Growing moral objections mean three-quarters of the 7,000 terminations performed after 17 weeks of pregnancy each year are outside the Health Service.

The revelation comes as MPs prepare to vote on maintaining the 24-week upper limit for "social" abortions in the biggest Parliamentary battle on the issue for two decades.



Experts say late abortions are still provided by the NHS for foetal abnormalities but most of those approved on "social" grounds are referred outside.

Consultant gynaecologist Vincent Argent said there was "marked reluctance" among NHS staff to carry them out.

He said: "This isn't the result of childish squeamishness, these are healthcare professionals trained in with any sort of medicalsituation. But late abortions conflict with everything doctors and nurses are trained to do - preserve life."

MPs will vote next Tuesday on the 24-week limit, which was cut from 28 weeks in 1990. Pro-life MPs are tabling amendments to the Government's Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, forcing a vote on a change in the law.

There are expected to be votes on 13, 16, 18, 20 and 22 weeks. Abortion when a foetus is disabled would still be allowed right up to birth.

Dr Argent is a former medical director of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, which performs more than half of abortions carried out after 20 weeks.

He said that, in his experience, there was a dwindling number of NHS hospitals prepared to offer late abortions, while clinics were bringing in doctors from overseas to perform them.

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