Births in England and Wales hit nearly 50-year low

The number of babies born in England and Wales fell in the first half of 2026 to its lowest level since 1977, according to a Friday release from Right to Life UK. From January to June of 2026, the region recorded 287,236 live births, a decrease of 2,406 births compared with the first half of 2025. The first half of 2026 marked the lowest number of births for any calendar half-year since 1977, according to Right to Life UK.

The United Kingdom’s Office for National Statistics, which published the birth figures, last month noted that 2025’s total number of live births in England and Wales—585,396—was the lowest since 1977. The region’s total fertility rate that year was 1.39 children per woman.

Could abortions be playing a role in the low birth rate? The Abortion Act 1967 legalized abortion in England, Scotland, and Wales, and since then, 11,256,470 unborn babies have been killed across the U.K., according to Right to Life UK. In 2023, the most recent year abortion statistics were available, there were 278,740 abortions in England and Wales, according to statistics released by the Department of Health and Social Care. This was the highest number of abortions ever recorded in England and Wales in a single year.

What is the current abortion law? In England, Scotland, and Wales, abortion is legal for any reason until 24 weeks of pregnancy, and later in cases of fetal deformity or risk to the mother’s health. The Crime and Policing Act 2026, which was passed earlier this year, included an amendment removing criminal penalties for women who may perform their own abortions for any reason, including sex-selective purposes, at any point up to and during birth. Member of Parliament Tonia Antoniazzi, the Labour lawmaker who introduced the amendment, said in an interview that she was comfortable with women being able to abort a viable baby at 37 weeks.