Some 20 per cent of Irish women who become pregnant between the age of 20 and 24 have abortions, according to a study published today.
The study, carried out by the Crisis Pregnancy Agency, said the rate of abortion was highest in this age group. It also found that 80 per cent of abortions were obtained by single women.
Recent statistics published by the Department of Health in Britain show that the number of women giving Irish addresses at British clinics has dropped slightly for two years running. In 2003, a total of 6,320 women gave Irish addresses at British abortion clinics.
The number of teenage births last year was 2,803 and the rate of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Ireland was increasing annually with STIs most common in the 20-29 age group.
The agency's Irish Contraceptive and Crisis Pregnancy (ICCP) study of the general population also confirmed that the vast majority of those aged 18 to 25 are sexually active.
Some 95 per cent of those surveyed said accessing contraception was relatively easy, but 14 per cent of men and 9 per cent of women had never obtained contraceptive products or advice at any time in their lives.
The main reasons given for non-use in the last year was that sex was unplanned (58 per cent) followed by consumption of alcohol or drugs (21 per cent).
