Euro likely cause of Irish abortion drop in Britain

IRISH women may be travelling to other eurozone countries for abortions due to the high cost of paying for the procedure in sterling in Britain, according to a family planning expert.

Figures released by the British Government show that in 2002 a total of 6,490 women providing Irish addresses had abortions in England a drop of 135 on the previous year.

While the Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) welcomed the reduction in the number of women who travelled to England and Wales for abortions last year, it believed more women were taking advantage of the euro and opting for abortions in other countries that have adopted the single currency.