference, stated, “Behind every figure is a unique human life, created with inherent dignity, and a mother who may be facing fear, isolation or hardship. These numbers should prompt not resignation, but a renewed determination to build a society where every life is welcomed and protected.”
He further stressed the importance of providing practical, emotional, and financial support to women, rather than promoting abortion as the sole answer to crisis pregnancies.
In his appeal to the Scottish government, Bishop Keenan urged for a cultural shift that values both expectant mothers and unborn children, advocating for a nation where compassion encompasses both mother and child.
“Scotland should aspire to be a nation where compassion means standing with both mother and child, and where the dignity of every human life is defended from conception to natural death,” he remarked.
The issue is compounded by a recent review of Scotland’s abortion laws, initiated by former First Minister Humza Yousaf. The review suggests maintaining the 24-week limit while permitting abortions beyond this threshold if specific, albeit ambiguous, conditions are fulfilled. These include considerations of “the patient’s current and reasonably foreseeable physical, psychological and social circumstances.”
In response, Right to Life UK cautions that adopting these recommendations could render Scotland’s abortion laws among the most permissive globally.
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
