Termination of pregnancy

12 November 2013

Question No. 1133

Name of Person: Mr Alex Yam Ziming

Question

To ask the Minister for Health (a) how many second trimester abortions were conducted in 2012; (b) what proportion of terminations of pregnancies have been for medical reasons; (c) how many girls under the age of 16 have been referred for mandatory counselling since 1 April 1999; and (d) whether any cases have been referred to the police for prosecutions for abortions below the age of 16.

Answer

1      In 2012, 10,624 abortions were carried out, of which 990 were carried out during the second trimester.

2      Less than 4% of the pregnant women who underwent abortions in 2012 indicated medical reasons (such as fetal anomalies or maternal medical conditions like cancer, lupus, etc) as the reasons for abortions.

3      Under the Termination of Pregnancy (TOP) Regulations, it is mandatory for medical practitioners to refer an unmarried girl below 16 years of age requesting for an abortion for pre-abortion counselling at the Health Promotion Board (HPB) Counselling Centre.

4      The number of girls below 16 years old requiring such counselling has decreased from 109 in year 1999 to 51 in year 2012.

5      Abortions performed in accordance with the Termination of Pregnancy Act and Regulations are not illegal, regardless of the age of the pregnant female who undergoes the procedure.